Re: [amsat-bb] FT-847 scuttlebut

[Jon Ogden <na9d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I doubt it.  The FT-847 is not really even two years old yet.  I bought mine
exactly a year ago and paid maybe $50 more, so prices are stable as well.
The big ham companies like to keep producing radios for a LONG time.  Look
at how long the FT-1000D was in production or the IC-821, etc.  The longer
they have it in production, the more easily they can make money.

A couple new features on the FT-847 would be nice.  It could use VOX as you
say (but I don't think any of Yaesu's lower end rigs have it) and it could
use transverter ports.  But I doubt they'll come out with such a beast.  You
can generally figure (IMHO) on 1 to 2 major radio releases every 2 years.
Two years ago it was the 847.  This year it was the 1000MP Mark V.  Yaesu
also just released a new wideband RX.

I'd go ahead and buy it and enjoy it if I were you.  You WON'T regret it.
With the cost of the new Kenwood, I've decided I am keeping mine for quite a
while!

73,

Jon
NA9D

on 12/7/00 8:48 AM, Jack J. Gelfand at jjg@phoenix.Princeton.EDU wrote:

> I sold some of my other radios and have raised enough cash
> to buy a new Yaesu FT-847.  The price is drifting down with
> the AES now at $1399.99. Its still the best buy considering
> the new Icom and Kenwood satellite rigs are in the 2 G$
> range. The question is, will Yaesu release an updated
> version of the 847 soon to compete with these new rigs? If
> that were the case I would hold off on my purchase for a
> month or so. There isn't much that they can really improve
> without substantially raising the price. On the other hand
> there are some minor improvements such as VOX that would be
> useful. Has anyone heard any scuttlebut on any new Yaesu
> satellite hardware?


-------------------------------------
Jon Ogden
NA9D (ex: KE9NA)

Member:  ARRL, AMSAT, DXCC, NRA

http://www.qsl.net/ke9na

My President is George W. Bush -> The legal winner in Florida

----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org