Hi Tom,
I own a TS-2000X and thanks to the AMSAT Symposium :) an IC-910. I do more digital than voice, so my perspective is biased in that direction.
Here are some of my thoughts:
The CAT control of the TS-2000X is amazing. All menu options are available remotely via CAT. No so with the 910.
The TS-2000X allows adjustments of modem/TNC levels in/out of the rig, 910 does not.
The TS-2000X has built-in TXCO and DSP, 910 does not (yes, they are expen$ive options).
The TS-2000X lets you work mode A, 910 does not.
The TS-2000X gives me the full rated power output on both 2M and 70cm, the 910 does not (same antennas, feedlines, etc.)---does anybody have the solution to this? Even with flat SWR the 910 cuts back output to about 70-75W on 2M and 40-50W on 70cm!! Bummer
The 910 receiver is much better on 2M than my TS-2000X, which is actually pretty deaf on 2M(even after doing the "resistor mod" to improve receive).
The 910 does not have the AO-27/SO-50 birdy, while the TS-2000X does--this is my single biggest disappointment with this radio!!!! Tuning the TS-2000X "off frequency" by 5-7kHz above and below the real frequency helps a bit, but it's still a pain.
In spite of the short comings of the TS-2000X, I don't think I'd trade it even up for an IC-910H with a the 1.2 gig module installed...
73,
Mark N8MH
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:02:24 -0700 From: "Tom" k0tw@cox.net Subject: [amsat-bb] Icom 910H vs Kenwood TS2000 To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Message-ID: A3C3147B82D84BB49AE0E4EB26ADF21A@K0TWHOME Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I plan to purchase a new home transceiver in the next few months and I've narrowed my choices between a 910H and a TS2000. Thinking only of satellite operation (ignoring the HF capability of the TS2000), is there a general preference in the Amsat community of one over the other? Reasons?
Thanks for your opinions. Tom, K?TW
Sorry to hear about your power output problems on your IC-910. I do not have that problem. It requires an SWR of over 1.5:1 before I start seeing it degrade in output power. I have almost 100 watts (stays around 98 watts output) for the entire 2 meter band until the swr goes above 1.5:1. 70 cm is the same. I have at least 75 watts out on 70 cm even running it into a 2 meter ground plane or MFJ discone. However, the 2 meter ground plane is very narrow for use on 70 cm and only allows reasonable swr on the satellite frequencies. I find that a simple 70 cm 30 degree sloper ground plane gives me better band width and of course works better on the satellites than the 2 meter. The two meter is only being used due to my sloper being rebuilt right now.
I agree on the comments you made about the TS2000, but have definitely found the the TS2000 lacking in it "hearing" sensitivity. For a complete "DC to light" rig, the Kenwood is great, but like some of the other features about the IC-910 and already have many HF (dc to light ) rigs such as an Omni VI Ten Tec, Yaesu FT-817 and FT-857 and another hf/vhf/uhf rig was not necessary. I find that my preference is the IC-910 due to the comments I have made. I know of many who really like the TS-2000. As I stated before I have the Kenwood TS711/811 which have been super units, but no longer supported by the new software now available.
Reid, W4UPD
Reid, W4UPD
Mark L. Hammond wrote:
Hi Tom,
I own a TS-2000X and thanks to the AMSAT Symposium :) an IC-910. I do more digital than voice, so my perspective is biased in that direction.
Here are some of my thoughts:
The CAT control of the TS-2000X is amazing. All menu options are available remotely via CAT. No so with the 910.
The TS-2000X allows adjustments of modem/TNC levels in/out of the rig, 910 does not.
The TS-2000X has built-in TXCO and DSP, 910 does not (yes, they are expen$ive options).
The TS-2000X lets you work mode A, 910 does not.
The TS-2000X gives me the full rated power output on both 2M and 70cm, the 910 does not (same antennas, feedlines, etc.)---does anybody have the solution to this? Even with flat SWR the 910 cuts back output to about 70-75W on 2M and 40-50W on 70cm!! Bummer
The 910 receiver is much better on 2M than my TS-2000X, which is actually pretty deaf on 2M(even after doing the "resistor mod" to improve receive).
The 910 does not have the AO-27/SO-50 birdy, while the TS-2000X does--this is my single biggest disappointment with this radio!!!! Tuning the TS-2000X "off frequency" by 5-7kHz above and below the real frequency helps a bit, but it's still a pain.
In spite of the short comings of the TS-2000X, I don't think I'd trade it even up for an IC-910H with a the 1.2 gig module installed...
73,
Mark N8MH
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:02:24 -0700 From: "Tom" k0tw@cox.net Subject: [amsat-bb] Icom 910H vs Kenwood TS2000 To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Message-ID: A3C3147B82D84BB49AE0E4EB26ADF21A@K0TWHOME Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I plan to purchase a new home transceiver in the next few months and I've narrowed my choices between a 910H and a TS2000. Thinking only of satellite operation (ignoring the HF capability of the TS2000), is there a general preference in the Amsat community of one over the other? Reasons?
Thanks for your opinions. Tom, K?TW
I am not a TS-2000 user, but since it is a satellite rig, I tend to pay some attention when I see it discussed. There are several mods to improve RX sensitivity. Kenwood did make some fixes in later production runs of the rig which are reported to make a significant difference. You can go to the www.mods.dk web site for several user mods in this area.
Being a Yaesu user, pending the acquisition of a Flex-5k, I don't have any first hand experience with any of them.
Alan WA4SCA
Thanks, Alan. I've done the "tack solder a resistor to change the bias" mod to both the 2M and 70cm receivers. It helped, but it's still not very good on 2M.
On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 12:01 PM, Alan P. Biddle APBIDDLE@united.net wrote:
I am not a TS-2000 user, but since it is a satellite rig, I tend to pay some attention when I see it discussed. There are several mods to improve RX sensitivity. Kenwood did make some fixes in later production runs of the rig which are reported to make a significant difference. You can go to the www.mods.dk web site for several user mods in this area.
Being a Yaesu user, pending the acquisition of a Flex-5k, I don't have any first hand experience with any of them.
Alan WA4SCA
participants (3)
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Alan P. Biddle -
Mark L. Hammond -
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