enough already

[David M. Nance]

patden wrote:
>
> I for one have heard enough  about Japanese radios.
> We get this every day on our amateur bands.
>  lets keep the pure
> tradition of boatanchors, North American made radios,
> on this reflector.
> If someone could start up a International boatanchors reflector
> I'm sure they'll be plenty of conversation going on  about that
> subject.
>

I started to respond to this when it first came out but I hit the delete
key and decided to keep quiet.  But since others are now weighing in
I'll say my piece.  Yes, I prefer the more "mainstream" boatanchors, but
among the last of the tube rigs of the late 60's and early 70's, the
Yaesu FTDX-400, 560 and 570 and the FRDX-400/FLDX-400 seperates are as
much a boatanchor as a Hallicrafters, Collins, Drake or National from
the same period.

I just bought a Hallicrafters SR-2000 Hurricane with the HA-20 VFO and
also had to buy a Yaesu FTDX-400 as part of the "package".  I think it
has about 18 tubes in it and just a handful of solid state devices.  I
think the Yaesus (and Kenwoods)from this era are interesting as they
were really the first wave of Japanese gear to seriously challenge the
US manufacturers.  This may have been unfortunate but it is no less a
fact.  They were still basically tube technology and component quality
was not up to their later standards, but were priced somewhat lower than
their US counterparts.  Prior to this time, the only Japanese gear
commonly available were sold under the Allied and Lafayette labels and
were typically low-priced entries, although interesting in their own
right.  (I'd still like to find a bargain Lafayetter HE-10, the "S-38 on
steriods".)  For that reason, they represent an era and certainly have
some significance.

Having said that, I feel somewhat like Dennis that the FT-101 and
similar radios are in a different category, but then the last
Hallicrafters tranceiver only had a tube driver and one final.  And so
it goes.

Would now be a good time to list the FTDX-400 "for sale"?  Hi.

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