[1000mp] FW: FT 1000 MP Tests

[Jon, W4ZW]

*
*The 950SDX would fare well against the Field, but the 870 
*isn't in any way comparable to the Field.

I agree.

I have also owned/operated just about every radio/transceiver made since
the 50's.  I currently run a FT-1000MP/FT-1000D w/599ZX DSP/TS-950SDX
and several other smaller transceivers (TS-50/TS-570SD/ICOM's/Yaesu's
etc at different QTH's).  The new ICOMs are truly great radios in the
same league with the Yaesu FT-1000xx, but I think the Kenwood TS-950SDX
compares favorably.  The TS-950SDX never really caught on after the less
than spectacular TS-940.  I think expectations were too high after the
superb TS-930SAT and the TS-940 simply didn't live up to those
expectations.  Nor did the early TS-950S, but they got it right with the
TS-950SDX.  Dated, yes, but it is a superb SSB rig.  I also had a
Kenwood TS-870S and it had good ears if IMD didn't bother you, but I'm a
ham and not a SWL and I quickly disposed of it.  It couldn't begin to
compare to the FT-1000xx series. My  ICOM 781 was a great radio but I
think a current comparison to the ICOM/YAESU top models would show it to
be outdated as well.  I also thought the ICOM 775DSP was a great SSB rig
but a very poor CW rig.  Since I'm a CW guy, I sold both the 775DSP's I
had.  I also sold my ICOM 756 Pro since my personal preference was the
FT-1000MP. 

Compared to my first home brew  rig and receiver, the surplus Super Pro
I managed to scrimp and save for as a teenager was absolutely
miraculous.  .

Now my all-time favorite rig line up  was my ancient Hallicrafters
SX-115/HT-32B/HT-33B I had about 40 years ago.  I liked that set-up
better than my Collins S-line which I later had.  I also had the Drake
line at one time which was also excellent. 

But like computers, they were all  lost in the technology race and
today's rigs are light years ahead of them.

The march of technology is simply amazing!

My 2 cents.



Jon Hamlet,  W4ZW
Casey Key Island, FL

"A little bit of Paradise in the Gulf of Mexico"