Kenwood TS2000

[SMILEX2692002]

Looking for thoughts from users of Kenwood TS 2000 radio.
I currently have a TS480sat and Hx version. The Sat mobile and HX base.
I also have a Kenwood 2 meter mobile being used in my shack.

Looking to upgrade to a all in one base style radio and from my luck with previous Kenwood rigs the TS 2000 seems like a smart choice.

In the past I have had a Yaesu FT 857D and 897D and just didn't care for the way the radios operated.

The TS 2000 appears to use the same style menu system as my TS480's have. I find this menu system to be very easy to use.

I bought both of my TS480 rigs used and they both had the mars mod done. IMO a nice feature for emergency communications if needed.

I see companies like Giga parts offer to perform the mod for a small fee.
Base radio, HF/6m/2m/70cm, 100W
Now I wonder if this would still void your Kenwood factory warranty since the distributor is performing the mod vs doing it yourself?

I forgot to mention my previous 857D and 897D also had the mars mod done. The one thing I did not care for was after the mod was performed the radio no longer had a automatic repeater shift function on VHF/UHF.

I also wonder if the Kenwood TS 2000 would do the same on VHF/UHF if the mars modification is done?

 

[Mudfoot]

Usually...

The only time a MARS mod would void your warranty, is if it was performed by an idiot that damaged your radio while performing the mod itself

I have sent Kenwood, Alinco and Yaesu radios for warranty repair. All of them were modified (by myself). Each was repaired, no questions asked.

 

[Blackcat630]

A while back I was on the fence on buying a TS 2000 from gigaparts. I inquired with them about them performing the mars mod voiding the warranty and they said it would not. Unfortunately my money went else where (family) so still don't have my Kenwood :sad:

 

[w9cll]

I have never owned one but know several hams that do and they have nothing but good things to say about the TS-2000. Someone I know is trying to sell me his TS-2000b which is the model that requires computer control as there is no faceplate. I am on the fence but leaning.....Oh they sound good to!

 

[2RT307]

I have talked to a couple of guys on 10 meters that were running the TS2000, and they did sound good. I haven't listened to one to see what the receive is like. For the amount of goodies you get with one, it seems like a pretty good deal for the money. I used to say that about the Icom 746 Pro, and then they stopped making it, and upped the price considerably for it's replacement.

73,
Brett

 

[RatsoW8]

I owned one for about a year. The radio itself worked very well and I actually had it before the Skycommand feature was legal to use. It certainly fits your criteria for a do all rig for sure. I just found the tiny profile, crammed in tiny buttons and layered menus to be a pain in the butt and I have smaller hands and great eyesight!! The radio was not fun to operate. I got rid of it in favor of an IC-756 Pro II which I found to be top notch in every way. It was a much better communications radio IMO. That rig along with a 2/440 mobile in the shack covered it all.

 

[SMILEX2692002]

I'm still on the fence about getting one. I found a site Ham city.com who has them cheaper than Giga parts by $100.00. I have never ordered from Ham City.com before but the site seems legit and they accept Paypal. They also have a customer service number so I think I will give them a call.

I could always sell one of my TS 480 radios to help lighten the dent in the wallet.

 

[Mudfoot]

HRO will price comp, plus they have free shipping. No tax if you live in a non store state.

 

[SMILEX2692002]

HRO will price comp, plus they have free shipping. No tax if you live in a non store state.

Called Giga Parts and they priced matched. Although they charged for shipping due to the price match. I went with Giga Parts because they do the mars mod there.

 

[Robb]

Yeah, it is a fine radio. Especially when you run the Kenwood ARCP-2000 software. Then it is much better. No fat fingers on the face controls are needed. Just a cable from 'Affordable Radio' found on fleabay and the right Prolific driver and then it is pretty cool.

I do run a separate 2m/70cm mobile radio just the same, as the TS-2000 has separate PL connector for each band. I just use a Diamond X-50 and do not want to run two separate antennas. YMMV . . .

 

[Mudfoot]

I had a TS-2000 for a few months. I traded it from a friend for my IC-7000. It's a nice full featured rig, but it sure is one ugly ass looking unit.

lol...

 

[Road Squawker]

Called Giga Parts and they priced matched. Although they charged for shipping due to the price match. I went with Giga Parts because they do the mars mod there.

I HOPE you didn't just take the normal shipping method from Giga parts,..........

nothing wrong with Giga parts service,....... but,...... I ordered a radio from them a few months ago and allowed them to send it "free".

they used USPS @ the cheapest rate for them,

from Huntsville it went to Birmingham,...
then to Nashville,...
then to Memphis,...
then to Jackson...

after 15 days total it showed up at my door.


I should have driven there (110 miles) and just picked it up myself:blink:

if you just ordered it today, they won't have the Mars mod done until at least Monday (just guessing),.... you may want to consider calling them and upgrading the shipping method.

YMMV

 

[SMILEX2692002]

I HOPE you didn't just take the normal shipping method from Giga parts,..........

nothing wrong with Giga parts service,....... but,...... I ordered a radio from them a few months ago and allowed them to send it "free".

they used USPS @ the cheapest rate for them,

from Huntsville it went to Birmingham,...
then to Nashville,...
then to Memphis,...
then to Jackson...

after 15 days total it showed up at my door.


I should have driven there (110 miles) and just picked it up myself:blink:

if you just ordered it today, they won't have the Mars mod done until at least Monday (just guessing),.... you may want to consider calling them and upgrading the shipping method.

YMMV

I understand that. The USPS parcel post shipping is totally messed up. (Which I figured they must have used due to the time it took to arrive.)
I ordered a part from a guy on Ebay who is 5 miles away from me. (He would not let me do a local pick up.) The item went to Detroit in 2 days which is 70 miles south of both of us. Then from Detroit it was routed back up my way and was delivered in 3 more days. A total of 5 days for an item that's destination was 5 miles away from the sender.

In my talk with the customer service rep at Giga Parts the method of shipping for my radio is UPS Ground. I would expect to receive the radio in 2-6 days after it ships. I will call and ask to verify method of shipping.

 

[SMILEX2692002]

I do run a separate 2m/70cm mobile radio just the same, as the TS-2000 has separate PL connector for each band. I just use a Diamond X-50 and do not want to run two separate antennas. YMMV . . .

I currently only have a 10 ele Cushcraft a148-10 2 meter yagi in the air.
Since I never had any 440 gear before I opted at only buying a one band antenna.
I may look into a 440 yagi in the future but would probably not go with Cushcraft and look at the M2 company.

 

[KD4UPL]

Our club had a TS-2000 donated to us by a memeber. When we received it there was no output on any band except 70cm. So, it went to Kenwood for repair. About a year later the "multi" knob on the right side of the radio went haywire. Off to Kenwood again for repair. About 6 months after that the multi knob is starting to act up again.
Unfortunately, this is very typical of my experience with Kenwood products.