[Yaesu] FT-ONE - memory board. Anyone got one, made one, or want one?

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

I'm too lazy to download the FT-ONE manual to answer my next question. 
So I'll post it here, what memory chips were used and exactly which year 
was the FT-ONE introduced? I have catalogs back before ICs so I can look 
for prices. One could look in ham store catalogs or magazine 
advertisements to see the factory offered options and prices.

Then an important question is how many were sold without the added 
memory and how many are still in use?

It may prove way more profitable to do a whole sale replacement of all 
the miniature aluminum electrolytics that are partly failed having dried 
out, leaked liquid electrolytics eating traces, and having high ESR. Few 
are bad enough to make easy circuit tracing but replacing the entire 
batch should make the radio work much better.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 6/3/2011 9:52 AM, Dr. David Kirkby wrote:
> On 06/ 3/11 02:52 PM, Dr. Gerald N. Johnson wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 6/3/2011 5:37 AM, David Kirkby wrote:
>>> I find the fact the FT-ONE will lose memories if powered off and
>>> disconnected from the mains unless the optional memory unit is
>>> installed is a bit annoying. I would have thought on a $3000 rig,
>>> Yaesu should have added the memory (only 1024 bits of SRAM), and not
>>> sold it as and option. But the fact is they did.
>>
>> When the rig was new, those chips probably cost $10 each, and the option
>> near $100. The half GB modules for PCs that cost $20 aren't really SRAM,
>> they are DRAM with built in refresh. Which makes them easier to make in
>> large capacities.
>>
>> 73, Jerry, K0CQ
>
> In order to make this an option, Yaesu had to fit a couple of connectors
> on the PCB in the rig, and a couple more on the board. I think including
> $20's worth of components on a rig selling for $3000 was not unreasonable.
>
> Had it been an economy rig, I could understand making a bit of memory an
> option, but not in a top of the line rig.
>
> Dave
>
>