I've never owned a TS-2000, but I wan't really impressed with its specs as a
HF radio, much less a VHF/UHF multimode. After owning several multimode
radios over the years such as the TS-700A, the IC-271A and the FT-726R and
comparing them to my first VHF setup (a Yaesu FT-101ZDMkIII and FTV-901R 3
band transverter), I soon realized that their selectivity was lacking and
that strong signal performance was generally horrible. It really hit home
when a 10W station on a mountop 150 miles away from my old EM64 QTH swamped
my receiver for 20khz in either direction while endlessly calling CQ's on
144.200 for hours on end during one contest. He couldn't even hear the
replies because another two stations in the same mountains 20 khz on either
side of him using KWs were killing his receiver, and mine too! 144.150 to
144.250 were essentially useless to me but they were both unaffected by it!
Both of them ran SSB Electronics transveters and high end HF rigs. I went
back to my ZD/901R combo and could squeeze my 150W in around 210 and make
some Qs through the hash. These guys could move in 3 khz away from me and
run stations. After that experience it didn't take me long to realize that
really good transverters and really good HF rigs were the only way to go if
you wanted to be competitive! Some of the new rigs are a heck of a lot
better than the ones I used. Some may even be approaching that kind of
performance, but I'm not convinced that any are really there yet.
My first one was a Ten Tec 6M transveter that I still think is about the the
best bang for the buck around. I coupled it to a TS-850S and was just
amazed at how well it worked. I used it to work a lot of the Eu Es in the
mid 90s from my Alabama QTH. I knew it was a lot better, but I didn't
realize just how much better until I went back to the FT-726R a few days
after FD one year to work a European opening because I hadn't put the 850
back into the setup yet. I could barely make out the Eu stations calling,
much less work them! I quickly hooked the 850 back up to the transverter
and could suddenly hear again because I could seperate the stong signals
from the weak ones. That transverter got lightning bit and I swapped it for
a DEM. It works even better, but that Ten Tec sure was a great value!
I now run DEM transverters and TS-850's from 6 to 432 now. Why DEM?
Because their front ends spec out a little better than SSB and they are a
heck of a lot cheaper too! As long as you don't compromise them with
in-brick preamps that have way too much gain and higher noise figures, they
are practically crunchproof. Those new DB6NT transverters have even better
specs, but are awfully pricey. I don't have any info on the Elecraft
transverters yet, but they sure make great HF stuff ! Why TS-850's?
Because they have a great receiver, one that still stands up to several top
of the line HF rigs that cost many times as much. They match up well with
the Rx gain of the DEM transverters. The real trick with any transverter is
to get the overall system gain set up right. With the DEM Rx output gain
set to to barely raise the background noise on a quiet band I can move 3khz
away from a non-splattering 40db/9 station on 6M and still run a pileup by
using the 1.8 khz sideband filters. In this case, less IF gain is better
than more since you can always kick in the built in preamp stage in the 850
(ie. turn off the AIP) if you need it. Too much system gain and you defeat
the whole purpose. The same can be said of preamps. I cut all my
adjustable SSB Electronic mast mount preamps back to minimum gain since even
that more than compensates for my coax loss. Getting lots of receiver noise
from a preamp is NOT your friend!
I do still use my venerable FT-726R as the IF for 903 and 1296 DEM
transverters. I generally don't need a whole lot of IF selectivity or
strong signal performance there, at least not out here in the country
(EN41vr), although I suspect it might help out a bit when a neighber gets on
the 902 cordless. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that my DEMs have great front
ends on those bands too. The same might be said of 432 if you don't live
anywhere near a radar installation or 222 if you aren't close to a Channel
13 (the closest one here is over 70 miles away and I'm glad I have the
performance). But for me a crunchproof front end counts most on 6 and 2
Meters. It really makes all the difference in a contest or a band opening.
73 de Bob K2DRH
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