Yaesu FT900AT

STXARES
1

Hello,

I was recently given a Yaesu FT900AT. I purchased a Maple Leaf EFHWD antenna and noise reducer appropriate for the radio.

The radio turns on and all I get is static. I have scanned multiple bands without success. I try to transmit, the SWR meter doesn’t do anything and ‘PO’ just shows on the display.

I think this radio sat for quite some time, but came in the box with manual, mic, and power cable.

Is anyone out there familiar with how to repair these radios? Would anyone be willing to either come to my home or me come to yours to hook my radio up to your antenna or vise versa to try and see if it’s an antenna or radio problem? Does anyone know of anybody local capable of troubleshooting or repairing this radio?

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks

Ryan KF8IV

2

Ryan,

If you are in Austin, you can bring your radio to my home and I can put it on my antenna system with power meter, etc. You might want to try doing a reset. Cannot seem to find spec on the Maple leaf EFHWD antenna. Is this an HF antenna?

Lew W5IFQ

3

eBay had some details on that Maple Leaf..it’s an End-fed Half Wave.

Pulled from this for sale page: End Fed Half Wave Antenna – 80-10 meters – 1.5 KW – No Tuner Needed – 130 ft | eBay

[

$112.99

End Fed Half Wave Antenna – 80-10 meters – 1.5 KW – No Tuner Needed -…

No Outboard Antenna Tuner Needed ! Tunes with radios’ tuner. External tuner not needed ---- radios’ tuner will t…
](https://www.ebay.com/itm/End-Fed-Half-Wave-Antenna-80-10-meters-1-5-KW-No-Tuner-Needed-130-ft-/173716951093)
  • Resonant on 8 ham bands–80,40,30,20,17,15,12, and 10 meters
  • Wire length is 130 ft.
  • External tuner not needed ---- radios’ tuner will tune antenna.
  • Power Rating - 1500 watts P.E.P.
  • 100% stainless steel hardware
  • Transformer box is sealed from water ingress
  • 14 gauge stranded/insulated pure copper wire
  • Premium SO-239 coax connector
  • Counterpoise is not needed

Hello,

I was recently given a Yaesu FT900AT. I purchased a Maple Leaf EFHWD antenna and noise reducer appropriate for the radio.

The radio turns on and all I get is static. I have scanned multiple bands without success. I try to transmit, the SWR meter doesn’t do anything and ‘PO’ just shows on the display.

I think this radio sat for quite some time, but came in the box with manual, mic, and power cable.

Is anyone out there familiar with how to repair these radios? Would anyone be willing to either come to my home or me come to yours to hook my radio up to your antenna or vise versa to try and see if it’s an antenna or radio problem? Does anyone know of anybody local capable of troubleshooting or repairing this radio?

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks

Ryan KF8IV

Ryan,

If you are in Austin, you can bring your radio to my home and I can put it on my antenna system with power meter, etc. You might want to try doing a reset. Cannot seem to find spec on the Maple leaf EFHWD antenna. Is this an HF antenna?

Lew W5IFQ

4

Hi, Ryan,

Remember that with SSB there will be no power output without modulation applied. Connect it straight to your dummy load without the noise reducer and make sure the RF PWR and MIC GAIN controls are not set at zero, then talk into the mic and see if there is power indicated on the meter. This will eliminate or confirm the antenna and noise reducer as potential issues. If you still have no PO, there may be a problem with the radio.

Dave KD5E

5

Maple leaf EFHWD is more commonly called QSO-King if I recall correctly

6

Hello,

Thanks for the offer! I live in Kingwood (North of Houston).

7

Give John Scott or David Box a call they maybe able to help.

8

I have an Myantennas end fed that works great I wonder how these compare. If they are comparable they are a great deal since they are less expensive.

Mike Vanderhoff <>< KG5YOC
www.reliant.org/mike.vanderhoff
770-337-2669
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:17

eBay had some details on that Maple Leaf..it’s an End-fed Half Wave.

Pulled from this for sale page: End Fed Half Wave Antenna – 80-10 meters – 1.5 KW – No Tuner Needed – 130 ft | eBay

[

$112.99

End Fed Half Wave Antenna – 80-10 meters – 1.5 KW – No Tuner Needed -…

No Outboard Antenna Tuner Needed ! Tunes with radios’ tuner. External tuner not needed ---- radios’ tuner will t…
](https://www.ebay.com/itm/End-Fed-Half-Wave-Antenna-80-10-meters-1-5-KW-No-Tuner-Needed-130-ft-/173716951093)
  • Resonant on 8 ham bands–80,40,30,20,17,15,12, and 10 meters
  • Wire length is 130 ft.
  • External tuner not needed ---- radios’ tuner will tune antenna.
  • Power Rating - 1500 watts P.E.P.
  • 100% stainless steel hardware
  • Transformer box is sealed from water ingress
  • 14 gauge stranded/insulated pure copper wire
  • Premium SO-239 coax connector
  • Counterpoise is not needed

Hello,

I was recently given a Yaesu FT900AT. I purchased a Maple Leaf EFHWD antenna and noise reducer appropriate for the radio.

The radio turns on and all I get is static. I have scanned multiple bands without success. I try to transmit, the SWR meter doesn’t do anything and ‘PO’ just shows on the display.

I think this radio sat for quite some time, but came in the box with manual, mic, and power cable.

Is anyone out there familiar with how to repair these radios? Would anyone be willing to either come to my home or me come to yours to hook my radio up to your antenna or vise versa to try and see if it’s an antenna or radio problem? Does anyone know of anybody local capable of troubleshooting or repairing this radio?

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks

Ryan KF8IV

Ryan,

If you are in Austin, you can bring your radio to my home and I can put it on my antenna system with power meter, etc. You might want to try doing a reset. Cannot seem to find spec on the Maple leaf EFHWD antenna. Is this an HF antenna?

Lew W5IFQ

9

I tested the QSO-King (read eham reviews) against a folded dipole by yaesu/Icom and against a Alpha-Delta DX-LB Plus … the qso-king beat the others so that’s my antenna now.

I used 135’ of RG8x, and hung “the box”, using the grounding wingnut to a a spark gap coax lightning arrestor with a 200’ galvanized wire to a 200’ chain link fence (quite a counterpoise) And I zig-zagged the antenna wire in the shape of a random W looking at it overhead and backwards Z looking at it from the side (In other words, I randomly threw it over trees and old unused TV antennas.. it is not in a straight line)

The model I use is a QSO-King 1500Watt 160-6 meter 117’ from Maple Leaf Studios (bought on Ebay). I bought a second one which I’ll install as soon as the person I loaned it to .. returns it.

WW5RON