FT-857D & Filters

[W1MSG]

Is anyone using the Collins SSB Filter in their FT-857 or 897 ? Just curious as to the difference it makes.

Craig

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I'm using the Collins filter and it does make a difference. The receiver is a bit tighter, not much but a bit. The skirts of the filter seem a bit steeper than that of the stock ceramic filter. The funny thing is that I used this same filter in another first generation FT-857 and saw almost no difference at all. I sold it and purchased a brand new FT-857D a few moths ago and can see a much bigger difference with the new radio. I suspect the older one had more issues than just a flaky 6m section. At the time I bought the filter which was a couple months after the FT-857 first came out I paid CDN $199 for it and thought it was a huge waste of money but now I don't feel quite the same way. I'm not sure I would spend that kind of money on it again but I haven't really spent that much time on the radio since buying this new one to really decide for sure if it was worth it.

 

[W1MSG]

Well I got the W4RT Filter and it came in yesterday, I havent spent alot of time with it but there does appear to be a bit of a difference, tends to block out some of the bleed over better than the stock one.
I agree not sure if it was really worth the money, but I have it and its installed.

Craig