Is the TS-2000 a R2000 under another tag?

*Totally* different animals...The TS-2000 is a much more
modern design than the fairly old R-2000. The TS-2000 is
all bands-all modes much like my IC-706mk2g. Except with
more toys than the small icom. It will also cross repeat,
work duplex for Sat's, etc...I wouldn't mind getting a
TS-2000 as a house radio...A few friends of mine have
TS-2000's...I've worked 160m, via UHF, by talking to a
guys TS-2000 on UHF, thirty miles away, using my 706g,
and then being repeated onto 160m. They are very versatile
radios. BTW...I use my IC-706mk2g for SWL, and MW quite a
bit..Also the TS-2000 is capable up to 1.2 gigs with an
extra module. I think anyway....The radio is a lot of
bang for the buck...Ain't no high end contest-dx rig, but
I don't contest... MK

Henry Kolesnik wrote:
I'm curious as to what users have found when they use the general coverage
in their ham transciever for SWLing and VLF. Has anyone made any AB
comparisons to their SWL gen. cov. RX? Which ones seem to be best? I know
Kenwood and Icom make SWL receivers that look much like a transciever and
might even use the same circuitry, not sure about Yaesu though. The Icom
R-75 looks a lot like the Icom 718 but the Rx has the PS built in. I can't
recall the Kewood models. How about the Kenwood TS-2000 or Icom 756 Pro for
gen cov?
tnx


I us my Kenwood TS-570D(G) for most of my shortwave and ham use, cost
was about $800 a few years ago. I also have a Yaesu FT-857 that was
purchased with $175 rebate (final cost was $599 which included the DSP
unit!). I occasionally use an ATS-909 ($249).

The Kenwood is used with an MFJ differential T tuner (MFJ-986). And
yes, the tuner helps with reception. I have a 135 ft. dipole feed with
ladderline connected to a 4:1 balun (in the tuner).
This is my favorite setup as it is easy to use and has the best
performance, definately because of the antenna and tuner, but also
because the radio has more "front panel" controls and audio DSP. Not as
great as "real" IF stage DSP, but nice when you need it. DSP for CW is
AMAZING. 11 selectable filters from 2Khz to as tight as 50 Hz. External
speaker definitely helps when in the shack. Wireless headphones let me
walk around the house and into the yard, untethered.
The default BCB attenuator was jumpered out for better sensitivity
(there is a small jumper on the main board, just like a small computer
jumper).

The Yaesu is a great radio, 1.8Mhz - 30 Mhz, 6 meters, 2 meters and 70cm
on transmit and a huge Receive range 0.1Khz to around 512Mhz (with some
blank spots).
IMHO one of the best bangs for the buck. It is connected to about 25
feet of tiny 30 gauge wire strung out the window. No ground, no matching
transformer, just connected to the center of the antenna jack. Very
good performance in this "temporary" setup! It has a terrible speaker,
but I use headphone with this rig almost exclusively. It has plenty of
audio to drive an external speaker. It would be my choice if I could
only have 1 radio. House, car, vacation, this rig gets lots of use.
Currently on my nightstand (hence the 30 gauge wire out the window).
It will evetually go into my truck for mobile operation.
The audio DSP is good for SSB and OK for CW (only 3 (?) selectable
filters on CW)

The ATS-909 is what everyone knows already. Not very good off the whip.
A good radio with an external antenna (20 to 60 feet of wire). I use
a 9:1 matching transformer. Eats batteries so the wallwart is always
plugged in. This was my nightstand radio, and will be again when the
FT-857 goes mobile. I wish the tuning knob was bigger and that the fine
tuning on ssb was displayed more accurately on the LCD, but these are
really minor gripes. It is a good radio with many decent functions.
Speaker or headphone, it is an easy listen. FM stereo (through the
headphones) is very good.
But if I was to do it again, I would pass on the 909 and save a few more
dollars and buy the Yeasu.

None of my radios have AM sync, so I have no comment on this.
Listen to mostly AM program, SSB ham, some AM DXing & occasional CW.
Once in a while utes, but not often.

Pat in NJ

I'll jump in here and say "ditto" also to the 756Pro. I love mine for
trans-Pacific mediumwave and tropical bands DXing. It outclasses my highly
modded R-75, which was the equivalent to a fine example of a Racal RA6790GM
I owned.

The modest MW attenuation in the 756Pro can be removed fairly easily... two
SMD chips need to be taken off and a jumper wire added. Email me for info if
you are interested (remove the NOSPAM in my email address) The mod made a
difference to threshold level trans-Pacific stations when compared to a
fully stock 756Pro.

The Yaesu FT-920 also works well for SWL/DXIng. There are some good INRAD
filters that fit this model, too. However, considering the performance
benefits, the 756Pro is a better value for the money.

Guy Atkins
Puyallup, WA USA



"Les" wrote in message
ups.com...

Ken Wilson wrote:
Henry Kolesnik wrote:
I'm curious as to what users have found when they use the general
coverage
in their ham transciever for SWLing and VLF. Has anyone made any
AB
comparisons to their SWL gen. cov. RX? Which ones seem to be best?
I know
Kenwood and Icom make SWL receivers that look much like a
transciever and
might even use the same circuitry, not sure about Yaesu though.
The Icom
R-75 looks a lot like the Icom 718 but the Rx has the PS built in.
I can't
recall the Kewood models. How about the Kenwood TS-2000 or Icom
756 Pro for
gen cov?
tnx


I really like the 756 PRO I bought used a few weeks ago. The MW has a

bit of attenuation....but that is ok except for weak signal daytime
use.

I think they are a real bargain at around $1100 - $1200. No SYNCRO
AM
however. I think the 746 PRO does have SYCRO AM though.

73 es DX Ken KG4BIG

I'll have to echo John's and Ken's sentiments on this one. I have a
friend who lives close by and we have compared the 756 Pro II with
several high end receivers. Other than some attenuation on mw and lw,
it is superb as a sw receiver. To my ear, the RX-340 sounds better, but
the 756 is as good in pulling in the tough signals. Of course, many
will not spend the money for a transceiver if they do not have an
amateur license, but many will. The colorful display is something to
see. Lots of information in that display!

Having owned many, many Drake receivers over the years, the news about
Drake getting out of the receiver business is not good news. But, we
should have known it was coming, shortwave receivers are but a drop in
the bucket of the electronics business.

Les Locklear
Monitoring since ' 57
Monitoring from the Gulf of Mexico
Hammarlund R-274C/FRR (SP-600JX-14)
R-1051B/URR
Ten Tec RX-340
Alpha Delta Sloper
Quantum QX Loop
Various Longwires
CU-2279/BRC Multicoupler
http://www.hammarlund.info/homepage.html

Is anyone using an ICOM 706 for SWL, and how does it compare to a
"dedicated" SW radio? I'm seriously looking at getting a 706 because it
receives airband as well.

I took the bottom off the TS-2000 and moved the jumper from normal to DX and
all AM BCB stations increased from 4 to 5 S points and the strong one went
from 10/9 to 20/9. I picked up 7 stations that I couldn't detect before but
none registered on the S meter but I could hear better than 50% of the what
the announcer was saying.

--

73
Hank WD5JFR
"PJ Hoban" wrote in message
...
Henry Kolesnik wrote:
I'm curious as to what users have found when they use the general
coverage in their ham transciever for SWLing and VLF. Has anyone made
any AB comparisons to their SWL gen. cov. RX? Which ones seem to be
best? I know Kenwood and Icom make SWL receivers that look much like a
transciever and might even use the same circuitry, not sure about Yaesu
though. The Icom R-75 looks a lot like the Icom 718 but the Rx has the
PS built in. I can't recall the Kewood models. How about the Kenwood
TS-2000 or Icom 756 Pro for gen cov?
tnx


I us my Kenwood TS-570D(G) for most of my shortwave and ham use, cost was
about $800 a few years ago. I also have a Yaesu FT-857 that was purchased
with $175 rebate (final cost was $599 which included the DSP unit!). I
occasionally use an ATS-909 ($249).

The Kenwood is used with an MFJ differential T tuner (MFJ-986). And yes,
the tuner helps with reception. I have a 135 ft. dipole feed with
ladderline connected to a 4:1 balun (in the tuner).
This is my favorite setup as it is easy to use and has the best
performance, definately because of the antenna and tuner, but also because
the radio has more "front panel" controls and audio DSP. Not as great as
"real" IF stage DSP, but nice when you need it. DSP for CW is AMAZING.
11 selectable filters from 2Khz to as tight as 50 Hz. External speaker
definitely helps when in the shack. Wireless headphones let me walk around
the house and into the yard, untethered.
The default BCB attenuator was jumpered out for better sensitivity (there
is a small jumper on the main board, just like a small computer jumper).

The Yaesu is a great radio, 1.8Mhz - 30 Mhz, 6 meters, 2 meters and 70cm
on transmit and a huge Receive range 0.1Khz to around 512Mhz (with some
blank spots).
IMHO one of the best bangs for the buck. It is connected to about 25
feet of tiny 30 gauge wire strung out the window. No ground, no matching
transformer, just connected to the center of the antenna jack. Very good
performance in this "temporary" setup! It has a terrible speaker, but I
use headphone with this rig almost exclusively. It has plenty of audio to
drive an external speaker. It would be my choice if I could only have 1
radio. House, car, vacation, this rig gets lots of use. Currently on my
nightstand (hence the 30 gauge wire out the window).
It will evetually go into my truck for mobile operation.
The audio DSP is good for SSB and OK for CW (only 3 (?) selectable filters
on CW)

The ATS-909 is what everyone knows already. Not very good off the whip. A
good radio with an external antenna (20 to 60 feet of wire). I use a 9:1
matching transformer. Eats batteries so the wallwart is always plugged in.
This was my nightstand radio, and will be again when the FT-857 goes
mobile. I wish the tuning knob was bigger and that the fine tuning on ssb
was displayed more accurately on the LCD, but these are really minor
gripes. It is a good radio with many decent functions. Speaker or
headphone, it is an easy listen. FM stereo (through the headphones) is
very good.
But if I was to do it again, I would pass on the 909 and save a few more
dollars and buy the Yeasu.

None of my radios have AM sync, so I have no comment on this.
Listen to mostly AM program, SSB ham, some AM DXing & occasional CW. Once
in a while utes, but not often.

Pat in NJ

In article ,
says...
I'm curious as to what users have found when they use the general coverage
in their ham transciever for SWLing and VLF. Has anyone made any AB
comparisons to their SWL gen. cov. RX? Which ones seem to be best? I know
Kenwood and Icom make SWL receivers that look much like a transciever and
might even use the same circuitry, not sure about Yaesu though. The Icom
R-75 looks a lot like the Icom 718 but the Rx has the PS built in. I can't
recall the Kewood models. How about the Kenwood TS-2000 or Icom 756 Pro for
gen cov?

My FT-817 does a fair job on shortwave, given a decent antenna. It=3Fs
the first one I=3Fve had that has general-coverage (its predecessors were
all boat-anchors) so I can=3Ft give you much in the way of comparisons.

--

-- //Steve//

Steve Silverwood, KB6OJS
Fountain Valley, CA
Email: