so ive been putting this off forever but last weekend i finally did the extended TX mod on my FT-857D. the one where you open it up and move the diode to unlock the wider transmit range. not gonna lie i was pretty nervous the first time i cracked that thing open because its packed in there like a sardine can.

anyway it went fine, no drama. what i actually wanted to talk about though is that while i had it open i also went ahead and did the fan mod - replaced the stock fan with a quieter one because honestly the stock fan sounds like a hairdryer at high power on a warm day. used a Noctua 40mm and had to do a bit of fiddling with the voltage to get the speed right but its WAY quieter now and still keeps temps reasonable.

also been thinking about the AF mod for better audio but havent pulled the trigger yet. anyone done that one? im also curious if the Collins filter upgrade is worth it for SSB - ive heard people swear by it but the price is kinda steep for what it is. curious what others have done to their 857s, seems like theres a whole rabbit hole here

yeah the fan mod is pretty much the first thing i tell people to do on the 857, the stock fan is genuinely annoying especially if your running mobile and its quiet in the car. i used a different fan than you did - cant remember the brand offhand, something i had in a drawer - and it works fine.

on the Collins filter question, ive got one in mine and honestly... its nice but i wouldnt call it night and day. SSB is a bit tighter and cutting through crowded conditions on 40m feels better. but if youre mostly doing casual ragchews and not contesting or anything i dunno if its worth the money. where it really shines is if you do any CW, makes a genuine difference there for me at least. just my take, others might disagree

the AF mod is worth it if your 857 has that tinny audio thing going on, mine did and after the mod it was noticeably better for monitoring. theres a few different versions of the instructions floating around online so just make sure youre following one thats actually for your board revision or you might be chasing pads that dont match. took me like an hour including the time i spent second-guessing myself and finding my reading glasses