My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Will appreciate opinions on this.

Thanks & 73,
Russ K3Pi

Russ - Might suggest the Elecraft K2. http://www.elecraft.com In its
simplest form an outstanding CW rig. Although its kit, some used units
are starting to be found as over 5,000 have been sold.

Also take a look at the K1 and KX1.

73 Bob W7AVK

wrote:
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Will appreciate opinions on this.

Thanks & 73,
Russ K3Pi

My back-up rig of choice is my TS-440S/AT, and the back-up for that is a
TS-130S. my main HF rig is a TS-480HX :-)

wrote in message
oups.com...
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Will appreciate opinions on this.

Thanks & 73,
Russ K3Pi

wrote:
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Try a Ten-Tec. Many Japanese rigs are designed for SSB, with CW as an
afterthought. Ten-Tec rigs, while they work perfectly well for SSB,
were, and still are, are designed with a CW operator in mind.

Their older rigs can be easily serviced, and they still sell manuals,
parts and fix them for you.

The older ones don't include tuners, but a modern external auto tuner will
work with them.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Why not keep it in the Kenwood family? IMO, the
best value in a lowband rigs these days are the
TS-520, 820, and 830. These are all older rigs but
are repairable, lots of good info is available about them,
and they are inexpensive. No internal tuner though.
Good stability and performance as well.

My every day rig is a TS-830S, but I use an -820S
as well.

Steve W6SSP

Just find yourself another TS-850. They are nice radios and retain
there value. Watch out for TS-440S they have numerous problems that
can be fix but something that you might not what to do. If you want to
stay in the Kenwood line TS-450 are selling fairly cheap and are a nice
radio and small or go for a Icon if you want to switch like and one of
the 706 series radios.

wrote:
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Will appreciate opinions on this.

Thanks & 73,
Russ K3Pi

In article ,
(Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

wrote:
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Try a Ten-Tec. Many Japanese rigs are designed for SSB, with CW as an
afterthought. Ten-Tec rigs, while they work perfectly well for SSB,
were, and still are, are designed with a CW operator in mind.

Their older rigs can be easily serviced, and they still sell manuals,
parts and fix them for you.

The older ones don't include tuners, but a modern external auto tuner will
work with them.

Geoff.

+1 bon the TenTec. You can pick up a great CW rig for a couple hundred
dollars. My primary rig in now a TenTec Orion, with a TT corsair II and
Argosy II as backup rigs.

My first TenTec rig was bought as a backup to my Icom 746pro, but its
receiver proved to be far superior to the more 'modern' 746.


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Another plus for TenTec is that do trade ins on their own equipment. I
was very pleased with the trade in I received to upgrade my Pegasus to
a Jupiter.

On Tue, 30 May 2006 05:00:02 +0000 (UTC), (Geoffrey
S. Mendelson) wrote:

wrote:
My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Try a Ten-Tec. Many Japanese rigs are designed for SSB, with CW as an
afterthought. Ten-Tec rigs, while they work perfectly well for SSB,
were, and still are, are designed with a CW operator in mind.

Their older rigs can be easily serviced, and they still sell manuals,
parts and fix them for you.

The older ones don't include tuners, but a modern external auto tuner will
work with them.

Geoff.
John Ferrell W8CCW

On 29 May 2006 19:53:12 -0700, wrote:

My main rig is a Kenwood TS-850S. I am considering getting a back up
rig for it.

Main interest is cw. Internal Antenna Tuner is nice. Bands higher
than 10m not that important.

What models do you recommend that: represent good value, reliable, can
still be serviced (if used)?

Will appreciate opinions on this.

Thanks & 73,
Russ K3Pi

Others have mentioned Ten Tec. If you go to their web site, you can
request their used/demo list of older Ten Tecs they have taken on
trade. They can be returned within 30 days if not satisfied. And Ten
Tec still services anything they made.

bob
k5qwg

I appreciate all the ideas so far.

I have requested the ten-tec list.

In reading reviews about various Ten-Tec models, there is frequent
mention about failing PTO's and the need for rebuilding. How
concerned should I be about this? Are certain models problematic in
this regard than others?

In terms of various Ten-Tec models....any particular ones "stand out"
over others?

I do have a TS-520S and agree that it is a very solid and reliable
choice. It is in reasonable shape and I may put some restoration
dollars into that as a "back up #2." I pulled it out of the closet
after 10 years and fired it up yesterday. Works well on cw. Amazing
how well it has held up after about 30 yrs. That was one expensive
piece of gear for me when I was in college!

Russ K3Pi