Yaesu FT-101ZD
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| Frequency | TX: 160–10 m (+ WWV RX), RX: HF amateur bands |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m (WARC, later), 20m, 17m (WARC, later), 15m, 12m (WARC, later), 10m |
| TX power | 100 W (180W PEP input SSB/CW. ~100W output. 12BY7A driver + dual 6146B tube finals.) |
| Modes | USB, LSB, CW, AM |
| Weight | 14 kg (30.9 lb) - ~14 kg estimated. Built-in multi-voltage PSU. |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1979 |
| antenna | SO-239 |
| mic | microphone connector |
| key | key jack |
| phone patch | phone patch connector |
| ext spkr | external speaker |
| ac in | AC mains (multi-voltage PSU, universal) |
| power req | AC mains (multi-voltage built-in PSU). |
Estimated (unverified): Weight ~14 kg (about 31 lb) with its built-in multi-voltage power supply; approximate. Introduced 1979.
Widely regarded as the best-performing model of the FT-101 line. The ZD is a hybrid with a sensitive receiver, a digital (and analog) display, variable IF bandwidth, an RF speech processor and a built-in multi-voltage power supply, and it switched to robust 6146B finals in place of the earlier sweep tubes. Later sub-versions include AM transmit - unlike the Kenwood TS-520, which is SSB/CW only - which makes them popular on 75-meter AM nets. Later versions add the WARC bands.
It is a 1979 tube-final hybrid: the finals need occasional maintenance, and there is no general coverage, no DSP and no 6 meters. There are four sub-versions identified by serial number, so it pays to know which features a given unit has. The 6146B finals are easier to source than the old sweep tubes, but it remains a vintage radio.
The FT-101ZD took Yaesu's most iconic transceiver series to its final, fullest form, with variable IF bandwidth, a digital display, an RF speech processor and the warm 6146B tube audio AM operators love. Unlike the Kenwood TS-520 it offers AM transmit (from the second sub-version on), a draw for 75-meter AM nets, and it is generally considered the best FT-101 for on-air use. Just identify which of the four sub-versions you are buying - they differ in AM, FM and WARC coverage.
The Yaesu FT-101ZD, introduced in 1979, was the most advanced of the FT-101 hybrids - a substantial redesign that kept the line's signature forgiving tube final while modernizing much of the rest. It covers 160 through 10 meters plus WWV reception in SSB and CW (with AM and later FM added across its sub-versions), and uses a 12BY7A driver feeding 6146B finals - real transmitting tubes, rather than the earlier 6JS6C sweep tubes - for roughly 100 to 120 watts of output.
The ZD brought an improved, more sensitive receiver, variable IF bandwidth and refined circuitry to the platform; styled like the premium FT-901, it was effectively a lower-cost companion nicknamed the '901 junior.' Four sub-versions exist (identified by serial number), the later ones adding the WARC bands and an AM/FM option. It is widely regarded as the best-performing and most desirable of the FT-101 family for on-air use.
With its blend of vintage tube-final character and genuinely good receive performance, it remains a favorite among collectors and operators. It is a discontinued classic. See the earlier FT-101E and the all-solid-state FT-301.