Michael Lawson wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
Just a thought about the R-5000: when I look at archives from rrsw
about the '5000 I see many people commenting about it being a good
receiver but "old technology." Except for lack of synch detection
(which can be added through an SE-3) and any type of DSP (which,
from
what I've read and heard samples of in the NRD-545, isn't a perfect
tool), what's so "old tech" about it? I still think its a great
receiver for both dxing and program listening (nice audio).

It can mean old tech in many ways:

-The receivers were last made a while ago, and are
starting to need repairs due to age.

-Unlike newer kilobuck receivers, the R-5000
needed filters added to make it a complete receiver.

-The lack of synch detection and the requirement
of needing an SE-3 to add it makes the R-5000 not
quite the out-of-the-box receiver that the newer
ones are.

-The design for the R-5000 was done in the mid
80's, and didn't incorporate newer design elements
over the course of it's run (like more memories,
better computer control, etc).

That said, for my money, it's a good receiver
that's quite capable of holding it's own in the
DXing arena. The R-5000 and the IC-R71A
commonly fought it out for the DXers buck
back in the 80's and early 90's (pre-R8 and
pre-535). The R-5000 could go with up to
4 filters and had good sound, the IC-R71A
could pick up faint DX a smidge better but
that was balanced by poor audio. (Other's
opinions, not mine; I've never tried either...Yet.)

--Mike L.


You pretty much nailed it. In practical terms, the differences
between R-5000 and R-71 were matters of taste. Performance was about
equivalent, each with as many plusses as the other, each with as many
minuses as the other. If you were fluent in each one, they were the same
radio on the desk.

In practical terms, today, there are some significant differences.
R-71 is still relatively well supported by ICOM. R-5000...not so much.
Displays are no longer avaiable for R-5000. And both require attention
at this age. R-71 will need DC-DC converters rebuilt, display caps
replaced, and trimmers on the PLL board replaced. And very likely the
power supply board touched up because the regulator operates at such a
high temperature, the solder crystallizes on the board. R-5000, will
also need recapping, likely a display, and the some encoders are failing.

The future outlook is that a greater percentage of R-71's produced
will still be in service than R-5000's, at least from the 2005 point of
reference, so choosing carefully is very much a requirement if the user
plans to put the radio into regular service.