Martin Lynch's Ham Radio Collection from the 70s! 

I still love the old gear

And the IC2E... taking me back to the good old days.

Great video! I love going back in time . Going down memory lane is great. Thanks for the video. 73

I could never afford an FT480R! Great days though. When 6m had it's first year in VHF NFD I was part of a big VHF contest group. We had to borrow a radio from Kenwood as nobody had 6m. Promptly blew the finals half way through the contest.

Brings back loads of great memories from when I got my first licence back in 1981... and yes; I too would love Yaesu to produce a 2m/70cm multimode... those were the days!

Great video, great presentation. Licensed since 1973 I'm old enough to remember the "vintage" stuff, but I was a Trio fan. TS700, TR2300, TR9130, TS830S. Inactive for many years I'm getting back into it with a Yaesu FT890.

The FT480 is beautiful. Your nostalgia videos are brilliant. When i left Glasgow to do radio with the Royal Navy I had CBs.. lowe electronics cb. It was dreadful for bleedover, I had a midland AM set, dixons harrier cbx .. which I fettled.. 5/8 wave dipole up a scaffolding pole. Had a 7 band swl radio. All of which were ditched by mum n dad when i was at sea. I also had a dixons handheld cb which actually got skip around the uk.. Billiant videos. About to buy my first ham rig as a licenced guy. The rsgb guys in bletchley were so kind at gb3rs when i visited. My radio job was very much aligned with Bletchley.

Used the 902DM at VE8RCS to pass hundreds and hundreds of phone patches in the late 70’s/early 80’s. Magnificent piece of kit that performed flawlessly. Great to see the old rigs Martin! Thank you

Nice trip back in time, I see a few I owned back in the 70’s/80’s. The 101-ZD was a really nice rig. Every ham had a IC-2A hanging off their belt in the 80’s, I kept mine even after I bought my TR-2400. I’d love to see an all mode 2/70 all mode rig again,something compact.

Great memories Martin. I bought my first secondhand IC-2E from you in Northfield avenue in the early 90's when I was first licensed.I now have 3 of them all in mint condition with refreshed batteries too.I don't think I could ever part with them 😅😅 73.G7HFS/PA3IKH

This brought back memories!! When I qualified in 1982 (with a G6) my first rig was the IC2E, my second the FT-480R

I actually do remember you, Bernie and Brenda from ARE, the old man (G3RKP(sk) took me there as he wanted a good HF receiver for me to use for swl. I currently have a FT 101 EE in my US shack (I'm KC2VWR over in the colonies), and yes a modern 2m/70cm multi mode would be great. I've owned my FT-857D since 2009. 73 Nick de 2E0LUN

Super video Martin - so many radios and great memories for us all. Great to see you looking so fresh and well. 73 de GI8WFA, Wm.

Yes Martin, you have cost me a small fortune 😀 and it's been a great spend, I've just purchased from you a FT710, and the list continues to grow. But, your trip down memory lane is just great to watch. Yes I had a FT101, an FT480R and I was in that queue and brought that from your good-self, then an FT290; FT897; FT991A; FRG-7- trade that in at the Longleat Rally. You know what Martin, you don't seem to have changed one bit since I first met you in Northfield Avenue, we are about the same age. 73

Thanks for that Martin, that was very interesting!

The Wadley Loop circuit was designed by Trevor Lloyd Wadley, (1920 - May 21, 1981) in the 1940's and yes he was a South African. The Wadley Loop was first used in the Racal RA-17, a 1950s top of the range British military short wave receiver, still considered one of the finest radio receivers and later in the South African made commercially available "Barlow-Wadley XCR-30" radio. "Barlow" was the manufacturer situated in Shepstone Road, Pinetown, South Africa. Piet Le Roux ZS4ZS

You’re looking well Martin, all the best and kind regards de M0KTY Canterbury UK.

A lot of wise advice here - thank you!

What a trip down memory lane ! Took me straight back to the 1970's with long nights spent in tents operating field day contests !

Still got my 22a and it still works.

IC2E and 1C240 got both of them in a box somewhere. I remember the diode matrix in the IC240 you could rewire for different frequencies.

I'd like to have seen a few more in your collection. Not mentioning 2m as a G8 first but as G4 I had an FT101E, added 250 Hz c.w. filter, superb, modified it to tx on 10 MHz. Sold it and went QRP with h/b gear for 30 years, now adding 60m, FT817ND in 2017. Got a Racal RA17L about 34 years ago, a bit deaf so needs attention. Before that KW 202 and 204. I liked the 202 rx. Going backwards in 2017 a Wireless 19 Set I got going after much work and QRP by choice, much modified, c.w. xtal on tx only for stability. G4GHB

The coolest collection you'll ever see The coolest group to see

i used one of these when i passed my m3 on 2 meters. my first hf radio was a kenwood ts430s with power supply and matching atu. love the videos.

Nice collection, congrats.

Thanks for this video Martin, a great talk about the older sets. And yes, if a multimode 2 meter, 70 cm rig would be produced again today and like you suggest possibly with C4FM thrown in, I would definitely be interested. 73's Bert 2E0XNL.

Yes I would like one

Great Video Martin Its nice to look back. Still got my 221R really nice radio, (mine does 15 watts). bought it from new. and, of course the IC2E, lucky me, got two of them, one from new, brilliant for the time. Had a IC 22A also, but sold it for FT227R mobile. Also, as many people at the time, had a 101E (with FM mods), but had to sell it in a moment of madness. Thanks for bringing back some good memories of how Amateur radio used to be. And its good to see I am not alone in valuing the older radios.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It broke my heart when I traded my FT221R in for my first HF rig. There is a definite gap in the market for an affordable 2m/70cms multi mode. No need for waterfall display or 23cms. Why the Chinese brands haven't jumped in here is a mystery. Bert G4JXI

That was excellent video.Really enjoyed that.

Excellente video. Beaucoup de souvenirs...

Enjoyed the video Martin, as many of the models shown are still in my possession and purchased over the decades from 'Bandit Bill', Western Electronics and of course ML and S. Very sad to hear about Hal G3NMH/EA5SX who until quite recent times helped me with new pulleys and ropes, for my 39 year old Westower 3HD, still in use and after refurbish is as 'good as new'. 73 Martin GW3XJQ

Agree entirely. A VHF/UHF version of the FT710 would be great and I would certainly buy one.

A 50w 2/70 Multimode in a mobile format, possibly as a quad bander with 6/4 on board, at a sensible price would be a great option and would encourage the release the moths from wallets! Currently in-production multimodes covering V/UHF (FT991A,IC9700) are clunky for mobile operations in modern cars and the IC705 - while a wonderful radio - lacks the RF "grunt" and isn't easily operable in an actual mobile situation - even missing a manufacturer mobile bracket. Something in the FT891 chassis format - or indeed an extended FT891 + 6/4/2/70 - with separate N-type connectors for V/UHF would, I think, be a winner on its own. Also thinking about the increased interest that the IC905 might generate, such a radio might also become popular as a transverter driver for the SHF bands especially if it can be GPS locked. As a young G8J.. licensed in 1974/5 the FT221R and TS700G were aspirational "unobtanium". Respective glossy flyers - collected at Granby Hall - were read, re-read and pinned (well-thumbed!) to the shack wall above the HB 2m AM TX and later the TR2200GX and FT290. Keep on encouraging the "Big 3" - my plastic is waiting to be flexed :) Steve.

Wow Nostalgia, Bandit Bill !!! used to Cycle from Hazel Grove to Matlock in 1964/5 before joining Army in 66 (at 16 years of Age. Yes Yaesu man here also FT75B /m as DA2WN (still have an FT75 with matching mains PSU and speaker) FT101EX 1977, then went Trio TS120S TS130S then FT101ZD x 2 full line ups , oh and an FRG7 - still have the FT480R with Microwave Modules AMP and still used today for 2 - SSB. So a very interesting presentation on where and what we used back in the day. Still Love Yaesu (all of the next lot purchased From ML&S via both that shop and the last Shop) with My FTdx500MP Limited (in use) FTdx3000 (TSB) FT950 (in use Data) had the 920 before that , FT891 (with Auto ATU) /m FT897 with Mains PSU and External ATU /p. Two FTM350's in boxes where replaced by - two FT400XD's one QTHR one /m. So thanks for a trip down memory lane Martin. De Kit GM4EMX (Aberdeen) PS, before you ask Martin, yes still working at 73 in Oil & Gas - see Linked In

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I got my licence in 1983 and had an FRG7, IC 2E and a Trio 2300; loved them all and wish that I hadn’t sold them. Mind you, modern equipment is superb and I am pleased that we still have two excellent manufacturers who are still interested in the amateur radio market. On a slightly different note, I would like to mention how helpful your staff are. As a regular customer I have always had helpful advice from them which is why I keep coming back. Cheers, Tony G6XYZ

Interestingly, in VK, the IC22A was replaced by the iC22S which looked identical, except it was a synthesised rig. You still had the 22-channel selector, but with a diode matrix inside so you could program it to have your favourite channels on the selector. The IC22S was incredibly popular in VK with multiple magazine articles on external "expanders" to use all the synthesiser's range. The IC240 was very rare here. As to the FT221R, I have a FT301 HF rig, which is its twin. The FT301 was my HF rig for years, & I was sorely tempted to buy a FT221R to have a "pigeon pair", but the FT301 developed what seems to be a "terminal" fault, so I didn't continue with the idea. It was already an old rig when I bought it, so I can't really complain. 73, VK6ZGO

RRR YOU SOLD ME MY YAESU FT902DM + ATU _ Speaker - Under a grand. Those were the days 73.

I have a boxed FT 101 E still works very well.

I have most of the rigs discussed, the FT221 and FT225 (with mods) are still great 2m contesting radios. It is still a treat to put the modern rigs to one side and put some air time on an older rig. P.S Martin forgot to mention that the UK FTDX10 also operates at reduced power on 4m.

Great nostalgic vid. I suspect the demise of the B licence had a lot to do with the lack of new 2/70 multi modes. We all have hf privileges now (here in the UK any way) so I suspect the big manufacturers see no market in it. I wonder if licensing changes elsewhere in the world influenced their decisions.

Thanks for this review Martin! I was licensed in 1976 at age 14 and remember many of these radios from ads in QST. I grew up sitting with my grandfather in his ham room. He had all Collins equipment. Did Collins have a market in UK? -- Rob W0QIS (I took my grandfather's call after he passed)

Just got to the 480R. I remember getting signal reports from AXO "You're two lemons and a cherry".

Still have my FT101z (with the D mod) ...it has paid for itself a million times over :)

Great Martin, looking forward to the next, Guv'nah Kit review !! Cheers

I'd buy a 2/70 all mode. If they won't make one, you could do it.

What a brilliant video Martin. Loved seeing that kit and listening to you sharing your thoughts. My vote goes for a remake of the FT736R. Take care.

Outstanding video

Very enjoyable video, thank you Martin. I was just wondering if you might have fitted the 455KHz SSB filter in my FRG7?! I bought it from a friend in the early 80s and the filter was already fitted and it's switched by the AM noise limiter position on the mode switch. I recently had to realign the LSB/USB carrier set point to the filter as I think it might have aged a bit! The FRG7 remains a very useful set with nice audio. I bought my TS430S new from Photo Acoustics in Newport Pagnell in about 1985 and its still working. I used the FT101ZDMK3 and FT221 at Uni as they were the sets in the ham club there. Lots of good memories. Thanks, Gary G0BKR

You said you had asked Yeasu for a multimode FTM 500, but didn't say Yeasu's reason for not producing one? It can't be difficult for them when they can produce it in rigs such as the 857D which also included HF/6/4 although perhaps it's relating to cost grounds or C4FM being integrated? It would also be interesting to know why duplex cross band isn't available on these types of rigs for sat working leaving the market open to the Chinese manufacturers.

The FLDX400 and FRDX400 VFO works like the 901, clockwise goes lower in frequency

Where is the BCC 45G? Ford Cortina Clutches? I still have my FT208R and IC 2E and 4E! Good to see you back on! Cheers, Rob

Great collection. Have a FT-101Z mk3 amongst others. Now, what about a No 19 set or 62 set or Clansman series? Bet you never owned them 😂 Yaesu needs to replace the 817/818 series and the 857. Bet you cannot pull that ask!

Would really like to see a retro board to fit in the ft290r mk1 and get rid of the old internals and bring it back to life.

Coming into the shop either Monday or Tuesday have a working BP8 battery if you want to see if your 2E still works.

I’m always amazed how similar the Icom IC-2E looks to my Kenpro KT-22 - wondering if it was a knock off?? Love watching your old stock videos. I was actually recently left a TS-530SP but fear I may have broken it as I was trying to tune it, but got a sudden TX pwr surge and then nothing. Do your guys repair old kit as well Martin? Great video as ever. 73 Michael GM5AUG

Tuning a old tube rig is a lost art . Most new hams have NO IDEA how to operate one of these rigs . And what really sad , they dont want to know how .

The good design aspect of the 101 was using the PA valves for the receiver front-end giving is a huge dynamic range. There was a story in the late 70’s (height of the Cold 😂War) going around when a Russian fighter crashed and when the West inspected its radio front-ends they discovered valves, adding to the theory that the Russians were designing their radios for nuclear environments, which could easily damage transistor front-ends.

RRR One of those too. 73

I'd be up for a 2m multimode

I will have to visit the shop sometime to buy a rig and clear the fluff from my pockets

I would like a rig with 6 4 2 and 70 all modes!!

A short ode on the relative receive sensitivities of early 1980s portable Japanese 2M tranceivers. FT290 IC2E I can hear him He can't hear me.

It’s a shame you guys do not offer a repair or service on these old rigs.

2 70 MULTI MODE COULDNT AGREE MORE M0SRS

Ah the good old days - Where's the FT227R though . . For everyone who who couldn't afford the FT280 /480 back then

All mode would be awesome. I won't buy another FM only dual band rig.

I still have my FT-480 do you want it ?

Que bien habla inglés