Jerry,
The TS-430 and TS-440 are both nice radios. Don't
know much about the '820's except that thy're hybred
radios (have tube finals), and have analog read outs
(not digital without an accessory freq.counter). They
also sort of drift till they get warmed up good.
The TS-430 is an earlier version (sort of) of the TS-440.
Both the '430 and '440 are '100 watt' radios, do all modes,
('430 needs an FM board for FM), and the '440 has a
built-in auto-antenna tuner (some don't), the '430 had
an optional external auto-antenna tuner. The auto-
antenna tuners are very handy especially as a mobile
radio. If you have the choice between with/with out,
take the one with the tuner. The '430 has 4(?) memory
channels, the '440 has 100 with several memory scanning
functions.
There are some qwerks about all three radios. The
'820 tended to loose ground on some of the circuit
boards. It's an easy 'fix', so it's really not to worry
over. The 'processor's on both the '430 and '440 are
very 'hot' and are not worth using unless you get inside
and turn them down. The external control is just
on/off, usually better with it off. The '440 in the early
production runs had a problem with the CPU. Things
would go 'weird' on you for no apparent reason. That
was because they used a socket for the CPU and it
would loose contact with the chip. The 'fix' is to pry
the chip out slightly then re-seat it. The later radios
had the CPU soldered in.
The '430 and '440 could be 'opened up' for transmit
on all receive freqs above 1.8 Mhz. The '430 is a bit
harder to 'do' than the '440, but not really all that bad.
Probably any '430 or '440 you find will already be
'opened up'. I don't think the '820 can be 'opened up',
but I'm not sure. In any case, it would require a bit
more to 'do' it than the other two.
I don't know what the 'going' price is on any of them
are anymore. You might try the 'AES' used equipment
list to get an idea, little high, but probably about average.
If you look on 'eBay', the prices are ALL too high if they
don't include birth control pills too. I've had several of
the '430's and '440's and wouldn't mind having another
or either for a back-up radio...
- 'Doc
</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub86.ezboard.com/uw5lz.showPublicProfile?language=EN>W5LZ</A> at: 2/27/02 9:00:47 am