Happy Birthday Yaesu 1956 ~ 2006 — 50th Anniversary
This year’s Dayton Hamvention 2006 was no disappointment. With ticket sales at some 20,000, all the movers and shakers in amateur radio were there showing off the latest high-performance rigs and accessories. Celebrating their 50th anniversary, Vertex Standard (Yaesu Musen Wireless) was at the usual booth — and I was lucky enough to be part of the crew, in the presence of some of the brightest minds and nicest people you could ever care to meet at the Yaesu exhibit.
Yaesu Exhibit Crew
Left to right, back row: our two-day workers Rebecca & Abbey passed out thousands of brochures, hats, and Yaesu collectibles — nearly 12,000 50th anniversary hats. Needless to say, it will be a few years before they become truly rare items on eBay!
Mr. H. Ogi, JH1WXT — senior engineering team leader for the FTdx-9000, FT-2000, and more.
Peter Lam KG6ULA — Yaesu USA HF super technician. Ron Kelly KN6TE — technical support, often seen at major amateur events.
Ailsa Turbett, G7TJC — Yaesu UK sales representative, well known in Europe and the United States. Followed by Carol W4CLM, administrator of Fox Tango International.
WA6F, Mr. Mikio Maruya — Executive Vice President of Engineering, Amateur Division, Vertex Standard (Yaesu) U.S. Headquarters, Cypress, California.
Front row
- Mr. T. Shinohara, JP1THK — senior engineer; FT-817 QRP rig
- Mr. S. Fujiki, JR1FPZ — all Yaesu VHF/UHF handheld design; FT-207R (1979–1980)
- Chip Margelli, K7JA — oversees Yaesu USA amateur division, technical support, and sales brochures
- Jerry Darby, N6UME — technical support team
- Mr. T. Ohtsu, JH1AJY — mechanical engineering: gear drives, knobs, cases, packaging
- Bob (“Motorcycle Bob”) — likely behind the camera; audio/video production and FTdx-9000D demos
Don Pettit, WD7P — electronic service technician, Amateur Division, Vertex Standard (Yaesu) U.S. Headquarters. Another guy who tried to sneak out of the photo — and you could hardly get him to stop talking the whole Hamvention!
50th Anniversary Vintage Display
Fox Tango FT-101 equipment series lineup (circ. 1965–1979 on display)
Next to the crowds around the new FT-2000, one of the big hits was the vintage equipment display by Fox Tango International. The lineup included the hard-to-find FT-220, FT-201 HF transceivers, and the Yaesu QTR-24 world clock still keeping perfect time.
Bottom row: YP-150 dummy load/watt meter, FR-101D receiver, FL-101 transmitter, FL-2100B amplifier, FT-101E, FTV-650B six-meter transverter, FTV-250 two-meter transverter, YO-100 monitor scope. Top row: YC-601B digital display, FT-620B, FV-101B remote VFO, SP-101 speaker phone patch. Production ran approximately ten years from 1969 through 1979.
Also on display: FRdx-400 receiver, FLdx-400 transmitter, FTV-650 first six-meter transverter (circ. 1966–1968), FTdx-100 (circ. 1969), FT-200/FT-250 (Henry Tempo One, circ. 1972–1977), FT-2FB and FT-223 (Sears), FT-207R handheld, FT-227RB memorizer, FT-127 220 MHz, and CPU-2500.
In the back corner: Yaesu’s earliest line — FR-100B receiver, FL-100B transmitter, and FL-1000 linear amplifier. Company founder Mr. Sako Hasegawa, JA1MP is shown using this exact equipment (circ. 1965).
Chip Margelli K7JA, now and then!
Everyone who entered the Yaesu exhibit had to pause before the Chip Margelli ~ FT-902 shrine. Bowing respectfully at the shrine, to the man and his accomplishments. This Bud is for you, Chip!
Friday Night Dealers Dinner
There was one heck of a nice spread of groceries — enough for all!
Senior engineering staff: Mikio WA6F, Ogi JH1WXT, Shinohara JP1THK, Fujiki JR1FPZ, Ohtsu JH1AJY
When you get down to the business of engineering, it just doesn’t get any better than this!
Bob Heil, K9EID of Heil Sound and his lovely bride Sara.
Chip Margelli, K7JA and his lovely bride Janet, KL7MF.
Doing all the honors at the dealers dinner: Gordon West, WB6NOA doing introductions; Yasu and Chip Margelli, K7JA presenting the new FT-2000 to dealers.
Front and Center — FT-2000
Read about the FT-2000
Full product page on Fox Tango
Left: Bob Heil is already looking for ways to improve the audio.
Right: Gordon West can’t wait to write an article about the high-end FT-2000 for CQ magazine!
CQ Magazine Party
Another Saturday night and the gang’s all here. Men in hard hats doing the Y-M-C-A — it was a sight!
Mr. Gordon West, WB6NOA, doing the honors and jokes at the CQ party. Gordon should have been a politician — he’s got all the lines and all the jokes!
A good time was had by all! I hope the factory doesn’t see this site!
Open your eyes, Dale! ICOM representative Dale PIEDFORT, KB7UB, with Carol W4CLM.
Sunday Morning & Visitors
Everyone was winding down, well sort of!
Gordon West WB6NOA, Carol W4CLM, Bob Heil K9EID
Visitors from worldwide attended Hamvention 2006 — and a few from out of this world came by the 50th anniversary Yaesu vintage radio exhibit.
Bill W8WWS
Fox Tango member William Saddler
Hanno DK3HV
Fox Tango member from Germany
Walter Breining N9WB
Fox Tango forum moderator
Fox Tango members — eyeball QSOs
N1BZ Brad Zimmerly, WU8O Tom Walter, N4PDB Dick Shaffer, KB9TPG John Thompson, N4ZZK Al Ludwick, K0NEB Joe Eisnberg, W9AMW Rich Bogen, NV8E Terry Scott, K8AS Dale Reich, K8MCN William McNutt, K1ZKM Ken Millman, WS8B Frank Beafore, N9VX Joe Word, KI4FUS Curtis W Jennings, IRA WA2LZO, and Thomas Wrede DF2OO from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Sorry if I missed anyone on this list!
The hits just kept on rolling until the man showed up (K4ZDH)! Now this guy knows how to quiet down an out-of-control party!
FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth
Shut down those out-of-band rigs — quick, guys! Mr. Hollingsworth stopped by to admire the new leading-edge Yaesu equipment and the 50th anniversary vintage display, and we had a nice QSO too.
And that was the end of the party. Everyone had to pack up and go home after the law man showed up!
The End!
More to follow on the FT-2000 and Yaesu 2006 product line on a separate page.
Read about the FT-2000 Yaesu 2006 product lineCarol ~ W4CLM