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Reviews For: NS 3 KHz Roofing filters for FT-2000/FT-950

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

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Review Summary For : NS 3 KHz Roofing filters for FT-2000/FT-950
Reviews: 37MSRP: USD $304.80
Description:

3 KHz Roofing filter modification for the FT-2000 & FT-950
THE NS FILTER MOD DELIVERS!
+20 db typical increase in IMDDR3
2.4-2.6 KHz -6db bandwidth (typical)
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ac0c.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00375
N5XJ Rating: 2011-02-09
3 Khz Roofing Filter Now Works! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I received my NS 3 Khz roofing filter after about 8 weeks from placing order. That allowed me plenty of time to review install procedure and when filter finally arrived I installed it the next day. Think it took about 3 hours for me and this was the first time working / soldering
with such small points. When cutting the trace, I tested for continuity after making the first 3 cuts and still needed to make a few more light cuts until a NO continuity was indicated. I have waited about 3 weeks since NS mod before
posting this review and from all the on air testing , it does seem to perform as it should .
A big THANKS to Jeff AC0C for your time and effort on finding the solution for the rest of us.

Mike N5XJ
K2NV Rating: 2011-02-08
FT2000D now works as it should! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The NS 3 khz roofing filter finally arrived after about 8 weeks. It was well worth the wait. I studied the installation procedure before receiving the filter and decided it was time to get myself a decent soldering system. I purchased a Weller WESD51 and an extra fine tip. I also made sure I had some good Exacto blades, plenty of light and a magnifying glass. I downloaded the instructions on to my iPad and placed it next to the FT2000 circuit board to make sure I knew precisely where I was. In about 2.5 hours the job was complete. I don't have any test equipment, but prior to the installation i could not tell a difference between the 3 khz and 6 khz roofing filters. Now, when I engage the 3 khz filter there is a marked improvement. While listening to an AM broadcast station, the NS filter is too narrow for listening while the 6 khz is plenty wide. The RX is much quieter with the 3 khz filter engaged. I look forward to the ARRL CW DX Contest to give the rig a good work out.
Thanks to Jeff AC0C for bringing out the best in the FT2000!
N3SL Rating: 2011-02-05
Incredible improvement Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well, mine took just over 2 months to arrive, but the wait was worth it! The installation instructions are clear, well documented with photos, and straight forward. Installation took just over 3 hours for this old fart with slightly shaky hands. The soldering was far easier than the "dire warnings" in the instructions lead me to believe. My biggest problem was cutting a stupid trace (only one), for fear of ruining the PCB.
Not a single hitch with installing, and the improvement in performance is quite obvious. Listening with the new filter in-line is a real pleasure on the ears. DSP performance, to my ear, is markedly improved. This is what Yaesu should have installed in the first place!!!
Thanks to Jeff and crew for this product. WELL worth the $$ spent. Now just waiting for a contest weekend to put it through more paces....
WA5VDM Rating: 2011-01-16
At last! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased the FT-2000 a couple of years ago.. always the early adopter. I had been enthralled with the idea of roofing filters and ordered the radio really looking forward to operating it.
The PEP update(s) were great, but the roofing filter remained dismal. I felt like Yeasu had lied to me in their specifications, and could care less.
I read about the NS filters, ordered one and waited maybe 6 months for it to arrive. Upon installation (not something for the faint hearted) I am in love with the radio! What a fine rig now, and what a good job on the filter!
WB6Q Rating: 2010-12-28
Spectacular Filter Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This roofing filter changes the 2 Khz close in performance from 66 to 85, equivalent to the FT9000 and the Icom 7800. I simply can't praise this filter enough. I have phased Hygain Hytowers with 60 quarter wave radials under each tower, for 40 and 80 meters. The gain of this antenna system increases the signal strength but also increases the noise. Using the 15 Khz roofing filter and then switching to the NS 3 Khz
roofing filter reduced band noise by exactly one half, while the signal in the band pass remained the same strength. This results in a remarkable improvement in signal to noise ratio. I also experienced the same improved signal clarity as
reported by others compared to the stock Yaesu roofing filter. I think part the clarity improvement is the improved filter crystal, cut precisely to the center frequency, and the improvement in signal to noise ratio. The narrow filters narrow pass band, and deep skirts does a great job of reduceing or eliminating adjacent QRM.

Window's 7 is currently running an ad where the wife changes the family photo to provide the family nature didn't provide. With the addition of this filter I now have the radio that Yaesu failed to provide. Remember Yaesu consumers don't forget.

Dick WB6Q

Dick






K6TVE Rating: 2010-12-25
Five out of five....amazing rcvr improvement! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Jeff...a HOME RUN with this filter, FT-2000 owners owe you a ton of thanks. I received my NS filter 12/20/10 and installed it that night..I took my time and it was done in about two and a half hours. This mod is a bit tricky and the proper tools are required along with very good lighting and good magnification is a plus. My filter worked perfectly after installation was complete.

The filter works as advertised, especially when compared to the stock FT2000 filters, it is amazing to see a very strong signal just a few Khz's away completely vanish when the NS filter is switched in. An obvious reduction in noise makes copy of weak signals much easier than with the original filters. I would suggest that FT2000 owners would benefit greatly by installing the NS filter you have made available. Thanks, Jeff.
WA6IFF Rating: 2010-12-24
Excellent upgrade! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got the NS filter on 12/20/10, got it installed two days later. Another local ham who is experienced in high density PCB's took only two hours to get the job done. (Worked the first time and no "smoke signals".) I wouldn't have been able to do it myself due to lack of proper tools, recent PCB experience -- and aging vision.

I have the Yaesu microtuners also, and have run both together; also been experimenting with the other features (contour, shift, width, etc), the NS filter is a great improvement! I tuned in an AM foreign broadcast on 40 m, and then engaged the NS filter -- there is NO doubt that the filter is doing it's job. On a side note, some of those broadcasts are so broad and loud, it is sometimes hard to find their center frequency by ear and S-meter use -- just engage the NS filter and the attenuator to -18dB -- presto, done. Then switch to the 15Khz filter and enjoy the broadcast!

I've had my FT2000/D and the DMU about a year+ and still getting used to it. Prior HF rig is an FT101B -- 35 yrs and still in service.
AB0X Rating: 2010-12-20
Excellent improvement! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had my new NS3 Roofing Filter for about 8 weeks now and I really love the improvement it makes in my FT-2000. I have used it in both of the recent CQ WW Tests.

Because of the new steeper skirts and the narrower width, contests are fun again!

A fringe benefit of the new filter is that the IF shift now really makes a difference on nearby signals. The offending signals can be easily moved into the deep abyss of the NS filter's sharp skirts!


Yaesu should offer a refund to all FT-2K buyers for the poor stock 3KHZ roofing that comes with the rig right out of the box!

The NS filter is one of my best ham radio investments!

Thanks, to AC0C and his crew for the research and development of this filter. I would recommend it to anyone!

Mike, AB0X
K9ZM Rating: 2010-12-18
Money Well Spent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow!

Quick impression. It's sounds more restricted on band noise. I see an equal
drop in the difference of each filter. 15kHz - 6kHz, 6kHz to 3kHz. But the
audio! Readability is improved a lot. Using the NS 3kHz roofing filter seems
to strip away noise and the stations are easier to understand. Using the DSP
width control doesn't make any difference that I can hear beyond about
2600Hz maybe 2700Hz. Going to the 6kHz roof, the fidelity improves for rag
chewing, but the noise increases. But then so does the 15kHz over the 6kHz
roof. I have good hopes for crowded conditions.

It wasn't that hard to install. Rigging the coax jumpers wasn't hard. I had
a good stripper and a sharp knife. I also used a magnifying visor. I need
reading glasses at my age. So the magnification was a plus. My soldering
skills are probably poor to average ham. I used a 60w Weller with a very
small chisel tip. That lead free solder is hard to melt. It helped to
slightly touch the pads with .22 Silver Bearing Solder. Tinned the leads of
the jumpers and they took right away. Getting that resistor out was as hard
as any step.

More impressions at a later time when I have more time to use it.

73
Greg k9zm
W0AW Rating: 2010-12-01
Great Addition Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The filter is a very positive addition to the FT-2000. While it won't turn an FT-2000 into an FT-5000, it clearly functions as the radio should have right from Yaesu. The filter not only improves selectivity, it also improves the DNR, Contour background noise, and AGC. The installation is not for the faint of heart if you are uncomfortable with surface mount components and soldering to small circuit board traces, however it is not overly difficult either. The NS 3 kHz filter is likely the best bang for the buck that you will find for the FT-2000(D).