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which ham rig
- Thread starter bighammer
- Start date
BJ radionut
Supporting Member and 6m addict
New Rig
Hammer: I was never an ICOM operator...never like the sound of their audio on SSB. The 746 pro's are a lesser featured version of the 756 pro II and III and I must say after operating Field Day with a Pro III, I was impressed and a friend I work alot has a Pro II and it sounds great. I do not like his audio on the 746 Pro compared to the 756 Pro II.
I also operated a FT-2000D with the DMU-2000 package...WOW what a rig!!! Best I have ever seen or operated...
I was also able to operate an FT-950...I bought one !!!
Best bang for the buck on the market.
Yes I am in love with the FT-2000D but the FT-950 at $1100 less is great!!!
I absolutely love the receiver!!! This rig is a CW op's dream machine and I have had NOTHING but rave reviews on the SSB audio with the Heil GM5 studio Mic I purchased with it...
I was a KENWOOD man for many years...Still love my TS-450SAT with the full INRAD filters package...had a TS-850(sold it) had TS-120's(gone to)
The TS-130SE+ EXT VFO+sp120 and the TS-180 with the DM180 unit, they are still here in the shack...
DRAKE's and SWAN's here also...
The FT-950 is the new monster of my midway!
Well I guess I have spent my 2 cents...
All the Best
BJ
PS...FT-950 at R and L Electronics...$1399 including (6.5%)OH/sales tx...no tx for most out of state sales but plus shipping
Hammer: I was never an ICOM operator...never like the sound of their audio on SSB. The 746 pro's are a lesser featured version of the 756 pro II and III and I must say after operating Field Day with a Pro III, I was impressed and a friend I work alot has a Pro II and it sounds great. I do not like his audio on the 746 Pro compared to the 756 Pro II.
I also operated a FT-2000D with the DMU-2000 package...WOW what a rig!!! Best I have ever seen or operated...
I was also able to operate an FT-950...I bought one !!!
Best bang for the buck on the market.
Yes I am in love with the FT-2000D but the FT-950 at $1100 less is great!!!
I absolutely love the receiver!!! This rig is a CW op's dream machine and I have had NOTHING but rave reviews on the SSB audio with the Heil GM5 studio Mic I purchased with it...
I was a KENWOOD man for many years...Still love my TS-450SAT with the full INRAD filters package...had a TS-850(sold it) had TS-120's(gone to)
The TS-130SE+ EXT VFO+sp120 and the TS-180 with the DM180 unit, they are still here in the shack...
DRAKE's and SWAN's here also...
The FT-950 is the new monster of my midway!
Well I guess I have spent my 2 cents...
All the Best
BJ
PS...FT-950 at R and L Electronics...$1399 including (6.5%)OH/sales tx...no tx for most out of state sales but plus shipping
I run the PROII and love it but, have heard nothing but good things about the TS2000. I have a friend who runs the 746 and likes it. For 1500.00 or less the PROII would be my choice. Also, the 706MKII is a great rig. Run one for a while before the PRO. I also run a FT-897d which is also good. I have heard good things also about the 450 and 718. Best advise is to research these radios and make the best edgucated decision you can but, if you can find something used, do it
Wow tough choice there.
I own a TS-2000 and traded an FT-1000MP for it and also own a TS-680S.
I weighed the 746Pro vs the TS-2000 when I was arranging the trade. Here's what pushed me to the TS-2000
Has UHF all mode and 6m/VHF/UHF all mode were major reasons I swapped the FT-1000MP, I wanted those bands and no money for another radio.
Does packet radio very well.
Does crossband repeat and with a SkyCommand Kenwood HT or mobile, you can remote control it via RF as well...think walking around the neighborhood on an HT but working on 75m...or most any other band.
Has simply fantastic TX audio, I'm a born rag chewer and my audio quality for TX is very important to me the TS-2000 and the FT-950 have the best audio on the list, not that a Pro is bad, not at all, it's just narrower and can't be as hi-fi as the other two.
TS-2000 does satellite, something I haven't yet used, but will eventually.
TS-2000 has a sub receiver for VHF/UHF so I can listen and operate my repeaters while working HF as well. I don't need my dual-band radio in the shack at all now.
TS-2000 audio is fantastic for FM simplex, far better than a regular dual-band, but the Pro is also very good on FM. They both do 100W on 2m as well, very handy if you like simplex as much as I do.
FT-950 has the best HF performance of all three for filtering/selectivity, it's the most advanced filtering and DSP of the three hands down. Also has amazing TX audio when you take the time to get it dialed in. If the all mode 2m/440 isn't critical to you, absolutely I'd go with the FT-950.
You really can't go wrong with any of the three, period.
My best advice is to try and get your hands on all of them and see which one feels best to you, they are three very different style and feel radios. I like them all and settled on the TS-2000 for my needs with no regrets.
I own a TS-2000 and traded an FT-1000MP for it and also own a TS-680S.
I weighed the 746Pro vs the TS-2000 when I was arranging the trade. Here's what pushed me to the TS-2000
Has UHF all mode and 6m/VHF/UHF all mode were major reasons I swapped the FT-1000MP, I wanted those bands and no money for another radio.
Does packet radio very well.
Does crossband repeat and with a SkyCommand Kenwood HT or mobile, you can remote control it via RF as well...think walking around the neighborhood on an HT but working on 75m...or most any other band.
Has simply fantastic TX audio, I'm a born rag chewer and my audio quality for TX is very important to me the TS-2000 and the FT-950 have the best audio on the list, not that a Pro is bad, not at all, it's just narrower and can't be as hi-fi as the other two.
TS-2000 does satellite, something I haven't yet used, but will eventually.
TS-2000 has a sub receiver for VHF/UHF so I can listen and operate my repeaters while working HF as well. I don't need my dual-band radio in the shack at all now.
TS-2000 audio is fantastic for FM simplex, far better than a regular dual-band, but the Pro is also very good on FM. They both do 100W on 2m as well, very handy if you like simplex as much as I do.
FT-950 has the best HF performance of all three for filtering/selectivity, it's the most advanced filtering and DSP of the three hands down. Also has amazing TX audio when you take the time to get it dialed in. If the all mode 2m/440 isn't critical to you, absolutely I'd go with the FT-950.
You really can't go wrong with any of the three, period.
My best advice is to try and get your hands on all of them and see which one feels best to you, they are three very different style and feel radios. I like them all and settled on the TS-2000 for my needs with no regrets.
Of the radios you asked
I will say kenwood TS-2000
what about the Icom IC-7000
mine works great and is actually slightly less then TS-2000
I will say kenwood TS-2000
what about the Icom IC-7000
mine works great and is actually slightly less then TS-2000
Just a short note here.
The 950 has a very silent (noise-wise that is), good sounding receiver. It is not without issues though:
* I find actually fairly little use of the Digital Noise Reduction - it changes the sound but I have yet to find it substantially improving the audio. I can live with that. It is anyway so cumbersome to find in the menus that I don't use it much.
* What is more serious is the AGC-attack is *by far* too aggressive, it easily swamps the entire rx at times. My TS-930 manages it much better. The AGC-attack should be corrected in a firmware revision.
* The (manual) NOTCH filter works *very* well, but having to rotate the knob so many revolutions to find and eliminate the offending tone is too cumbersome and takes too long to be practical.
* Finally, the full QSK is implemented by a fairly loud relay making the whole box resonate and rattle inside at an alarming rate
Not something the XYL likes to hear even if I use headphones. From these points I find the AGC-attack and practically unusable NOTCH the greater problems. Given a firmware revision that slows down the AGC-attack I shall probably keep the rig. But as Yaesu seems reluctant to firmware releases perhaps they never will release a revision?
Of course your mileage may vary. The RX is really nice otherwise and much, much better than my TS-930. Some claim Yaesu really catered for the CW op. I don't agree.
/Micke
Hi BH,
I have an original Icom 746. Bought the first year it came out and it's still covering Dixie like the dew to this day. No problems ever. Sounds great on AM with loud, clear audio. The VHF section is superb from top to bottom. Fast channel scanning and great reception on the AM Aircraft portion. Talk on 2 meters and MURS in VHF. Very pleased with all HF operation for 80 ~ 10, and 11. (No 160M antenna).
If you must have UHF also, then go with the Kenwood 2000
Good luck
I have an original Icom 746. Bought the first year it came out and it's still covering Dixie like the dew to this day. No problems ever. Sounds great on AM with loud, clear audio. The VHF section is superb from top to bottom. Fast channel scanning and great reception on the AM Aircraft portion. Talk on 2 meters and MURS in VHF. Very pleased with all HF operation for 80 ~ 10, and 11. (No 160M antenna).
If you must have UHF also, then go with the Kenwood 2000
Good luck