Yaesu FT-101EE

[522]

I have a local here offering up his Yaesu FT-101EE. I know nothing about these radios other than from what I have heard or read. And that would be that they come with very high regards.

With that said, I am wondering what a reasonable $$ dollar amount might be for one of these radios? He said everything is great, but he hasnt used it in some time. Recently fired it up, and he says that it could use some contact cleaner, and possibly 1 new tube.

He is wanting to trade me straight up for my AR 3500, but I am not letting that one go. So I was wondering what a fair number to throw at him in terms of cash money.

 

[office888]

Complete but needs work ~$100-$150
Mint, works perfectly ~$400

I bought mine for $225. Noiseblanker doesn't work, and the AM mod wasn't properly added. The RF gain pot is a little scratchy. Also, 10C+10D are 11m xtals, WWV xtal is gone. 9/10 cosmetics.

6JS6Cs are getting rare. Expect to plunk out $50 for a matched pair.

Other than that, fire her up and see what happens.

You know how to tune, peak, and load a tube transceiver, right?

Warning : The carrier is adjust via a knob in the front. 25-30w carrier, MAX. Dumbasses like to crank it up to ~100w. The radio cannot handle that much power, and will be pretty dead.

 

[wavrider]

There is no such thing as a 30 + yr old "MINT" radio.

The carbon resistors have went out of tolerance, the caps are at the end of their shelf life. Usually 20 years is the length of a electrolytic cap being functional.

Tubes are very hard to find and $50 a pair I will buy and re sale them all day long at that price.

It will be hard to find a 101 that has not passed through many owners, and mods etc etc. If you know how to read a schematic, and can repair electronic gear, and do not mind spending $$ to keep an old piece of equipment in working condition then make him an offer, as long as it will not be your primary radio everyday user. It will fail, not if but when.

It is not the best of hybrid transceivers, popular with the 11 meter crowd as they are audio monsters on AM.

If you are wanting to play Ham bands there are much better hybrids out there.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

There is no such thing as a 30 + yr old "MINT" radio.

The carbon resistors have went out of tolerance, the caps are at the end of their shelf life. Usually 20 years is the length of a electrolytic cap being functional.

Tubes are very hard to find and $50 a pair I will buy and re sale them all day long at that price.

It will be hard to find a 101 that has not passed through many owners, and mods etc etc. If you know how to read a schematic, and can repair electronic gear, and do not mind spending $$ to keep an old piece of equipment in working condition then make him an offer, as long as it will not be your primary radio everyday user. It will fail, not if but when.

It is not the best of hybrid transceivers, popular with the 11 meter crowd as they are audio monsters on AM.

If you are wanting to play Ham bands there are much better hybrids out there.

I like my TS-820S but I really want to get an TS-830 as well.

 

[Mr.5150cbrn]

6JS6Cs are getting rare. Expect to plunk out $50 for a matched pair.

rare yes, 50$ for a matched pair, if you can get decent pairs for 50 bucks (65% or better) because there going for $75-80 apiece for domestic brands rca, sylvanias etc.
expect to pay out big $$$$$ for factory NECs .

hell 8950's are easier to come by and cheaper than the 6js6c's if theyre worth a damn

 

[AudioShockwav]

I paid $300 for a E that needed tubes, it included the frequency counter and external speaker. I took my time and found a set of Lindel made in Japan green stripe tubes for it as it still had OEM green stripes in it when I got it.
They are good radios but as already been said the basic chassis is old. If you have good soldering skills, there is a guy on E Bay that sells a complete re-caping set for the radio
And it is not that hard to do because you can pull the boards to work on them very easily.
Full service manuals are easy to get.
They are audio monsters on AM mode again as already said do not exceed 25/30 watts or you start to BBQ the transformer.
Mine was owned by a Ham abd did not even have 11 meter crystals in it.
If you pop the cover and all of the 10 meter crystals are yanked out and just a couple of 11 are there ......it is a good guess that it "might" have seen some rough service already.


73
Jeff

 

[522]

Good information here. Thanks all for the posts.
I think I will pass on the radio. Seems like more money and effort Im willing to exhaust.

 

[K8PG]

FT101EE

Very nice Rig,I have had one going on 34 yrs -no problems-I did the tube mod-a
few yrs ago-using 6146s-works great-I use it for AM and QRPp OSQs-I also have the
30 meter mod done -this rig is built like a Brick SXXX House !6JS6C tubes are pricey
if you can get new ones,I also have 12/17 mtrs in the FT101EE -took out the 2 -higher
10 mtr band crystals-The wiring is a little small moving them all around on the band
switch and hard to do for all these band mods but well worth it,Wish all new rigs were
built like the FT101 EE. I would give not more than $350.00 for a primo one-look for
one that has the processor/12volt/AM /160 in it,If a cber with a Golden Screwdriver has
been into it-PASS.

Paul-K8PG CW THE ONLY MODE. CW FOREVER !

 

[Eastside]

I bought a FT-101 EE still sealed in the original shipping box....35yrs old and worked perfectly.....awesome sounding radios.

 

[wavrider]

I like my TS-820S but I really want to get an TS-830 as well.

I have a TS-820 in the shack, it will not ever leave it, neither will the FT-102.

I would like a TS-830 goldline, rare and expensive. Great rigs those old Kenwoods.

 

[ab4d]

I have a TS-820 in the shack, it will not ever leave it, neither will the FT-102.

I would like a TS-830 goldline, rare and expensive. Great rigs those old Kenwoods.

The gold labeled "goldline" TS-830s are neither rare nor relatively expensive. The older silver labeled TS-830s are actually rarer, Kenwood built more golds than silver. Nevertheless, all TS-830s are about the same. Beyond the two optional CW filters that were allegedly factory installed in the golds, there is no other significant difference.

Nice TS-830s can be had for $350, sometimes less. A friend told me he saw a clean TS-830 gold go for $175 at Mullica Hill, NJ last month. He was mad, because he did not see it setting on a box under the sellers table, and some other guy standing next to him spotted it before he did. :headbang

73

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Agreed. The only thing different about the Goldline is that it came with all four filters,two SSB and two CW, already installed at the factory. Other than that a Goldline radio is identical in EVERY respect as the regular series.

 

[wavrider]

Except the regular series do not have the gold colored emblem thus the gold line name, and as mentioned the factory installed filters.

By rare it is rare to find someone selling one. Your friend had a good ham fest find on the $175 and if you know of one for $350 let me know. Send link or website that has them for $350. I would really like to see one for that price as most of the auctions site start the bidding higher priced than what you quoted.

 

[Shockwave]

If you're willing to take the screws out and drop the metal plate that holds the tube sockets down lower in the chassis, the EL-509 works good in the FT-101 series. It requires the same socket changes and driver alignment as the 6146B swap but there are differences in power capabilities. The 101E series using 6JS6C tubes always made more output then the 101ZD radios with 6146B finals. The 6JS6C sweep tube actually has more plate dissipation. The EL-509 has even more.

 

[ab4d]

Except the regular series do not have the gold colored emblem thus the gold line name, and as mentioned the factory installed filters.

By rare it is rare to find someone selling one. Your friend had a good ham fest find on the $175 and if you know of one for $350 let me know. Send link or website that has them for $350. I would really like to see one for that price as most of the auctions site start the bidding higher priced than what you quoted.

I suggest hitting your local ham fest. I agree, people on the net/auctions are getting beyond top dollar for them (nuts), but this past year I saw several nice ones at Richmond, VA and Berryville, VA for under $400. A big problem with a lot of the golds, is many times you will discover the factory installed filters have been removed to increase the profit on resale. Ken K4EAA who specializes in the 830 and 530, indicated he sees this a lot.

The last 830 I purchased two years ago, was $350. If I hear about one, I will PM the info if there is time, but they do go fast.

73