[CQ-Contest] KENWOOD TS-2000

[Scott Manthe]

The TS-2000 is a complex rig that takes a little while to figure out. 
Sitting down at AES or a buddies house probably doesn't do the rig 
justice. Most people don't like the TS-2000 because they "heard it isn't 
any good from someone who used one somewhere at sometime," they think it 
looks weird, think it does too many things to be any good or  it is too 
small to be a good rig. Almost none of the helpful people who readily 
pass this information on has ever owned or used a TS-2000 to any degree. 
Is the TS-2000 a top-flight contesting rig? Probably not, but it's not 
bad, either.

Here are some lab numbers from their respective ARRL reviews, just to 
show how the TS-2000 compares to the contest-proven Mark V Field:

2 tone 3rd order IMD dynamic range: 3.5 mHz,  preamp off/on: Mark V 
Field: 20kHz spacing- 94/93dB; 5khz spacing- 69/74dB. TS2000:  94/96dB 
5kHz spacing 68/68. 14 mHz preamp off/on: Mark V Field: 20kHz spacing- 
98/97dB; 5kHz spacing- 73/72 dB. TS-2000: 20 kHz spacing- 94/92 dB; 5 
kHz spacing 69/67 dB.

Blocking Dynamic Range: 3.5 mHz: 20 kHz spacing, preamp off/on: Mark V 
Field: 122/123 dB, 5 kHz spacing- 106/107 dB. TS-2000: 20 kHz spacing- 
127/124 dB; 5 kHz spacing- 103/101 dB. 14 mHz: 20 kHz spacing, preamp 
off/on: Mark V Field: 122/122; 5 kHz spacing- 107/106. TS-2000: 20 kHz 
spacing 126/121; 5 kHz spacing- 103/98.

If you know what these numbers mean, you'll notice there's not a whole 
lot of difference between the two rigs, a couple of dB most of the time 
and the TS-2000 is actually better in some cases. Of course you can add 
a little more selectivity to the Field by cascading the filters, but 
this also adds cost. Dollar for dollar, the TS-2000 is a pretty good 
rig, but you have to learn how to use it, just like you would using a MP 
or Mark V or any other complex rig. And sometimes you can't just believe 
what you hear.

73,
Scott, N9AA

Bill Turner wrote:
> The negative reviews came from people who have operated one and have
> not been impressed. Nobody can "review" a radio they have never 
> operated, but they can quote reviews from those who have.
>
> Bill, W6WRT
>
>