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Reviews For: International Radio (Inrad) Roofing Filters

Category: Filters, RF: bandpass, duplexer, lowpass, highpass, RFI/EMI

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Review Summary For : International Radio (Inrad) Roofing Filters
Reviews: 46MSRP: 175-200
Description:
Roofing filter mods for Yaesu FT-1000MP Series and FT-1000/D, Icom IC-756Pro/2/3, Icom IC-765/775/781, Ten-Tec Omni VI, Kenwood TS- 850/930/950 and other radios to improve close in dynamic range. Email: sales@inrad.net
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.inrad.net/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00464.8
N2UJN Rating: 2016-12-18
Excellent Noise Filter and Roofing Filter Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own the FT-1000MP.

The FT-1000MP has an excellent receiver from my perspective.

However, two aspects of the receive offer opportunity to improve:

1) There is no roofing filter as part of the orignal MP design and build. Nearby voice signals sometime obscure readability in SSB communication.

2) The FT-1000MP, for low and mid signal strength signals, offers a loud audio hiss that in many cases obscures the readability especially for voice modes.

After reading about the INRAD roofing filter I ordered one, and, an Elecraft XG3 to test my receiver before and after install.

A graph of receive performance w/wo INRAD roofing can be found on my qrz.com page: http://www.qrz.com/db/N2UJN

In short, INRAD roofing filter amplifies the input signal.

INRAD procedure calls for installing the filter and then reducing the IFGAIN by 2. In my case that moves the IF Gain from 12 to 10. Upon doing this procedure, the audio hiss is GREATLY reduced enabling much better long time SSB listening and also much better readability. Also, close by signals are attenuated by the roofing filter skirts relative to default receive.

Hence, the INRAD roofing filter acts as a highly effective noise filter/mitigation and a roofing filter.

Well done INRAD.
N5OP Rating: 2014-05-07
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I installed the INRAD roofing filter for the 44 MHz 1st IF in my TS-930S. Afterward, I took the radio out to our club's FD site. In the past, the rx didn't do so well in that environment but this time it was bullet-proof. While not as good as my TenTec Orion II, it was very close and far better than any other radio that was there at the time. Installation is not difficult and can be handled by anyone who is careful and who has experience with soldering.
AK6ZZ Rating: 2014-01-14
Big difference Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just purchased the 400 kHz CW inrad filter for the FT920 and wow what an amazing difference. I am really surprised how well it works. Makes a really big difference on CW receive. I would love to put some additional filters into the rig and may continue to upgrade it. Been considering the am filter and the one additional SSB filter if it isn't too complicated.
WA1RKT Rating: 2013-06-26
Doesn't seem to do a lot to a TS-950SDX Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Over a few months' time, I bought two used Kenwood TS-950SDX transceivers, one with the Inrad roofing filter and one without. I don't do any contesting and not much DX or weak-signal work, but I do a fair amount of traffic net work during contest weekends (grrr!). I really don't see that much difference in adjacent-signal rejection with and without the roofing filter. I DO see a LOT of loss with the roofing filter installed... as much as 3 "S" units lower between the radio with the roofing filter and the one without.

Today I removed the roofing filter from the one that had it, and found that the reception is now comparable to the other one. So, the loss is definitely in the roofing filter and not some defect of the receiver.

It'd be great if there was a way to switch the roofing filter in and out. Maybe I'll work on something like that.

The other thing I don't like is that when an SM-230 or other bandscope is installed, the bandscope does not work because the roofing filter filters out all the off-frequency signals before they reach the bandscope pickoff point.

All in all I've found that the roofing filter is a net negative for the TS-950SDX unless you do a lot of contesting and weak-signal DX work, then maybe... as I said I don't do much of that so can't really say...
SHEETS_GUY Rating: 2012-09-29
Blown Away Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
OK, so I am not a ham just a BCB/SW DXer who recently acquired a Yaesu 1000MP on eBay. Radio was an original in great shape and I was eager to compare it to my Winradio Excalibur and 756 Pro 3.

Stock, the rx performed quite well but I wondered if adding the INRAD roofing filter would really make much of a difference. The INRAD roofing filter only made a very slight difference when installed on the Pro3, certainly not enough to justify the added cost, but I figured what the hell, I'd take a shot and order one.

I installed it this afternoon and I am blown away. There is a GIGANTIC difference in performance with the INRAD filter now installed in the Yaesu. The radio is seems quieter and more dynamic and is now far and away the best rig in my shack. It's also an easy install, even for a guy like me who is slightly intimidated about working on his own rigs.

I am not technical enough to say why the filter made such a huge difference in the Yaesu but only helped a little in the Pro III. I'll leave that to others to explain but I can heartily recommend adding this to any vintage 1000 receiver you have in your shack.
W0BKR Rating: 2012-06-26
#701-A Filter Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I would give this a 5 but unfortunately, the filter I rcvd from INRAD didn't work. We confirmed it with another same radio model installation. To INRAD's credit, they sent a replacement filter after I notified them. Of course, it is no fun to have to disassemble, reassemble and then go thru that again because a product is defective. The second filter had "MADE IN JAPAN" stamped on the exterior of the filter box (wasn't aware these were made in JA). The instructions included weren't even for this filter which was another small issue that bugged me.

In the end, the replacement filter works. But not real happy that a bad one and the incorrect documentation went out. Kinda makes me concerned perhaps something is slipping perhaps on their end.
KF7NN Rating: 2011-10-20
works well when it works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
recently repaired a ft-1000mp that had low receive, after sweeping the roofing filter it was proven to have drifted off 70.455mhz to 70.452 which dont work well. it was confirmed thru trey at Inrad that some early models had this problem and we got to pay 50 bucks plus shipping both ways to get a new one.
KJ4KBC Rating: 2010-07-30
IC-781 roofing filter wow! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently installed the International Radio roofing filter in my Icom 781 and am very pleased with the result! At first I didn't think it changed much but after using the rig for a few minutes proved me wrong! The close off frequency signals simply disappeared! I even tuned a couple of cycles in each direction and was amazed that a 10-20 over s-9 signal could be there and when I moved back to my frequency I couldn't hear them!
I have also installed the roofing filter for the Kenwood TS-930. It works just as well for that rig also. If you have a rig in need of some extra filtering I highly suggest this brand. KJ4KBC
W7VO Rating: 2009-10-20
So easy to install, a General can do it.... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently purchased a used FT-1000D to back up my FT-2000 here. I purchased an INRAD roofing filter mod for the unit, and also ordered one for a local new ham at the same time to upgrade his as well.

The instructions were so clear, and the design so well carried out that both went in without a hitch, and make for a very clean install. We soldered them in at the same time, sitting side by side on a workbench.

Great quality, Great instructions.

How well does it work? Only QRM will tell!
AH6RR Rating: 2009-08-21
TS-850 Roofing Filter GREAT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the TS-850 when they first came out. Once installed I did a double take WOW I can now get 3KHz from a S9++ and not even get a scratch. It turned my 850 into the best transciver I have ever used. I will put it up to a K3 anytime having used both. If you have a TS-850 this is a MUST it turns the 850 into a WORLD CLASS++ Transciver.