In article ,
says...

I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided
to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really
is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the
Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me
like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior
notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious
user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly
higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher
demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at
higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's.
What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner?
I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to
grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice.

Jer



I would rate them, with optional filters, almost a dead heat. The R5000
runs very hot on AC power, and so I would run it only on 12v. The audio
on the R5000 blows the R71A away though, a big deal if you listen to
programs or music.


BDK

The level of performance of the two receivers is about the same. The
R5000 has better audio, but the Kiwa audio fix for the R71 makes a lot
of difference and isn't difficult to install. The R71 is much more
user friendly in my opinion. The keyboard on the R5000 is horible..

Both are fine receivers

Andy

In article ,
says...
The level of performance of the two receivers is about the same. The
R5000 has better audio, but the Kiwa audio fix for the R71 makes a lot
of difference and isn't difficult to install. The R71 is much more
user friendly in my opinion. The keyboard on the R5000 is horible..

Both are fine receivers

Andy


Oh yeah, that keyboard is really annoying, and they tend to get
squirelly whenthey get older too sometimes. I hate the R5000's tuning
knob too, why no finger hole??

BDK

= = = BDK
= = = wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...

Oh yeah, that keyboard is really annoying, and they tend to get
squirelly whenthey get older too sometimes. I hate the R5000's tuning
knob too, why no finger hole??

BDK



BDK,

There is a product "FingerDimple" that is available
- - - to 'improve' the R-5000's Tuning Knob.

Read "Spinner knob for R5000" Meassage #401
- - - on the 'Kenwood R-5000' eGroup on YAHOO !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kenwood-r5000/message/401


~ RHF

..

..

In article , rhf-
says...
= = = BDK
= = = wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...

Oh yeah, that keyboard is really annoying, and they tend to get
squirelly whenthey get older too sometimes. I hate the R5000's tuning
knob too, why no finger hole??

BDK



BDK,

There is a product "FingerDimple" that is available
- - - to 'improve' the R-5000's Tuning Knob.

Read "Spinner knob for R5000" Meassage #401
- - - on the 'Kenwood R-5000' eGroup on YAHOO !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kenwood-r5000/message/401


~ RHF

.

.


Yeah, I know, there was a knob for a Yaesu radio that fit perfectly, I
don't remember the model number anymore. I just don't get the Kenwood
amking radio after radio with no finger hole. Just odd to me.

BDK

Jerry schrieb:

I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided
to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really
is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the
Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular.

AFAIK the Icom has rather high distortion in AM, which means it's more a
ham/ute thing (when unmodified at least).
Age related problems: The infamous lithium battery - doesn't seem to be
flat too frequently (yet), but when it does it takes the firmware with
it and you have to get the thing reprogrammed at Icom.

The Kenwood apparently has good audio and is more a program listener
thing, though the keyboard isn't all too appealing with its non-standard
layout. Standard 6 kHz AM filter isn't too bad, but for DX the
replacement YK88A-1 should be chosen.
Age related problems: Tuning knob seizure.

Good replacement crystal filters exist for both. (The respective 2nd IF
is 8.83 MHz for the Kenwood, 9 MHz for the Icom. No, these 80s beasts
don't use 455 kHz as last IF for AM/SSB yet, just as 3rd IF for for FM,
which means good replacement filters virtually have to be crystal ones.
The current IC-R75 uses a 2nd IF of 9.0115 MHz and a 3rd IF of 455 kHz,
and allows using filters on both. The AR7030 also uses cascaded filters,
all on 455 kHz in this case. Drake's R8/A/B uses a 2nd IF on 50 kHz to
implement good coil filters - those in the R7 had a form factor of
around 2, which is very good for this type of filters.)

Stephan
--
Home: http://stephan.win31.de/ | Webm.: http://www.i24.com/
PC#6: i440LX, 2xCel300A, 448 MB, 18 GB, ATI AGP 32 MB, 110W
This is a SCSI-inside, Legacy-plus, TCPA-free computer
Reply to newsgroup only. | See home page for working e-mail address.

AFAIK the Icom has rather high distortion in AM, which means it's more a
ham/ute thing (when unmodified at least).

I use my Kiwa audio upgraded R71a 95% on AM and have no trouble. A friend of
mine has a completely stock radio and I could never find fault with it. Depends
on how critical your ears are I guess.


jw
wb9uai

I use my Kiwa audio upgraded R71a 95% on AM and have no trouble. A friend of
mine has a completely stock radio and I could never find fault with it. Depends
on how critical your ears are I guess.


jw
wb9uai

Hi

My receiver has the Kiwa audio mod and I have absolutely no complaints
with it. I also replaced the stock wide filter with an LFH2SK 3.7 KHz
filter from Kiwa. Even with a narrow bandwidth such as this, I can get
very acceptable audio quality by turning the passband tuning knob to
either the 10 or 2 o'clock position. It sounds at least as good as my
Kiwa modified (filters and expanded audio upgrade) FRG-100 using the 6
Khz bandwidth. The R71 is a fine receiver and I personally wouldn't
trade it in for anything else.

Cheers

Andy

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 13:08:00 +0200, Stephan Grossklass
wrote:


No, these 80s beasts
don't use 455 kHz as last IF for AM/SSB yet, just as 3rd IF for for FM,
which means good replacement filters virtually have to be crystal ones.
The current IC-R75 uses a 2nd IF of 9.0115 MHz and a 3rd IF of 455 kHz,
and allows using filters on both.

Actually, the architecture of the R75 is derived from the R71A (I have
one of each, and service manuals with schematics for the R71A and for
my IC-751A, whose receiver section is, basically, an R71A).

All have an up-conversion 1st IF, followed by 9MHz 2nd IF and 455kHz
3rd IF. Both my R71A and my 751A have Collins mechanical filters which
I installed in their 455kHz IFs.

The R75 is basically a cost-reduced R71A, with decent audio (relative
to the muddy audio of the R71A) and with dual PBT which is an
improvement on the less flexible PBT on the R71A (and 751A).

All are excellent utility monitoring receivers, with the R75 having
slightly higher sensitivity and a slightly better noise floor. The R75
can also be used as a decent SWL broadcast listening receiver.

None of the three can stand up to an RX340, but then again their
combined cost is less.


Good listening,
Al
=================================================
Location: 42N39, 71W09 (Near Boston, MA)
HF Antennas: 65ft TFD, 45ft T2FD, 28ft vertical, 65ft doublet
HF Receivers: Ten-Tec RX340, RX320, Harris R2368, Cubic R3030A
Decoders: Code300-32, Universal M-8000, PK-232MBX/DSP
=================================================

Have to agree with Andy there...I wouldn't trade my R71A for anything. I
bought the new R75 and it sits on top of that - I park one and drive the
other. Absolutely fantastic radios in my opinion...both of them

john
kf4anc

"Jerry" wrote in message
...

I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided
to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really
is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the
Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me
like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior
notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious
user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly
higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher
demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at
higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's.
What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner?
I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to
grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice.

Jer