Kenwood TS-450S/AT or Yaesu 890 w/AT -- HELP!
Rick Adams
a new hf station this week. Since I _have_ been off for so long, I've lost
touch with the equipment marketplace and given a _very_ tight budget ($1650
to get on the air, complete), I could use some rather up-to-date advice.
I'll be making a purchase by Wednesday, so even brief comments would be
greatly appreciated--as would an email copy of responses here (since I
receive my email via uucp link, but haven't as yet started receiving a feed
of the rec.radio.amateur.* groups and must log onto the university system to
read the news here which can make for delays in receiving messages).
I've been offered an excellent package price on both the Kenwood
TS-450S/AT (new) with built in tuner and on a (floor demo) Yaesu FT-890 with
built in tuner. I've seen (and heard) a TS-450S/AT before--but since I live
in the middle of nowhere (i.e., rather far from any ham shops), I haven't
had a chance to see or hear the Yaesu (which is slightly better priced at
$1160). My primary concerns are signal quality and flexibility (i.e., buzzes
and whistles). The antenna tuner is pretty much a "must" since I'll be
running a relatively poor antenna system (the reason I haven't been on hf
has been antenna restrictions). Functionally, my only antenna choices are
verticals (I'm looking at the Butternut HF9VX or the MFJ-1798--feedback here
would be appreciated as well). A ground plane is out of the question (I'll
have to "hide" the antenna between two pine trees, mounted at ground level,
to be acceptable as it is--aren't mobile home parks great?), so a really
good match is out of the question. I could, of course, use a seperate tuner
(MJF-948?), but if the rig I buy has a built in option, I would rather take
advantage of it (suggestions for rigs w/o that option are appreciated).
Overall (and if someone knows of a better deal--new or store
demos--a message would be GREATLY appreciated) my budget will be spent on
either of the two rigs (with a bit more left with the Yaesu, but not enough
to matter if the Kenwood is a better rig in the opinion of current users)
coupled with the antenna, an Astron RS-35A, 100' of coax, and the shipping.
I haven't looked at ICOM or other brands, since the best offers seem to have
been on the Kenwood and the Yaesu--but I certainly wouldn't turn down a 737
at a good enough price to package it with the rest at $1650 :)
I'm also very willing to consider a used station at that price,
provided it represents a good value and is (ideally) located somewhere I can
see/try it before purchase.
Any thoughts, comments, or opinions would be extremely helpful. My
primary focus is phone, but cw quality has _some_ importance as well since
I've promised myself to get my code up to 20wpm in time to upgrade to extra
when my current license expires in early 1996 and that will take a _lot_ of
listening. Pointers to online accessible (sorry, no access to back issues of
the ham magazines in my area) reviews or subjective evaluations would
likewise be helpful--as would pointers to particularly helpful mail order
sources (my best prices so far have come from the Ham Station and Radio
Center, USA).
Thanks in advance,
73 Rick KE8HH
--
Rick Adams -=*=- ada...@umcc.umich.edu
Department of Social Sciences, Jackson Community College
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arm...@delphi.com
Just took it to Field Day where it performed great.....over 500 contacts
to a butternut vertical.....with the possibility that someday ur rig may
need some service.....the Yaesu service dept gets rigs back to people MUCH
quicker that Kenwood.....Yaesu has a reputation for better audio....u will sound
better to station on other end......73 N6WR
Clark Savage Turner
Well, I do respect your opinion of the 890, it is a really fine little
rig. However, your advice is anecdotal, and is not correct in my
experience.
1. Kenwood service does not take a long time. I hear this once in
a while, but I have been to Kenwood service several times in the last
two years, and in only one case did it take longer than a week, and that
was for something really fishy with my 440. They have treated me well
and quickly lots of times.
2. Yaesu does not have a reputation for better audio than Kenwood in
my neck of the woods. In fact, the opposite is true, but I don't really
listen to the "reputation" stuff, go out and listen to each one,
the mike makes a difference, as does the individual voice. I have
heard some guys with 890's that sound great, some sound muddy. Same
with 450's.
3. I really admire Yaesu for designing an auto tuner that goes to 160,
that is the only real advantage I see in the 890, and it is a big one
to a guy like me. If my 10 year old Corsair wasn't far superior to
both rigs in basic receiver performance (flame on ?), I might consider
trying to get one of those little 890 rice boxes. Nice unit.
73
Clark
WA3JPG
Scott Richard Rosenfeld
It has been my experience that a lot of the equipment made by Kenwood
since they put out the 520/530/830/120 series has been flashy junk.
(Flameproof suit on)
I speak out of experience - we had a 930 that ate its PA board, which pro-
ceeded to take down the power supply. This took several months to
get repaired (circa 1987). We also had a 440S/AT that went to Field
Day in 1988. It was sitting in the back of the car in the sun,
probably at 110 degrees, and even after letting it cool off, it
had no frequency stability at all.
I was to buy a 440S/AT from a guy on internet. One of the main ICs
was apparently cold-soldered, and the freqency display would thus
go blank from time to time.
Go and get a Ten Tec. They may still have similar problems, but at
least they'll tell you how to fix them (or send you free replacement
parts), and they actually feel SORRY about you having to to go
through the trouble.
Scott NF3I
--
73, _________ _________ The
\ / Long Original
Scott Rosenfeld Amateur Radio NF3I Burtonsville, MD | Live $5.00
WAC-CW/SSB WAS DXCC - 125 QSLed on dipoles __________| Dipoles! Antenna!
prvalko
Boy! I didn't at first see that you were the guy responding to that post, I
thought you were just another Kenwood Freak! I was wondering what "neck
of the woods" you were from if you thought EITHER Kenwood OR Yasue had
"good audio!" As I read it I though, sheeze, here's another clone that
never heard a TenTec.
BTW, I've not heard a 890 compared to MY ten year old Corsair, and I
also have come VERY close to buying one for portable/mobile use. But
I'd not consider a TS450 after owning the 440Sat for a couple years and
being able to A/B it against the Corsair.
73 =paul= WB8ZJL
DISCLAIMER: The above message was posted by a mindless Ten*Tec freak
Scott Richard Rosenfeld
>
>those who do base their opposition on Christian doctrine:
>
>**Alan Carpenter** **#Steve Creps#** #R J Traff#
>**##Richard Pitts##**
>
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>
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>
>**Jeff Black** David Castro Emil T. Chuck Keith Davis
>**##Jim Kalb##** **Kurt Ludwick** **Niall O'Byrne**
>##David Sacco## Tim Thurston, aka Drthurston William Matt Watkins
>Monty Wilson
>
>Monica, by the way, is an atheist.
>
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>
>
> PRO-BALANCERS
>
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