Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who shares a link to this eBay Buy It Now auction for a new in sealed box Yaesu FRG-100.
Yaesu FRG-100
Dave notes, “The seller does not disclose the serial number so no way of telling if this is a later B version or not.”
In addition, of course, this is an untested radio in a sealed box and being sold as-is. Still, it’s not every day you find a receiver like this that has never been opened before. Thank you for the tip, Dave!
To update readers on this, I was the winner on this receiver — it indeed was
NIB NOS Never Opened condition. It is 1999 production. Yaesu receivers that show up
in this condition, never opened, usually bring in the $500 to $600 range. The debate over
whether there actually ever was a formal “B” version continues, though it is accurate to note
that Yaesu installed different filters in later models, but this was never reflected in any description
as FRG-100B.
The “item specifics” state that it’s an FRG-100B. But how does the seller know without opening the box and checking? 🙂
There’s no such thing as a “B” anyway – just a running production change to the AM filters somewhere amongst a certain group of serial numbers, that mostly from spec-peeping hype has become some legendary ‘improvement’.
For most listening and DX people there’s not really much difference – the narrow filter *is* somewhat better in the so-called “B”‘s, though the wide is much the same – but if you care much about what difference there is, you’re probably interested in SSB CW, FSK, or similar anyway and would be better off installing a suitable aftermarket filter.
I think there’s more than just some hype to it: Actually, the narrow filter remained the same (CFJ455K15) but the original Murata intermediate and wide AM filters (CFW455 -I and -H) were unanimously criticized for being too wide and and/or their shape not being great. Spectrum Monitor: “the original version’s three filters measure (at -6/ -60 dB) 7.6/17.9, 6.9/17.2 and 2.6/3.7 kHz”. So even the “intermediate” filter probably had a problem with the 5kHz channel spacing on the SW broadcast bands. Yaesu then used supposedly better NTKK filters (LF-H2S-3Y and LF-H6S 37) at some point.
The ‘B’ designator was indeed only used by US stores and AFAIK there is no known definitive serial number marking the change. With the improved filters and the other qualities of the radio (pretty good dynamic range), the FRG-100 is probably the best, but also the least charming model of the Frogs. But I guess this $600 (= 3x the usual 2nd hand price) offer isn’t about the qualities of the radio anyway, it’s about buying a virgin radio.
I have this model, a great receiver. The fact that one has sat all these years unused is just amazing. Who would have the willpower to do that hihi. Thanks David and Thomas for sharing.
Who can tell if there is one in that box?
** There is one seller from Mill Hall, Pennsylvania sells R5000’s and other receivers, all look very well. Who is this guy ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393603437781?
There is a radio in the box, I think we can be sure. The question is whether this is a very early serial numbere or later. Strangely, the seller has avoided (so far as of October 5th) requests to provide the actual serial number.
Adi, the guy in Mill Hall is Randy, a/k/a bigapple59. He’s a good guy. He knows radios and has a good tech.
Yes, seller does not show the Serial Number which is crucial when considering one
of these receivers.