[VHFcontesting] TS2KX

[Vic]

 have been trying to think up of a way to reduce the "clutter" in my shack 
and thought I think about going away from xverters and back to a rig.Namely 
the 2000X.
My questions are; can you have different drive levels for 
different bands.I need 3 watts for 1296,60 watts for 144 and 50 for 432.Also 
can you use the hf port as an xverter for say 2304.I use a 817 now that 
needs about 5 watts,can you set that up via menus to ONLY be able to put out 
5 watts at 28 Mhz so I don't blow it up.I think you can adjust the rigs 
display to read xverter freq on HF?I don't want to rely on turning down this 
button or that knob,I want it to be all menu so I don't blow anything up.Any 
one give me a heads up before I order one??  Gregg K9KL 
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Greg - my experience with the TS2KX is the same as Paul's - AA4ZZ -  .. pre-amps for 2-70cm & 23cm are a must & use external sequencers ... the freq offset is worthless unless your going to use it on one band .. my rig does have some QRI in the first hour of operation on 70cm & 23 cm, so unless there is a thunderstorm it stays on 24/7 ... IMHO the INRAD filter is a must , especially in a good 6 meter opening & if you operate CW ..  also on 6 meters the use of the NB will improve your chances of copying any station up at least 5 Kc from your operating frequency .. the use of the myriad of tweaks available on for transmit audio will ensure your endearment to any station close to your operating frequency. .. (there are several TS2K's within 20 miles of me and they all tweak the transmit audio & still take up lotsa bandwidth) ... IMO purchase a Bob Heil mic, solves lotsa problems when compared to playing with the knobs  ... 

I'm also in process of "modernizing" & downsizing (that's a laugh) the shack -- I am using the TS2KX with DEMI 222;902;2304 transverters ...  The power levels are set by band -- I use 2m for the 13 cm transverter --  and the 135cm & 33cm transverters use the 10 meter IF ... but when I use 2 meters I do have to turn the wick up to drive the amplifier & must not have any brain fade to turn the wick down before I go to transverter operation .. to reduce the possibility of "smoke on the watt-R" I have to remember to check the power out before hitting the xmit switch .. I understand Steve does sell a 2 to 10 meter down converter which I may add soon & this will make 10 meters the "prime" transverter band ... 

In fairness the radio does offer a "compact" size and a ton of capability in one package, but the usual caveat applies  --- as the old bloke on the front cover of Punch magazine often said, "ye pays ye money, ye takes ye chances" .... 

Cheers de SLM //