Jerry - if you want to fit into the PSK world, you're going to have to understand a few things and accept others that you won't necessarily like.  Here are some points:

1. The two tones used for PSK will result in IMD products that cause interference that would be less of a problem in other modes.  In a "good" station, your third order IMD products will be down only 30 dB or so from the two tones.  That means that you'll have a sideband spaced on each side of the two tones, but it won't be that much of a problem as long as your signal is not strong.  The fact is that many stations have a third order IMD of closer to -20 dB and that results in higher order IMD products (more sidebands).  It doesn't take much to end up with a signal that's 10 times as wide as the 31 Hz spacing you started out with.  In SSB mode, such products would be filtered out by the transmit filter, but in this case the PSK signal (with all it's distortion sidebands) fits quite nicely within the filter bandwidth and they all come through unaltered.

2. With weaker signals, the chances of a dirty signal's sidebands interfering with other PSK signals is much less.  With you running 1,000W on PSK, your IMD sidebands (even at -30 dB) will obliterate weaker signals anywhere close to your frequency.

3. At the risk of alienating other PSK users, I will tell you that the average PSK operator has little or no understanding of how receivers, AGC, narrow filters, etc. work and cannot properly apply them to a situation.  They typically are receiving with an SSB filter of 2.4KHz or greater bandwidth and so an extremely strong signal in that passband will de-sense their receiver and effectively obliterate other signals.  An experienced operator at that point would crank in a narrow filter and thus escape the problem.  But, many of these users are running transceivers that don't have CW filters and few know how to use passband tuning or IF shift to accomplish narrower selectivity.  

4. Even if the operator understood the options and had the capability of narrowing down his passband, even that would not allow him to escape from your strong sidebands, which would still clobber weak signals.  

We can talk about this all day, but I think the most effective thing is to see images of some PSK signals that are too wide, either because of poor IMD or extreme strength (don't forget, the IMD products are, at best, only 30 dB or so down).  Take a look at this page:

http://www.k8ac.net/signal_images.html  and scroll down a screen or so to see the results of strong or overdriven PSK signals.   While most of the bad signals seen there had poor IMD, the effect would be similar for someone running PSK with what's considered "good" IMD.  Transmitters should have better IMD performance, but they don't.

73, Floyd - K8AC

I believe every 4350A I've ever seen (excluding new ones around 1960) had bad vernier drives.  About 25 years back I took a 4350A dial apart and decided that there was no way to restore it as the design didn't allow for wearing of the race, which is what happens.  Most of them you see have had the original vernier knobs replaced by something else.  You might want to look at Jackson Bros. ball drives, still available and sold new on eBay.  If you're creative mechanically, you might be able to use the original knobs.

73, K8AC

A power diode in each leg of the Y would isolate the two devices from each other.  Direction of diode depending on polarity of voltage being keyed.

73, K8AC

With this sunspot cycle, you just have to be in there listening EVERY day.  While the higher bands have been generally poor the past few weeks, yesterday and last evening were the best openings I've heard in the past 10 years on 15 and 10.  Last evening, 15 was open till at least midnight here in NC, and I was working Asians after 11PM in the contest. 

Everyone's opinion is valid of course, but the fact is that the Pro III, in the right hands, is a perfectly fine contest rig.  In the last SS I participated in, my Pro III and I were able to outscore everyone in the local contest club chapter and they were all using K3s, except one who used an Orion II.  Without the Inrad roofing filter, you may run into IMD problems on the bands crowded with the strongest signals -- usually 20 and 80M here.  But, few understand that the solution to that is to just crank in some attenuation (6 or 12 dB will usually do) and the IMD is gone.  The purpose of the roofing filter is to reduce the probability of IMD and it does well in that regard, but isn't necessary.  If you're not a serious contest operator, then it may be a waste of time and money for you.  Normally, I'd recommend one to install the roofing filter themselves, but in the case of the Pro III, it's a rather difficult and risky install. 

While the Pro III panadaptor isn't in the same league as a P3 or PC based solution, it runs rings around the FTDX-5000 panadaptor (SM-5000) as well as that of the Tentec Orion II.  If you want a full feature panadaptor, then go with a transceiver that has a low first IF, like the K3, Orion II or FTDX-5000.  Those will all work fine with an LP-Pan and associated software or an SDR-IQ and companion software package.  But, the scope in the Pro III is perfectly adequate for detecting band activity without having to tune across a dead band, or for spotting stations a DX station is replying to when operating split.  If you like spending money and believe that knobs are useless, then a FlexRadio may be just the ticket.  Just don't expect it to work right 10 years down the road.

Sam -  you probably ought to seek technical answers somewhere other than here!  The VRF may be useful in very limited circumstances where a band is crowded with very strong signals (160, 80 or 20M during a CW contest) or if there's a KW station down the block from you on the other end of the band. Or, it might be of use in the event you're operating a multi-op contest or DXpedition station where you have two stations operating simultaneously on the same band. The VRF tuning is rather broad, by design, and does absolutely nothing for weak signals unless the receiver front end is being affected by one of the conditions I mentioned.  It is NOT intended for, nor does it perform any function related to improving close-in selectivity.

It's no surprise to me that you couldn't find someone at Yaesu who could explain the function.  When I first saw the FTDX5000 at Orlando a couple of years ago, none of the booth reps knew much of anything about it, nor did they care.  And yes, I have owned one - and dumped it after a couple of months.  If you operate CW, you'll likely eventually dump it as well, but that's another story. 

73, Floyd - K8AC

To KB8VUL:  I had no problem understanding your point, and happen to agree with you.  There are many facets to this hobby, and I'm most interested in the technical end of things, DXing on HF,  with some minor contesting thrown in.  I briefly tried some 2M work back in the late 1970s, and found it to be, in general, a brain-dead activity.  It seems that I have zero in common with the guys who groove on the latest "walkie-talkie".  But, I don't mind sharing the hobby with people who enjoy that aspect.  The ARRL always has a theme to unite its members and stress the value of amateur radio to the public.  Today, it's EMCOMM, a while back it was satellite communications, a couple of decades ago it was Packet Radio. 

Contrary to the general opinion, what separates us from the general public has always been our technical abilities relating to radio and electronics.  As we drift away from that, we lose our unique value.  I submit that anyone with an adequate budget can replace our "EMCOMM" value quite easily - and they will.  Amateur radio has never been "needed" as some suggest, other than as a pool of talented and experienced operators (with technical knowledge).  There's little need, in the grand scheme of things, for someone whose only talent is knowing how to access his local repeater.

Unfortunately, the other great failing of folks in our hobby today is lack of tolerance and respect for other people's opinions and ideas.  Anyone raising a point that goes against the grain, as you have, is either called a "whiner" or someone suggests that maybe you need a new hobby. 

73, Floyd - K8AC

Cat 5 isn't shielded as you already know.  I have seen one instance where replacing standard Cat 5 with a shielded version remedied a problem with my DSL modem and wireless router connection.  Do you really need an ethernet connection or would a wireless connection suffice?  I think you're looking at this in the wrong way. You aren't "throwing RFI" - you simply have devices that are responding to HF signals when they should not be.  You might want to try snap on ferrites, or wrapping multiple turns of the wires through some of the Radio Shack split core units.  Make sure you treat the device power cables in the same way, as well as any other cables that are connected to the device having the problem.  You may be able to disconnect cables that are not needed and see if that solves the problem.  If so, you'll know that the RF is getting in through those cables. 

73, Floyd - K8AC

The primary purpose of the low pass filter was to attenuate harmonics that fell withing TV channels.  For example, the third harmonic of 21 MHZ fell in TV channel 3.  So, if you lived in an area with fringe reception of channel 3, you could be sure that you'd be causing TVI and a low pass filter may have helped, assuming that the harmonic energy was getting out via the transmitting antenna (not always true).  Since most of the TV channels moved out of the VHF range when the move to digital TV occurred, harmonic interference to TV channels is no longer an issue.  There are no other problems that a low pass filter addresses.  Anyone using one today does so out of ignorance. 

73, Floyd - K8AC

Peter - I don't understand the penchant today for a "device" that performs the functions you mentioned.  FSK and PTT are easily accomplished by a simple single transistor in the shell of a serial cable (works just fine for most USB/serial converters as well).  Why a separate device with a K1EL keyer built in when a standalone K1EL keyer does the job perfectly?  Logging software like N1MM handles all the CAT interface you'd need and greatly automates CW and SSB operation, including .wav files. 

73, K8AC

I just checked my LOTW total and see that I just turned over 302 that way.  It certainly does save a lot of money!  In a couple of cases, I received the LOTW confirmation within 24 hours.  On the other hand, a couple of months ago I received a card from a QSL I sent out over 20 years ago.  With the high confirmation rate from LOTW in contests, I'll bet it's possible to confirm 100 these days via LOTW in a single contest - but it wouldn't be easy. 

73, K8AC

The relay is just an electrically operated single pole double throw switch - nothing more.  So, you can use it to connect one of anything to either of two other anythings.  For HF, insertion loss will not be a consideration.  But - why use a relay at all?  If you can locate a manually operated coax switch where you can easily reach it, a relay is overkill.  Coax relays are generally much more expensive than they were several years ago and one that will handle 1500W on HF with a 12 volt coil can be $180.  Other coil voltages may be less and you can often find coax relays with odd coil voltages (24 or 26V DC) on eBay for considerably less.  You may also find that a relay with BNC connectors is less than one with SO-239 connectors when buying one surplus.  Regarding radio damage due to human error: a dummy load is a good idea, but I'll bet that there aren't any modern transceivers that would be damaged by operating them into no load.  Transceivers almost all have protection circuitry that reduces the output power with a high SWR as you'd have with no load connected.  Most begin folding back power with an SWR of 2:1 or even less. 

I do use a coax relay on the output of my 1500 watt amplifier to switch between the antenna system and a dummy load.  Some amplifiers do NOT have SWR protection and accidentally operating them into an open circuit can cause real problems. 

73, Floyd - K8AC

 I just checked their website and it's available there for download.

You might want to try Triplett.  I needed a manual for a sweep generator of similar vintage a few years back and they had it in their archives.  Sent it to me at no charge.

Working 'em by the numbers for the USA in consideration of geography may have made sense in 1970, but makes little sense now.  For a significant percentage of USA stations today, the number in their call does not reflect the "call area" as once did.  This DXpedition seems not to understand that.  Seems like specifying the geography, such as, West Coast, Southeast, Northeast, etc. would be more productive.

73, K8AC ( residing in "4" land)