TS-2000_review_QST_2001.pdf

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1、From July 2001 QST ARRL Joe Bottiglieri, AA1GW?Assistant Technical Editor PRODUCT REVIEW Bottom Line The TS-2000 is the closest thing yet to a complete ham station between a single set of covers. Highlights include multimode transceive on up to 13 ham bands, a full range of VHF/UHF FM repeater and s

2、atellite operating fea- tures, and a built-in packet TNC. Reviewed by Robert Schetgen, KU7G Senior Assistant Technical Editor The TS-2000 is Kenwoods long-an- ticipated reentry into an “arms race” thats been raging among amateur equipment manufacturers for several years now. The rivalry was touched

3、off when 6-meter cov- erage started appearing as “standard equipment” in a few of the mid-level HF tabletop and mobile transceivers. Kenwood was no innocent bystander here; their HF plus 6-meter TS-680S was one of the rigs that may have started this whole thing in the first place. Kenwood then seeme

4、d content to stand back while the competition progres- sively upped the ante. HF/6-meter rigs were followed by HF/6-meter/2-meter rigs, and then HF/6-meter/2-meter/70-cm rigs. Yaesuwith their FT-847esca- lated the stakes further by rolling in full- duplex satellite capabilities. A little over a year

5、 ago, Kenwood un- veiled a mockup of the Amateur Radio equivalent of the 2-lb version of the Swiss Army knife. At that time, they still hadnt come up with a title for their proposed creation (among the general ham popula- tion, it temporarily held the nom de plume “Kenwoods Radio with No Name”). The

6、 premiere edition of the glossy sales bro- chure that outlined its capabilities and band coveragehanded out at Dayton Hamvention 2000read like an inventory of a spoiled hams toy box. Coverage on all of the current HF bands with general coverage receive?check; 2 meters, 6 meters and 70 cm?but of cour

7、se; 1.2 GHz (optional or standard)?why not?; DSP filtering?you bet!; satellite capabilities?yup (welcome to the new millennium, Bunky!); a built-in TNC for VHF and UHF (with DX packet cluster display and “go to” features)?got that. Toss in an automatic antenna tuner; a CW memory keyer; Kenwoods excl

8、usive CW “Auto-tune” feature; a TCXO; an inte- grated RS-232 level converter; a separate receive antenna jack; andwellyada yada yada. This rig is heftier than the current crop of multiband subcompacts, though. What if youre in the market for a mobile trans- ceiver?No problem! An optional com- pact m

9、obile control head (the RC-2000) will plug right in for back seat or trunk mounted chassis setups. You can even buy The Kenwood TS-2000 All-Mode Multiband Transceiver a less expensive “silver box” version of the rig (the TS-B2000) and operate it us- ing the mobile head. Kenwood recently released a T

10、S-2000X version. The X includes the 1.2 GHz module as standard equipment. And any of the versionswith or with- out the front panel display, buttons and knobscan be fully controlled using a personal computer and Kenwoods op- tional ARCP-2000 PC software. We purchased the “standard” TS-2000 tested in

11、this review several months ago, intending to add the 1.2 GHz option as soon as it became available. We had initially hoped to include data and comments on 1.2 GHz performance in this review. The modulethe UT-20 just recently became available, and the installation requires a trip to Kenwoods service

12、facility for installation. Conse- quently, well save the 1.2 GHz informa- tion for a future column. The Radio The base-model TS-2000 covers 12 ham bands from 1.8 through 450 MHz. Transmit capabilities on the 222-MHz band are not provided, but the radio is capable of receiving signals thereand a heal

13、thy chunk of the LF, HF, VHF and UHF spectrums as well (see Table 1). The main receiver covers MF/HF from 0.03 to 60 MHz with IFs at 69.085 or 75.925 MHz, 10.695 MHz, 455 kHz and 12 kHz. The DSP-based filtering is in the 12 kHz IF. For reception of 118 to 512 MHz, the first IF is at 41.895 MHz. UT-

14、20-equipped models also tune 1240 to 1300 MHz with a first IF of 135.495 MHz. Transmitter output is adjustable from 5 to 100 W on the ham bands between 1.8 and 148 MHz and 5 to 50 W on 70 cm (1 to 10 W on 23 cm when the UT-20 is in- stalled). The maximum AM-mode out- put is 25 W from 1.8 to 144 MHz

15、and 12.5 W on 70 cm (2.5 W on 23 cm). The transceiver has a sub-receiver that functions on the AM and FM modes only (including packet) from 118 to 174 MHz and 220 to 512 MHz, with IFs at 58.525 MHz and 455 kHz. The Manual As an old-time model builder and pro- grammer, I always reach for the manual f

16、irst. This one is large, 143 pages. I spent a considerable amount of time just read- ing the detailed table of contents. The manual is designed to please anxious-to- get-on-the-air new owners. In only seven pages, it describes radio installation and provides examples of two typical first QSOs: HF/6

17、meters and VHF/UHF. This lets you get your feet wet and confirms that your new baby is functioning prop- erly. With these initial “instant gratifica- tions” delivered, the manual then moves on to a complete tour. The documenta- tion packed with the transceiver includes eight schematics that are larg

18、e enough to read (2333 inches). A PDF file of the manual is available on Kenwoods Web site: .Ed From July 2001 QST ARRL Looking at just the illustration in the manual, the front panel looks pretty in- timidating. My old eyes had trouble mak- ing out the key labels that it shows. Thankfully, the actu

19、al panel is about 4 times larger than the depiction in the book. Nonetheless, I wouldnt want to try operating this rig in a dimly lit roomat least not until I became intimately famil- iar with the location of the controls. While I give Kenwood credit for back- lighting the keys (like a car stereo),

20、many of the additional key assignments are printed directly on the front panel, and the vast majority of these keys perform multiple operations. Transceiver Controls This radio has many capabilities, and therefore, many controls: 55 keys, five single and three double (concentric) knobs. There are co

21、ntrol groups to suit many specialized pursuits: DXing, satel- lite work, VHF/UHF operation and more. At the center of the panel is a tuning knob with a diameter of almost two inches. I didnt notice it at first, but theres a tension lever under the knobs lower edge. With minimum tension, a flip sends

22、 the knob more than a turn; at maxi- mum tension, its difficult to turn the knob with a finger in the indentation. A pair of knobs at the lower left set the DSP filter high and low edges. At the upper right, an RIT/SUB knob adjusts the RIT or XIT when those functions are on, and the sub-receiver fre

23、quency when theyre off. Two concentric sets control the main-receiver AF and RF gain, squelch and notch (for the DSP beat- cancel function when its set for manual control). A third controls the sub-receiver AF gain and squelch; pushing this knob switches the sub receiver on or off. Last, we come to

24、the knob for all rea- sons: MULTI/CH. In the VFO mode, this knob steps the operating frequency up or down rapidly by one of several user se- lectable steps. In memory-channel mode, this knob is used to select the memory channel. It also selects menus in the menu mode and works as a control for many

25、functions that are evoked by front panel buttons, such as CARrier level or MIC gain. A Battalion of Buttons If these buttons were all positioned in one rectangular grid, it would be very difficult to learn their use; luckily theyre not. Several plateaus and shapes on the front panel serve to group t

26、he keys. Some keys are rectangular, some triangular; there are even ellipses and other odd shapes. All of these characteristics help our minds cope with the staggering num- ber of controls. Nonetheless, the functions of many keys are context sensitive. The CLR key (lower left of main tuning knob) ex

27、its from, aborts or resets various functions, erases memory channels or locks memory channels out of the scan list. Some keys need to be pressed twice to perform a single function: Keypad frequency entry requires that you press ENT to initiate the action and again to end it (if you dont enter enough

28、 digits to fill the display). To recall a satellite memory, you must press VFO/M VFO/CH to enable the MULTI/CH selection of a channel, and again, to re- turn to the frequency-adjustable mode. The front panel of the TS-2000 includes a PF (programmable function) key that can be assigned one of a varie

29、ty of functions by the user. The radio comes with Kenwoods MC-43S basic hand microphone, but an optional mikethe MC-47offers four additional programmable keys (optional desk mikes are also available). Many of the control keys can be switched between the main and sub receiv- ers. The portion under co

30、ntrol is indicated by a CTRL icon on the main display. If the icon is near the main frequency display, the operating controls act on the main re- ceiver. If the icon is near the sub-receiver frequency display, the operating controls act on the sub receiver. The selected trans- mission band is simila

31、rly indicated by the location of a PTT icon. A Multitude of Menus Aside from all of those buttons, there are also many menusand menus of menus! Actually, most of these menus function simply as software switches that enable, disable or set some feature of the radio. There are 62 of these, and 10 of t

32、hem have submenus that further define individual functions. With this many settings, we need help to remember whats what. You enter the menu system by pressing the MENU but- ton to the upper right of the main knob. When you do so, the active menus num- ber, setting and text “explanation” (a scrollin

33、g description) appear in the bot- tom line of the display. At this point, we can use the MULTI/CH knob to maneuver through the main menu. If a menu con- tains a submenu, the explanation will show “Push Sub.” Menu settings are changed via the + and buttons, located just to the right of the main tunin

34、g knob. The settings of all of these menus are then stored in one of two main menus (A and B). This allows you to set up two dif- ferent arrays of settings to tailor the radio for a particular purpose. (Its like those vehicles that remember the seat, mirror and steering wheel locations for two diffe

35、rent drivers.) As the manual sug- gests, you might set up “Menu A” for DXing and “Menu B” for rag chewing, for example. In addition, you can set up a “Quick Menu” that contains only those functions you choose. This might contain the settings you change most often. A Long LCD Display The DISP key swi

36、tches the display among the normal display, DSP filter set- tings and “Visual Scan” modes. On the left side of the LCD is the meter display. On receive it is an S-meter, but it also shows the filter bandwidth. While transmitting it can indicate RF output power, ALC, SWR (this functions only from 1.8

37、 through 50 MHz) and speech- processor level. Icons below the meter show which HF antenna jacks are active and whether the automatic antenna tuning unit is enabled on transmit, receive or both. The larger main-receiver portion of the display and the smaller sub-receiver por- tion (to the right) each

38、 show the selected memory channel, frequency and a con- stellation of icons that indicate the vari- ous functions applicable to that receiver. Look for the PTT and CTRL icons at the upper left of each receivers frequency display. They indicate which receiver re- ceives inputs from the panel controls

39、 and the current transmission band. When the RIT, XIT or split functions of the main receiver are active, the sub-receiver dis- play shows an appropriate icon and fre- quency information. The rectangular area below the main-receiver display is a dot- matrix screen that normally shows the operating m

40、ode, but also shows menu numbers and settings or the DSP filter configuration. A similar dot matrix area is located under the sub-receiver display. In the DSP display mode, the dot-ma- trix screens show information about the state of the DSP filters. The display en- ters this mode automatically when

41、ever the operator adjusts the filter controls. In the “View Scan” mode, the dot matrix below the sub-receiver frequency display shows a small band scope that plots the relative strength of signals near the main-receiver frequency. The main-re- ceiver dot matrix shows the mode and the number of chann

42、els to be scanned. You may choose to scan 31, 61, 91 or 181 chan- nels on each side of the main-receiver fre- quency. The sub-receiver frequency dis- play shows the frequency of the channel currently being scanned. Scanning can be paused to hear the current scan station by pressing the DISP key. A s

43、econd press re- sumes scanning. View-Scan mode can also be used to scan memory channels rather than VFO channels. Connections Kenwood has covered all the bases here. The front panel has the standard MIC (8-pin) and PHONES (1/4-inch, two or three conduc- From July 2001 QST ARRL Table 1 Kenwood TS-200

44、0, serial number 20800064 Manufacturers Claimed SpecificationsMeasured in the ARRL Lab Frequency coverage: Receive, 0.03-60, 118-174, 220-512 MHz;Receive and transmit, as specified. transmit, 1.8-2, 3.5-4, 7-7.3, 10.1-10.15, 14-14.35, 18.068-18.168, 21-21.45, 24.89-24.99, 28-29.7, 50-54, 144-148, 43

45、0-450 MHz.1 Power requirement: Receive, 2.6 A; transmit, 20.5 A (maximum).Receive, 2.1 A; transmit, 18 A. Tested at 13.8 V. Modes of operation: SSB, CW, AM, FM, FSK.As specified. ReceiverReceiver Dynamic Testing SSB/CW sensitivity, bandwidth not specified,Noise floor (MDS), 500 Hz filter: 10 dB S/N:

46、 0.5-1.7 MHz, 4 V; 1.7-24.5 MHz,Preamp offPreamp on 0.2 V; 24.5-30, 50-54 MHz, 0.13 V;1.0 MHz110 dBm118 dBm 144-148 MHz, 0.16 V; 430-450 MHz, 0.11 V.3.5 MHz128 dBm138 dBm 14 MHz129 dBm137 dBm 50 MHz127 dBm142 dBm 144 MHz124 dBm140 dBm 432 MHz128 dBm143 dBm AM sensitivity, 10 dB S/N: 0.5-1.7 MHz, 32

47、V;10 dB (S+N)/N, 1-kHz tone, 30% modulation: 1.7-24.5 MHz, 2.0 V; 24.5-30 MHz, 50-54 MHz,Preamp offPreamp on 1.3 V; 144-148 MHz, 1.4 V; 430-450 MHz, 1.0 V.1.0 MHz16 V6.3 V 3.8 MHz1.8 V0.68 V 50 MHz2.8 V0.38 V 120 MHz20.79 VN/A 144 MHz3.1 V0.48 V 432 MHz2.3 V0.38 V FM sensitivity, 12 dB SINAD: 28-30

48、MHz, 50-54 MHz,For 12 dB SINAD: 0.22 V; 144-148 MHz, 0.25 V; 430-450 MHz, 0.18 V.Preamp offPreamp on 29 MHz0.57 V0.14 V 52 MHz0.66 V0.14 V 146 MHz1.1 V0.18 V 440 MHz0.75 V0.13 V Blocking dynamic range: Not specified.Blocking dynamic range, 500 Hz filter: spacing:20 kHz5 kHz PreampPreamp off/onoff/on

49、 3.5 MHz127/124 dB103/101 dB 14 MHz126*/121 dB*103/98 dB 50 MHz123/118 dB100/94 dB 144 MHz115/108 dB94/89 dB 432 MHz123/115 dB97/93 dB Two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range: Not specified.Two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range, 500 Hz filter, spacing:20 kHz5 kHz PreampPreamp off/onoff/on 3.5 MHz94/96 dB68/68 dB 14 MHz94/92 dB69/67 dB 50 MHz94/89 dB69/66 dB 144 MHz89/86 dB65/63 dB 432 MHz86/86 dB69/67 dB Third-order intercept: Not specified.Intercept:PreampPreamp off/onoff/on 3.5 MHz+16/+14 dBm17/28 dBm 14 MHz+19/+4.2 dBm15/29 dBm 50 MHz+18/4.0 dBm15/35 dBm 144 M