Today Bill, W6FW (DXCC standing 335/373) brought his 1991 vintage
FT-1000D over to my QTH to compare with my FT-1000MP. The 1000D is
Bill's primary radio for DXing. Three sets of ears judged the results of
the A/B tests: W6FW, N6JZ (DXCC standing 331/350) and K6SE (DXCC standing
326/338).
The narrowest CW filter in Bill's 1000D is 250 Hz, so the initial tests
were made with my 1000MP's 250 Hz filters and no DSP filter. The IPO
switch was turned off on both radios (i.e., the preamps were on) during
the tests.
On 160-meters, all three of us agreed that there was absolutely no
difference between the two radios on how the weak signal could be copied.
If the INRAD 125 Hz filter was selected on the MP, it was better. Ditto
if the 60 Hz DSP filter was used on the MP. It is assumed that if a 125
Hz filter could be installed in the 1000D or if an outboard DSP filter
was used with it that it would still equal the MP on copying the weak
signal.
On 10-meters, using only the 250 hz filters in both radios, the MP beat
out the 1000D by a very noticeable margin, which all three sets of ears
agreed on.
Because of the different results on 160m compared to 10m, and because I
conduct these tests mainly to compare receivers on 160m, the ratings from
now on will be based on the 160-meter A/B tests only. The same
differences have been noted by me in the past with some radios checked
where they performed better on 160m than on 10m compared to th MP.
I should mention here that the comparison between the MP and the K2 were
done using all of the receivers' resources. The MP was using it's 125 Hz
xtal filter and 60 Hz DSP filter while the K2 had its variable xtal
filter set to 100 Hz and it audio filter was set to AF2 (80 Hz). Both of
those receivers are equal on both 160m but the MP is slightly better on
10m.
Because the FT-1000D does not have a built-in DSP filter, I'm rating it
in 3rd place just behind the MP and K2 which are tied for 1st place.
Here is the updated list of receivers checked so far at K6SE, in order
from best to worst:
1) Yaesu FT-1000MP (with INRAD mod)
1) Elecraft K2 (tied for first place)
3) Yaesu FT-1000D
4) Kenwood TS-830S
4) Kenwood TS-870S (tied with the TS-830S)
6) Yaesu FT-1000MP (without the INRAD mod)
7) Yaesu FT-757
8) Icom IC-775DSP
9) Ten-Tec Omni VI+
10) Icom IC-756
10) Ten-Tec Orion
As more radios are A/B tested, I'll update the list.
73, de Earl, K6SE
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