Topband: FT-2000 for serious TB DXing?

[Chortek, Robert L]

Paul wrote:
>>I would like to hear from any topband DXers who have used the 
FT-2000. I am interested in any comments on this rig, good or bad, 
but am especially interested in how well the receiver handles the 
challenge of digging out weak CW in a band full of strong signals, 
QRN, etc.

I have both the Orion II and the FT2000 and spend 99 percent of my time
on cw. 

I find the receiver in the FT2000 is slightly more sensitive than the
Orion II, and "considerably" more quiet than the receiver in the Orion
II.  (Yes, I have the AGC properly adjusted.)  I found no case where I
could hear a signal on the Orion II that I could not also hear on the
FT2000.  However, there were several cases where I could hear signals
more clearly on the FT2000 than on the Orion II.   Overall, the FT2000
is a much more pleasant rig with which to listen. Therefore, I find
myself using the FT2000 far more often than the Orion II.  

While the Orion II has a more selective rx and is less prone to
interference from strong adjacent signals, the reality, for me at my
location, is that it does not make a noticeable difference except during
the contests.  Therefore, I use the Orion II during contests, and the
FT2000 the rest of the time. I would say I use the FT2000 95 percent of
the time, and the Orion II 5 percent, when its strengths really shine. 

The second receiver in the Orion II is "far" superior to the second
receiver in the FT2000.  My FT2000 does suffer from some annoying agc
imd, which manifests itself with a faint Geiger counter sound, but this
can be substantially mitigated by turning the preamp off (which I never
use on the low bands anyway) and using the peak feature (which I always
use, and really miss on the Orion II). 

Overall, if I had to pick only one rig, I would pick the FT2000. I am
not saying the rx specs are better than the Orion II, because clearly
they are not, it's just that overall, the day in and day out performance
of the FT2000 is better, although there are times when the Orion II is
the rig to use.  95 percent of the time, however, the FT2000 is better,
IMHO.

This is just one guy's opinion, YMMV!

73,

Bob/AA6VB
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