[Kenwood] 850 v. 870

[k5uj at mc.net]

Someone asked for comparison between 850 and 870.  

I have never operated them on cw so have no help on that.
For SSB, if you dx/contest and use narrow filters (i.e. 2.7 KHz or less) you are probably okay keeping the 850.

If you like to ragchew on SSB the audio quality improvement afforded you by the dsp in the 870, which allows much wider rx and tx freq. response would probably be appreciated.

870 has auto notch.  

I am told the 850 low level modulation sounds better on AM transmit than the AM tx with the 870.  I have not compared the two and almost never op AM.  I have tried AM on the 870 and I thought it sounded pretty good.  That's about it.

Basically you get dsp and what it has to offer with the 870.  If you do the kind of operating where you use narrow xtal filters all the time you are probably okay sticking with the 850.

rob/k5uj