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Potential buyers beware if you want to use the rig on 10m CW.  Hopefully, later versions/shipments will correct “early adopter” bugs. I can wait!

Doug says the Nevada ones are the most recent.  Some other suppliers are selling older versions (more bugs), hence lower unit prices.

From Steve G1KQH:

As its based around the 817, I guess rumour will be rife that it will soon be replaced?

Eligible FT-897D/DM/DS
June 2014 production end time

FT-897D series was popular for many years will be discontinued at last. (Successor model no immediate plans) will be limited stock. And as soon as possible please the person of your choice

FT-897D
http://www.cqcqde.com/shop/82_2230.html

73 Steve

http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

Does this mean a replacement for the FT817 is coming?  We can only hope Yaesu will do the FT817 replacement as their next product.  For the life of me I cannot understand why they have not replaced it 2 years ago on the UP part of the solar cycle.  Here we are now on the slide to a probable quiet few cycles. Not the best time to launch a new all-mode transceiver unless they plan to add some VHF/UHF bands like 70 and 1296MHz?  That would be nice. Personally, I’d buy it if it covered 10m-23cms. That would be a CLASS selection of bands especially for Es (10, 6, 4 and 2m). 70cms and 1296MHz would be good for tropo. As a multi-mode mainly VHF/UHF transceiver with 10m thrown it, it would be a neat new radio with a good market worldwide.

For a change, this morning I went on 10m rather than 6m. I had to disconnect the antennas early on because of a passing thunderstorm, but these are the results up to now with 2W out.  Basically a fair scatter of 10m Es WSPR spots given and received from across Europe. No DX from outside Europe seen (yet).  Hopefully will see some South Americans later.

Sunspot count today is 132 (quite respectable) and 20-30MHz propagation is “normal”.

10m unique WSPR spots (2W) this morning

Southern Europeans are exchanging WSPR spots with S.Africa (TEP?) at around 8400-8500km, but N.Europeans are missing out.

Forgetting F-layer propagation – now unlikely this autumn on 6m – the best chances of 6m transatlantic propagation are the next 6 weeks by multi-hop Es.

For a decent chance we need lots of stations active on 6m WSPR on both sides of the Atlantic. Generally there are quite a few active stations in Europe (including the UK) but very few in the eastern USA. I find this hard to fathom.

Not much power should be necessary. Even a few watts ERP should be enough. 6m is a fascinating band and WSPR the ideal mode to “sniff out” short-lived openings.

Please, if you are in the Eastern USA or Canada , come on to 6m WSPR for June and July to help us see if the 6m band opens “across the pond”. Without stations in the right place we are wasting our time.

Knowing my luck, if I QSY to 10m tomorrow then 6m will be in excellent shape, possibly with some long distance multi-hop Es! Despite this, I may start on 10m on Saturday morning and see what happens.   I could QSY back to 6m later I guess. Today on 6m has been mixed: some reasonable Es and quite a few locals and semi-locals spotted and spotting me.

6m Es, with my 1W ERP WSPR signal, started today at 1216z here with spots of my QRP signal by IK1WVQ (1084km) followed by DL4MFC (916km).  A better start on 6m than yesterday! A little later IK1NET (981km) was spotting me at 1244z..

I spotted both IK1WVQ and DL4MFC around 1238z.  I am now hopeful of more Es during the day.

UPDATE 1315z:    DL4RU (879km) spotted me at 1304z.

UPDATE 1830z:    No more Es her since 1654z with OK2RO (1282km). Since then just locals and GDX –  G4IKZ (18km), G8KNN (12km), G3ZJO (79km), G8EPA (61km), G0LRD (25km). Earlier in the day G4KPX (12km) and G4FFC (45km).

UPDATE 1940z:   Still no more 6m Es (here at least) after OK2RO, just Gs.

UPDATE 2030z:  Just 6m G locals and semi-locals.

6m locals and semi-locals this evening on WSPR

UPDATE 2122z:   G6AVK (78km) is now spotting me too.

Sunspot count is 102 today (higher than of late) and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be “good”, so better than of late. 10m could be better for F-layer propagation today.

So far, it has been quiet on 6m again with just locals spotting me on WSPR  – G4IKZ (18km)  and G4KPX (14km). No sign of Es yet at 1040z.