FT817 antenna pin: getting a DC voltage on the inner when on TX.

The FT817 does not have a DC voltage change between RX and TX on the antenna connector, unlike the old IC202. This voltage was very useful to switch PAs and transverters. I now know how to modify the FT817 to add this feature thanks to Chris GM4YLN who sent the link http://www.kolumbus.fi/oh5iy/HW/Yaesu.html showing one way to make the mod.. Note in this link the FT817 is wrongly called the FT718. An easier to implement link is shown at http://www.bergtag.de/download/ft817.pdf . Thanks again to Chris for this one too.

FT817 lowest power setting at 500mW

Do you know, I've only just realised something about my FT817 having owned it for almost 10 years: as someone pointed out to me, the lowest setting on the FT817 is always 500mW whether on an external supply or internal batteries. For some reason I had believed "1 dash" on the display was 500mW on batteries and 1W on a mains PSU. I just checked and it really is 500mW out.

So, my recent WSPR DX spots with 10mW and 1mW were actually at 5mW and 500uW!

FT817 successor coming?

Has anyone heard any intelligence/news on what is happening at Yaesu regarding new hand-held all-band, all-mode, successor to the FT817 with new features such as internal auto-ATU, speech processor, maybe 70MHz included on EU version, LiIon battery pack, etc...