[DX] Dual Receive Radio Recommendations
Barry Middlebrook (VE6TN)
[email protected]
Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:28:38 -0700
I have used all of the radio's you listed below for extended periods in
contest conditions. Here are my comments from the context of a Contester
and DX'er. Note, I enjoyed aspects about each and every one of these
radios. However, here are the strengths (+) and weakness (-) according to
my opinion:
1. Kenwood TS950SDX.
+ The plus for this radio is that it is without equal in transmit and
receive audio quality and is the radio of choice for all of the
experimenters of hi fi audio such as the 14.178 MHz crowd. Until you
actually play with it in this area with high end audio signals, you simply
cannot appreciate how good it is.
- Transmit sound is pretty good on its own, however, you need a bunch
of external audio processing devices to really get that "really good" sound,
whereas newer radios have most of the audio shaping and other tools built
in.
+ Stereo receive with the subreceiver. Nice feature in contesting.
- Don't buy a non-SDX, it is a completely different radio and has a lot
of short comings that were fixed with the release of the SDX model. The SD
was released in 90/91 and the SDX was release a year later.
- This radio is basically almost 15 year old technology and is lacking
in modern sophistication. For example, when someone is tuning up on the
frequency you are listening to, you cannot simply push a button and have it
auto notch the carrier(s), you have to enable the notch then twiddle it
until you find the right frequency of the interfering carrier.
- The receiver on this is not very "contest" friendly and caves with
strong interference. It is simply not up to the blocking dynamic range and
filter performance that newer radios including the Icom 756 series, and
Yaesu receivers have. Even the new Kenwood's are better. Being
customizable wide for audio quality purposes has its drawbacks for
interference.
- Second receive is a small wee knob and not very user friendly.
- Filter selection on the sub-receive is not very good. You only have
a CW filter option.
- AGC of the second receiver is set by the main receiver. It is not
independent receive.
- Second receive is really a receiver on the same band AND the same
MODE. The receiver is essentially at the IF receiver strip level, you
cannot receive for example 80m LSB and 20m CW.
- The rig is physically the deepest of all big radios which make it a
challenge to fit in my operating desk.
- The DSP is always on. I mean, it is ALWAYS on, you cannot turn it
off for SSB. When receiving weak watery signals coming over the north pole
with aurora on them, the DSP butchers it to the point that they are not
copyable and there is nothing you can do. Many times in SSB contests in the
middle of the night these can be the only signals on the band. This alone
disqualifies this radio as a serious contender for me.
- You cannot fire the internal memory keyer for Voice or CW from an
external source under software control. You need to use the Kenwood keypad.
I am sure you may be able to build some sort of interface to replace the
keypad and do the same, but it is not an inherent feature. In fact, the
optional internal voice keyer sounds so bad that it really shouldn't be
used. For me, I just use my PC for contesting, but for voice it would be a
nice to trigger an internal voice keyer.
- The Antenna Tuner is in the circuit only when in Transmit. Thus, it
does not provide any filtering of receive signals. So if you are close to
broadcast station and trying to do 160m or 80m, the tuner doesn't help with
filtering. Yaesu is the same. Only Icom radios use the tuner for filtering
receive as well as transmit.
- NB sucks.
+ You can get a bandscope display and attach it to the radio for a
pseudo bandscope, although not as good as the Icom 756 series.
+ Good antenna tuner, it matched random wires that my Icom wouldn't.
2. IC756Pro and 756
- The 756 has a DSP transmit growl in the audio on all units. It
usually can only be heard by local stations where you are very loud. It is
in ALL of them, regardless of whether someone says so or not. I believe it
is due to quantization noise of the A to D converter. There is no way to
fix it, end of story. It is 70 to 80 dB down and isn't really and issue
for DXing or contesting, just local rag chewing. The Pro and Pro2 do not
have this problem. All of your local friends will comment on it . . . . and
if they are audio-type guys, they will do it all-of-the-time.
+ Some contester who love the low band swear that the PRO is better
than the PRO 2 for low band use. With the antenna tuner receive filtering,
DSP and Noise reduction I think it is pretty slick on 160m and 80m.
+ I absolutely LOVE the band scope. Even on the monochrome one in the
756 is very good. To me it is a very useful tool, especially in CW
contesting when you are sweeping the band looking for signals and you see
one pop up a few KHz after you have already swept it. Also, good to look
quickly for openings on bands that are somewhat dead.
+ 6 Meters for the times when that band is open.
+ The DSP filtering on CW is very good.
+ The noise blanker on the 756 series is absolutely outstanding!
- The dual watch is really a second receiver on the same IF and has
virtually all of the same limitation on the 950 above. Actually, the only
transceiver that truly has a complete second receiver is the FT-1000 line
with all of the second receiver option installed. Even the 781 doesn't have
a true second receiver. Of course the new Ten Tec Omni and the Icom 7800,
probably the new Yaesu DX9000 but we are talking major bucks!
- You don't have a second knob for the sub receiver. You have to go
into the soft keys and switch A/B then enable Dual Watch, and goof around
with settings for which VFO A or B is transmit. I found that I would become
confused in trying to drill down into menus to switch that, trigger that,
Hit A/B to change which VFO was being controlled by the knob, etc.
- You don't have stereo receive in the dual watch.
- Note, the Pro line of radio's are really completely different
internal guts. They are not the same radio as the 756. Completely
different. The Pro is better than the 756 in every aspect.
- Antenna tuner is in-line when receiving so helps with filtering of
broadcast interference, as well as in multi-transmitter situations.
- All in all, there are really not enough front panel controls to
effectively operate these radio in a competitive environment.
3. FT-1000MP
+ I have little experience with the MP. Most of mine is with the 1000D
and the new Field and MarkV models. Simply one of the best radios with
flexibility and capability is the FT-1000D with the Timewave external DSP
unit added to give some DSP features. The Field and Mark V are redesigned
and improved units that bring the technology up a notch but of course they
are more expensive than the older 1000MP you are considering.
> Just a quick educational note. The FT1000 is the original and the
"D" is a 1000 with essentially every single option installed. With the 1000
you can get a true second receiver board, whereas all other models you only
have a subreceiver. The MP was an update on the design that was in honour
of Yaesu's founder who was a silent key (JA1MP) and it came out in '96 with
audio DSP so it is updated technology in many ways over the 1000.
+ The 1000 with full receiver strip and filters has a true dual
receiver with filters and independent in virtually every way. You will pay
a lot of extra money for the filters and second receive strip. The second
receiver strip has it's own AGC and filtering options, but they are not
quite as good as the main receiver.
- There is NO SECOND RECEIVER in the MP, Field and Mark V models, only
a subreceiver. But then again, that is all the 950 and 756 units have too,
but at least with the MP you have better subreceiver performance. The Field
and Mark V models are newer and have a lot of improvements including updated
DSP, filtering, etc, all of which are creature comforts that the modern
DX'er and contester really needs.
+ The sub receiver has it's own AGC, filter options, etc, so they are
pretty capable overall but not as good as the main receiver and without the
DSP options.
+ The MP is really an updated 1000 with DSP added. The DSP is not bad
for the day, but not as good as the external Timewave on an older model 1000
or 1000D. It comes after the IF filtering so the AGC is still affected by
interference.
+ Tonnes and tonnes of front panel knobs buttons and adjustments. This
is really Yaesu 1000 series number one feature, it really is "operator
friendly" in every way.
+ Twin VFO knobs, both large enough to be functional. For a contester
after 24 hours of being in the chair in the middle of the night, operator
ease is most certainly an important consideration.
+ Crystal filter options. Lots of them, and on both receiver strips.
- I do not think the internal DSP and Noise blanker are anywhere as
good as the Icom 756 series. In fact, they are pretty basic. But then
again the 1000MP was introduced in the mid 90's whereas the 756 came later.
- You can always tell a Yaesu FT-1000 model on the air. I think they
splatter, are wide, cause interference, and are harsh sounding. I also
think most operators crank the settings and don't really set it up as they
should. Thus, they are wider signals with inband images and intermods that
leak out over adjacent users. Having said that, there are also more of them
with big signals from big contest stations than virtually any other radio.
****************
The decision of which radio to purchase can be broken down into the
following three decisions:
1. If you want to play with audio, sound "marvellous", and play with DX and
contesting in a semi-casual manner . . . . Kenwood 950SDX. I would not
consider the 950SD model at all.
2. If you like contesting first and then DX'ing a close second, and don't
really care about 6m or the fancy bandscope, then get the FT-1000MP.
3. If you like DX'ing first and contesting second, are intrigued by the
bandscope, and would enjoy the occasional foray into 6m, well then get the
756Pro. I wouldn't get a 756 unless it was really cheap. The Pro is just a
better radio overall than the original 756.
Whatever you pay for the radio, expect that the 1000MP will hold it's value
and the other ones will drop in price over time. You will loose money over
time with the other two radio's, but not the MP.
This is just my opinion, I hope it helps you in making a decision.
Sincerely,
Barry Middlebrook, VE6TN
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Geiger" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 9:11 AM
Subject: [DX] Dual Receive Radio Recommendations
> I am thinking about getting a dual receive HF radio
> sometime in the not so distant future, as I believe it
> would really help in DXing while running split
> frequency. There seems to be several dual receive
> radios that fall into the same price class on the used
> market (around $1200):
>
> Kenwood TS950SD
> Icom 756PRO
> Icom 756 (actually around $900 or so)
> Yaesu FT1000MP
>
> I am sure that several list members have compared
> these radios, and I am interested in operating
> opinions. I do mainly CW and digital work, so how
> they operate on those modes would be of most interest
> to me. Of the above radios, which is the best for the
> buck in terms of operation? I also really like the
> looks and specs of the TS850, and may go that way, but
> the dual receive would be nice.
>
> 73s John NE0P
>
>
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