{"id":47105,"date":"2021-01-01T15:02:18","date_gmt":"2021-01-01T19:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=47105"},"modified":"2021-01-01T15:15:09","modified_gmt":"2021-01-01T19:15:09","slug":"upgrading-my-yaesu-ft-817-transceiver-with-the-g7uhn-rev2-buddy-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/upgrading-my-yaesu-ft-817-transceiver-with-the-g7uhn-rev2-buddy-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Upgrading my Yaesu FT-817 transceiver with the G7UHN rev2 Buddy board"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Last August, SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Andy (G7UHN)<\/a>, shared his homebrew project with us: a genius companion control display for the venerable Yaesu FT-817<\/strong><\/a> general coverage QRP transceiver.<\/p>\n

Andy’s article caused me (yes, I blame him) to wax nostalgic about the popular FT-817 transceiver. You see, I owned one of the first production models of the FT-817 in 2001 when I lived in the UK.<\/p>\n

At the time, there was nothing<\/em> like it on the market: a very<\/em> portable and efficient HF, VHF, UHF, multi-mode general coverage QRP transceiver…all for $670 US.<\/p>\n

In 2001? Yeah, Yaesu knocked it out of the ballpark!
\n\"\"<\/a><\/h1>\n

In fact, they knocked it out of the ballpark so hard, the radio is still<\/em> in production two decades later<\/em> and in demand under the model FT-818<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I sold my FT-817 in 2008 to raise funds for the purchase of an Elecraft KX1, if memory serves. My reasoning? The one thing I disliked about my FT-817 was its tiny front-facing display. When combined with the embedded menus and lack of controls, it could get frustrating at home and in the field.<\/p>\n

I mentioned in a previous post that I purchased a used FT-817ND from my buddy<\/a>, Don, in October, 2020. I do blame Andy for this purchase. Indeed, I hereby declare him an FT-817 enabler!<\/p>\n

FT-817 Buddy board<\/h1>\n

When I told Andy about my ‘817ND purchase, he asked if I’d like to help him test the FT-817 Buddy board versions. How could I refuse?<\/p>\n

Andy sent me a prototype of his Version 2 Buddy board which arrived in late November. I had to source out a few bits (an Arduino board, Nokia display, and multi-conductor CAT cable). Andy kindly pre-populated all of the SMD components so I only needed to solder the Arduino board and configure\/solder the cable. I did take a lot of care preparing and soldering the cable, making sure there was no unintentional short between the voltage and ground conductors.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Overall, I found the construction and programming pretty straight-forward. It helped that Andy did a remote session with me during the programming process (thanks, OM!). Andy is doing an amazing job with the documentation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I do love how the board makes it easier to read the frequency and have direct access to important functions without digging through embedded menus. While there’s nothing stopping you from changing the program to suit you, Andy’s done a brilliant job with this since he’s an experienced FT-817 user.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Nokia display is very well backlit, high contrast, and easy very to read.<\/p>\n

“Resistance is futile”<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I mentioned on Twitter that, with the backlight on, the FT-817 Buddy makes my ‘817ND look like it was recently assimilated by The Borg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don’t tell any Star Trek captains, but I’m good with that.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Andy has a rev3 board in the works and it sports something that will be a game-changer for me in the field: K1EL\u2019s keyer chip!<\/p>\n

For more information about the FT-817 Buddy, check out Andy’s website<\/a><\/strong>. At time of posting, it’s not available yet, but as Andy says, “it’s nearly there!”<\/p>\n

Of course, we’ll keep you updated here as well. Many thanks to Andy for taking this project to the next level. No doubt a lot of FT-817 users will benefit from this brilliant project!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last August, SWLing Post contributor, Andy (G7UHN), shared his homebrew project with us: a genius companion control display for the venerable Yaesu FT-817 general coverage QRP transceiver. Andy’s article caused me (yes, I blame him) to wax nostalgic about the popular FT-817 transceiver. You see, I owned one of the first production models of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4199,545,3,139,26,43],"tags":[5776,2807,8748,6859,3276,4102,4358,1303,4859,2806,9066,8749,2808,6858],"class_list":["post-47105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accessories","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-radio-modifications","category-radios","category-shortwave-radio","tag-andy-webster-g7uhn","tag-ft-817","tag-ft-817nd","tag-ft-818","tag-general-coverage-transceivers","tag-ham-radio","tag-homebrew","tag-qrp","tag-yaesu","tag-yaesu-ft-817","tag-yaesu-ft-817-buddy","tag-yaesu-ft-817-companion-control-display","tag-yaesu-ft-817nd","tag-yaesu-ft-818"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-cfL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46398,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/shortwave-listening-with-the-yaesu-ft-817-ft-817nd-or-ft-818\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":0},"title":"Shortwave listening with the Yaesu FT-817, FT-817ND, or FT-818–?","author":"Thomas","date":"November 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently re-acquired a Yaesu FT-817ND general coverage QRP transceiver. I wrote a post with some info about this radio and how it came into my possession over at QRPer.com, if you're interested. My question here: Have any folks in the SWLing Post community ever used the FT-817 or FT-818\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-1-1-e1604936467981.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-1-1-e1604936467981.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-1-1-e1604936467981.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-1-1-e1604936467981.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44820,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/andy-builds-a-genius-companion-control-display-for-the-yaesu-ft-817-transceiver\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":1},"title":"Andy builds a genius companion control display for the Yaesu FT-817 transceiver","author":"Thomas","date":"August 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Andy Webster (G7UHN), who kindly shares the following guest post: Yaesu FT-817 companion display by Andy Webster (G7UHN) \u00a0 Like so many I love getting out portable with my FT-817 but I do seem to spend so much of my operating time fiddling through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Yaesu-FT-817ND.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Yaesu-FT-817ND.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Yaesu-FT-817ND.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Yaesu-FT-817ND.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9401,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/yaesu-ft-817-as-a-travel-receiver\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":2},"title":"Yaesu FT-817 as a travel receiver","author":"Thomas","date":"April 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"SWLing Post reader, Anil, comments on Traveling light, SWLing right: \"I would like to suggest another candidate that is really hard to beat and is fantastic value when you buy a used one - The Yaesu FT-817 Low Power Transceiver. It has outrageously good General Coverage performance and a massive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yaesu-FT-817","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Yaesu-FT-817.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":30955,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/details-emerge-about-the-yaesu-ft-818-and-beware-of-the-fake-leaked-photo\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":3},"title":"Yaesu FT-818 details emerge (and beware of the fake “leaked” photo!)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been following news about the Yaesu FT-818: the next iteration of the venerable Yaesu FT-817ND QRP general coverage transceiver. The FT-817 series has been on the market for nearly two decades. I remember purchasing one of the first production models when I lived in the UK in 2001. It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/ft-817_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/ft-817_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/ft-817_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/ft-817_1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55193,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/the-yaesu-ft-818nd-has-been-discontinued\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":4},"title":"The Yaesu FT-818ND has been discontinued","author":"Thomas Witherspoon","date":"December 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, on QRPer.com, I posted an announcement from Yaesu stating that they are discontinuing the Yaesu FT-818ND and FTM-400 series radios. Here's the actual message from Yaesu: \"Please be informed that the production of the FT-818ND and FTM-400XDR will be discontinued. We are forced to make this unfortunate decision due\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-and-Elecraft-T1-1-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-and-Elecraft-T1-1-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-and-Elecraft-T1-1-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Yaesu-FT-817ND-and-Elecraft-T1-1-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39379,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/09\/the-new-icom-ic-705-qrp-portable-backpackable-transceiver\/","url_meta":{"origin":47105,"position":5},"title":"The new Icom IC-705 QRP portable, backpackable transceiver","author":"Thomas","date":"September 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This weekend at Tokyo's Ham Fair 2019, Icom announced an innovative transceiver to their line-up: the Icom IC-705 QRP transceiver. The IC-705 introduces several industry firsts for a backpack portable radio: It uses the same BP-272 Li-ion Battery pack as the ID-51 and ID-31 series D-Star handy talkies. To my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Icom-IC-705-Preliminary-Brochure-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Icom-IC-705-Preliminary-Brochure-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Icom-IC-705-Preliminary-Brochure-3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Icom-IC-705-Preliminary-Brochure-3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47105\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}