Shopping for a Kenwood HF base

[Se7en]

Looking at a few Kenwood HF rigs. TS430,440sat,440s,ts850 i was looking at one last night that had all tubes....Kenwood TS-820S is that a good one?
Don't know too much about kenwood, i like Icom more..... trying to keep the spending limit at about $450.

 

[RatsoW8]

Looking at a few Kenwood HF rigs. TS430,440sat,440s,ts850 i was looking at one last night that had all tubes....Kenwood TS-820S is that a good one?
Don't know too much about kenwood, i like Icom more..... trying to keep the spending limit at about $450.

Morse,

I've owned all of the Kenwoods you mentioned( more than once..lol). I really like the TS-850SAT. Great audio on rx and tx and it's one of the last big Knwds. The TS430 and TS440's (with and without the AT) are getting harder to find in good shape. The 430 had some production problems and I've had to rework more than one PA board in th e430's I've owned. But, when working the 430 is a great little rig. The 440 is a classic as well but are known to develope problems with the keypad and display. Still a great radio if you find one in cherry shape.

I own a TS-140S now and love it. It was the first rig I bought brand new in 1988 while I was still in the Navy. It's all band, all mode with nice crisp communcation receive audio and excellent transmit audio with a Heil GM4. No worthless bells and whistles and no DSP!!! The only gripe I've ever heard is the slide switch control for controlling RF out. Not the best design but it works fine.

Unless you really want to own a piece of history I'd stay away from the old tube rigs like the TS-520,530, 820,830 (all flavors).

Bottom line is any of the above are keepers if you find one that has has had an easy life. Any of those rigs in excellent condition shold be available for $450 or less. The 850 maybe a little more if it's in minty shape. But, as with all radios that are 25+ years old...you take your chances.

 

[bamacj]

I have a ts850 an love it. BUT when they break the parts are hard to find and some connot be found without a doner radio.
The older tube radios are fun to operate and require more operator input but also can be a pain to repair.

I would save my money and get a newer rig.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Due to the age and lack of service and parts I would avoid a TS-430 or a 440. They were good rigs in their day but their day has come and gone. As for the TS-820S, it is a nice radio but not really as a first HF rig. I have one,it's also my avatar, and most people that buy them have been into radio a long time and want a piece of history as was said above. I bought mine in nearly mint condition and have picked up a few accessories for it. I did so because I wanted a radio that actually LOOKED like what a ham radio is generally envisioned as and not some small little thing with few knobs and a menu driven display like my FT-857. The TS-820S has a good receiver but it does have three tubes in the transmitter section,a 12BY7 driver and a pair of 6146B finals. They are easy to operate if you are familiar with tubes but easily damaged if you are not.Parts for the TS-820S are almost impossible to get as original replacements.

 

[wavrider]

Friend of mine has a ts-140S, he loves it , another has a TS-430, he likes sit also.

I have the TS-440SAT, it is an ok rig, but as mentioned before it is prone to issues that can be repaired, a yahoo group is dedicated to this transceiver.

I have the TS-820, it will never leave my shack, low noise on the receive and no synthesizer noise. It is a great rig.

Blind ham friend of mine has the TS-450, that is a sweet rig also, great receive. I put the voice board in it many years ago and it is his daily user.

The TS-120 is an ok entry level rig, not a lot of bells and whistles but works well for what it is.

I have an ICOM706MKII, shack in a box hf,vhf all mode through 2 meters. It is small, menu driven, I do not like it but it functions as it should. Sits in the original box in the cabinet in the shack. I prefer a radio that looks like a radio.

 

[unit248]

Also, be aware that the Kenwood TS-520/530/820/830 hybrids are CW and SSB only. I don't know how much AM (or FM) matters to you. They also don't do general coverage receive.

I own a TS-430S too, and I wouldn't sell it. Two things to be aware of though: FM mode is an option (requires the FM-430 board), as is the 6Khz AM receive filter. Both of these can be found used without too much trouble, but I'd try to buy a radio that at least has the FM board already installed.

The TS-140S and TS-680S (same as 140 but with 6 meters) are nice radios too. They're dead simple to operate and decent performers. The only issue I've seen is that some people find the slider controls on the right side a little difficult to adjust, particularly the power control. Note that the TS-680 only does 10 watts on 6 meters. I see them sell from $350 to $400.

Note that there are computer control options available for the TS-440, TS-140 and TS-680, though not for the TS-430.

The TS-850 is the best out of the ones you mentioned, however it's a little out of your proposed price range. Cheapest I've seen one go for was maybe $650, sometimes up to $800. I think the TS-450 goes for around $500. I think between the two, the TS-850 has a better receiver (it also has the VBT tuning option normally found on the bigger rigs). If you ever consider a TS-850, ask for the serial number before you buy. Radios with 40million or better serial numbers are your best bet.

By the way, don't rule out the TS-440's big brother, the TS-940. The TS-440SAT may go for around $450, but sometimes you can find a TS-940 for just a few hundred more:

QTH.COM Ham Radio Classified Ads: Ad# 955178 - Swap amateur radio HF VHF equipment buy sell trade on line

That's not a bad deal especially when you consider that you don't need to buy a separate power supply. (Though that also makes the radio heavy.) Some people have complained about bad solder joints on TS-940s though, so a little research before buying is recommended.

Unfortunately, some of the best Kenwood rigs (IMHO) are also the most expensive. The TS-950SDX is the king of the hill, but they typically sell for between $1500 and $2000, and that's if you can find someone willing to part with one. The TS-950S is much cheaper (sometimes around $800), but lacks the DSP features that make the TS-950SDX so desirable.

There's also the TS-870, which is a popular choice with ESSBers. If you do a simple mod you can feed it audio from the rear panel ACC2 port and achieve ~4Khz frequency response, but it's generally cheaper than the SDX (~$1100). For that money though, you could also buy a used TS-2000 and have HF/VHF/UHF all in one box. (The TS-870 is HF only.)

-Bill

 

[Se7en]

Morse,

I've owned all of the Kenwoods you mentioned( more than once..lol). I really like the TS-850SAT. Great audio on rx and tx and it's one of the last big Knwds. The TS430 and TS440's (with and without the AT) are getting harder to find in good shape. The 430 had some production problems and I've had to rework more than one PA board in th e430's I've owned. But, when working the 430 is a great little rig. The 440 is a classic as well but are known to develope problems with the keypad and display. Still a great radio if you find one in cherry shape.

I own a TS-140S now and love it. It was the first rig I bought brand new in 1988 while I was still in the Navy. It's all band, all mode with nice crisp communcation receive audio and excellent transmit audio with a Heil GM4. No worthless bells and whistles and no DSP!!! The only gripe I've ever heard is the slide switch control for controlling RF out. Not the best design but it works fine.

Unless you really want to own a piece of history I'd stay away from the old tube rigs like the TS-520,530, 820,830 (all flavors).

Bottom line is any of the above are keepers if you find one that has has had an easy life. Any of those rigs in excellent condition shold be available for $450 or less. The 850 maybe a little more if it's in minty shape. But, as with all radios that are 25+ years old...you take your chances.

I would do a multi quote but I'm mobile not sure how to do it.
So, on topic. I'm looking for a REAL ham radio. Now I say this because iv had all of the icom706 models.l, and I did not like them. Menus after menues. I have a icom ic-7000 that I use mobile on hf,VHF and UHF, but that is my mobile unit. I was starting to fall in love with the older tube kenwood radio because it looks like a real radio and not a toy like most of the newer stuff out now. Truthfully when using these new radios it doesn't have that true feel/function that I'm sure a REAL ham radio should feel like. As for mods and all that hype if I want to play on the CB(IDIOT BAND) and have roger bleeps and other useless waste of space ill buy a cb radio. I say this because I see it as having a awesome radio and modifying it to talk cb is like filling a cup with water and having no bottom to hold it.

If these kenwood models aren't the right ones enlighten me on what is a decent fair priced under ($1000.00 USD) amatuer ham radio.

73s all the best

Sent from Outerspace, on the DarkSide of X.

 

[wavrider]

If you can align a rig, replace caps, (unsolder, and solder back in a circuit board).

Then the Kenwood TS-820, or if you want WARCS the TS-830, all are great rigs.

Yaesu FT-102, best receive on any rig I have, far better than the FT-1000MP.


I have never owned ten-tec but a friend of mine swears by them, maybe someone else will chime in on the ten tec rigs. I do know they support anything they manufacture it does not mater how old or out of date it is.

 

[BJ radionut]

Rider's right: The old rigs are Great....but at some point you or someone else will need to do work on them....
If someone else is to work on those(your) rigs....that is a "Talent"...and a talent that is getting lost.

Anything over 5 or 6 years old now...or "even just out of current production"...
Most factory service centers...Do not want to work on them!
And the Exceptional Tech's that will work on other op's gear are getting few and far between...

As to your Question: Menus...anything last 15 years have menus....
Used Rigs I would buy for a grand: knowing history...etc...

FT-950 Yaesu
FT-1000xxx
FT-990 AC/DC Clean! In-RAD roofing filters...

KWD TS-2000...just don't expect it to be a "hotshot" HF Rcvr

Rigs $500-750....
Kwd TS-940...
TS-450sat...Clean...loaded with optional filters (still own one!)
TS-570D/ with 6m...clean with accs.

But bear in mind everything above has Menus....just keep in mind like my FT-950...other than changing the DSP RX once in awhile....I have not changed anything else TX wise or other menu settings in a couple years! Set them forget them...
Just a couple cents worth
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays
All the Best
BJ

 

[Se7en]

Rider's right: The old rigs are Great....but at some point you or someone else will need to do work on them....
If someone else is to work on those(your) rigs....that is a "Talent"...and a talent that is getting lost.

Anything over 5 or 6 years old now...or "even just out of current production"...
Most factory service centers...Do not want to work on them!
And the Exceptional Tech's that will work on other op's gear are getting few and far between...

As to your Question: Menus...anything last 15 years have menus....
Used Rigs I would buy for a grand: knowing history...etc...

FT-950 Yaesu
FT-1000xxx
FT-990 AC/DC Clean! In-RAD roofing filters...

KWD TS-2000...just don't expect it to be a "hotshot" HF Rcvr

Rigs $500-750....
Kwd TS-940...
TS-450sat...Clean...loaded with optional filters (still own one!)
TS-570D/ with 6m...clean with accs.

But bear in mind everything above has Menus....just keep in mind like my FT-950...other than changing the DSP RX once in awhile....I have not changed anything else TX wise or other menu settings in a couple years! Set them forget them...
Just a couple cents worth
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays
All the Best
BJ

uht oh i just fell in : with the Yaesu FT-767GX

Whats the Scoop on that beautiful radio?