ts-2000 vs Ic-745Pro

[kellykeeton]

I want to upgrade my IC-r71 and go transiever into the milti band market...

so question is... Icom or Kenwood. the kenwood has a lot of cool mods and it is "all band" which is cool. and the Icom has the name behind it as well as the actual service and they refine the radio still to this date to back it up.

I also Typo the title - it should be a IC-746Pro

 

[zz0468]

I presume you mean the IC-746PRO. I'm rather fond of mine. I guess it would get down to price, features, and performance. (duh!). The 746 has some nice IF DSP that is both easy to use, and quite effective. On the downside, I've read reports that earlier models had some reliability issues.

I'm not real familiar with the TS-2000. But some reviews I read on it a while back seem to indicate that it has more features, and is satellite ready. The bad side is that it's got some birdies in some of the satellite subbands that limit it's usefulness.

The 746 does 160m through 2m. The TS-2000 does that AND 432. I'm not a big fan of radios that do TOO many bands. I have a Kenwood TS-790A for VHF and UHF weak signal work. The 746 is an excellent rig for CW. It's got some great adjustable DSP filters and a few other features that make it ideal for cw operation. Once you see how the menus and many of the controls operate, it becomes fairly intuitive for such a complex radio. I've read the manual, but didn't really need much moire than a 3 minute primer from another 746PRO owner.

My favorite feature? The DSP filters, especially how easy they are to use.

 

[N1SQB]

Icom Ic-7000

Dont overlook this little gem!
Comes with everything but the kitchen sink! Actualy I think I saw a sink in there once;-)........Anyway, Its cheaper than the TS-2000, you still get the Icom quality, and you never have to buy any additional filters. Its all in there! its also a small enough package that you can take it on the road as well! It also covers right up to the 70Cm band and wide band receive up to 470 MHZ. Its not the best of the best ever built and do-it -all in the best way type of radio,none ever is,but this baby gives you a LOT for the money! Im not knocking either of your 2 choices,just offerening another.Its a lot of money being spent no matter which radio you buy! Check it out!

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/hf/7000/default.aspx

Here are the reviews on it;

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5338

Hope this helps!


Manny

 

[kellykeeton]

@zz0468 yes 746, yea thats where Im at right now just want to see if anyone owns them each and the feedback they have...

@scanernutt, yes that radio is very attractive. my only complaint was the lower power on it and the more portable form factor, I wish they had made it larger and put more function on the front - how well is it computer controlled? having to use the small buttons on the mic for entry always makes my fat fingers cry.

 

[N1SQB]

Computer Control is NOT bad! That was one of my sticking points. I hate the fact that you cannot input the freq. in via a front key pad. If thats a sticking point for you,then this is truly not the radio for you. If you're looking for a heavier duty all band base type radio, then the TS-2000 from kenwood may be a better choice. 100 watts right up to 2 meters then 50 watts of 440. Use the right antennas and cables,you have one super fine rig.

Manny

 

[jonny290]

ts-2000 is more plug-and-play, 746 covers a bit less but arguably has better performance. people love their 746's and generally only get rid of them to go 756 pro or 7800, stuff like that. I hear of people unloading ts-2000's more often.

that being said, either rig will be a great choice; i also like the ic-7000 due to its flexibility and size.

 

[kellykeeton]

ts-2000 is more plug-and-play, 746 covers a bit less but arguably has better performance. people love their 746's and generally only get rid of them to go 756 pro or 7800, stuff like that. I hear of people unloading ts-2000's more often.

that being said, either rig will be a great choice; i also like the ic-7000 due to its flexibility and size.

cool thats what I was thinking.

 

[gcgrotz]

I have a 746PRO, love it!

The digital filtering is outstanding. I used to have only an FT100 but found it kind of too small for the shack use, it stays in the truck now and gets a lot of use there. The 7000 seems to be a great rig but for me it would have the same drawback as the FT100. For shack use, I personally like a little larger rig, but not HUGE like some of the top of the line stuff. The 746 fits nicely on the desk yet is big enough to feel like a "real" radio. And it really kicks butt.

 

[jonny290]

i swear to god Icom would have gotten me to tattoo their logo onto my back if they would have added 430 mhz to the 746 Pro. And sold me a radio, of course.

"Buy the 910H", they say. Pah.

Oh well, I suppose that's one of the reasons it rules - less multitasking. Still, there ain't much out for an HF-70cm rig besides the Compromise Mobiles and the TS-2000Ohgodmyfaceplateismelting . Sigh

 

[zz0468]

i swear to god Icom would have gotten me to tattoo their logo onto my back if they would have added 430 mhz to the 746 Pro. And sold me a radio, of course.

"Buy the 910H", they say. Pah.

Oh well, I suppose that's one of the reasons it rules - less multitasking. Still, there ain't much out for an HF-70cm rig besides the Compromise Mobiles and the TS-2000Ohgodmyfaceplateismelting . Sigh

Do you use ssb on 70cm? If not, you're better saving your money and getting an fm only rig for 440. And if you're REALLY serious about weak signal work, you'd probably be building transverters. I don't miss 70cm on my 746PRO. I have other ways to get on the air. Maybe someday I'll want all that nice dsp capability on 432 or 1296... in which case, I can build my own killer front end. =)

 

[jonny290]

Yeah, actually about 90% of my 70cm activity is SSB or SSB-based digital modes. I've looked at the Elecraft transverters and they look pretty sweet, but I'm scared to go transverter, heh. It's just alien - cool, but weird to me from an operating standpoint.

I have an IC-475A so I really am covered in the long run on 70cm, but I like the feel of the 746 Pro a great deal and would love to run it as my main rig, but its price point means that I'd have to liquidate my shack to do it, including unloading the 475.

Maybe I'll get a deal on one this year and won't have to sell my rigs, heh. Come on Icom, release something cooler this year so everybody upgrades radios!

 

[kellykeeton]

Do you use ssb on 70cm? If not, you're better saving your money and getting an fm only rig for 440. And if you're REALLY serious about weak signal work, you'd probably be building transverters. I don't miss 70cm on my 746PRO. I have other ways to get on the air. Maybe someday I'll want all that nice dsp capability on 432 or 1296... in which case, I can build my own killer front end. =)

never thought about that good point

so far Icom is the winner for me.

 

[zz0468]

Yeah, actually about 90% of my 70cm activity is SSB or SSB-based digital modes. I've looked at the Elecraft transverters and they look pretty sweet, but I'm scared to go transverter, heh. It's just alien - cool, but weird to me from an operating standpoint.

I have an IC-475A so I really am covered in the long run on 70cm, but I like the feel of the 746 Pro a great deal and would love to run it as my main rig, but its price point means that I'd have to liquidate my shack to do it, including unloading the 475.

Maybe I'll get a deal on one this year and won't have to sell my rigs, heh. Come on Icom, release something cooler this year so everybody upgrades radios!

Elecraft runs circles around just about everything else out there, including the $10,000 rigs, so if pure performance is what you're after, that's the way to go.

As to transverters, that's the way it's really done on the higher bands, at least if you're serious. Yeah, there are plenty of ssb rigs out there on 432, but the performance (i.e. noise figure, 3rd order intercept, etc.) is mediocre compared to what can be built as a transverter.

 

[K3GI]

Owning neither radio, I am not an expert here (nor anywhere else for that matter). However I do own the 746 non-pro and like it a lot. I've been thinking about upgrading for some time now, and my choice is between the IC-746-Pro and the TS-2000.

One big attraction for the 746 Pro is that it has synchronous detection built into its AM mode. This is great if you are into SWL. The downside is that it is attenuated on the MW bands, and the mod is not easy. Most reveiwers seems to agree that its DSP capabilities exceed that of the TS-2000 (but I'm sure many will debate that).

The big attraction for the TS-2000 is that it has UHF and a built-in TNC. I've set up a friend's 2000 for APRS and also for the DX Cluster. It works well in both areas. It's DSP is similar to the TS-870's DSP. I used to have one of those and liked it (wish I still had it).

Icom seems to have resolved the reliability issue with the 746 Pro. Several friends have that radio and have had no problems with theirs. Buying new should be no problem, but buying used means you want to look at the date of manufacture. I do know a couple of people that swapped 746 Pros for the 2000, and one that swapped the 2000 for the Pro. I think the switch to the 2000 had more to do with the UHF capabilities of the 2000 than any issues with the radio itself.

As for me, I am leaning toward the Pro when the time comes for a new radio (translate: when my bank account is ready).

A lot of the fun in buying a new radio is researching which one to buy. Have fun!

 

[nexus]

I've used the 746PRO on 6 meters once at a field day. I don't know much about the radio other than that. But I did purchase a used Kenwood TS-2000 today for $1100.00 I have read about the things this radio can do, and have seen people's YOUTUBE demos on the radios capability (search K7AGE on youtube)

One function the TS-2000 has is the telecommand II. I will be able to take a dual-band HT or Mobile, and control my TS-2000 via the RF on the HT/MOBILE and operate HF. So I can be outside in the yard, or down the street, or in the bathroom and work DX through my HT. Also with some specialized software (free download) I'll be able to control my TS-2000 via the internet, and by using a laptop, Ham Radio Deluxe, Skype, and winVNC I'll be able to control the TS-2000, and talk through it from my laptop anywhere in the world that I have broadband access. (K7AGE has a youtube video demonstrating this very feature)

It has the Satellite function built in for Doppler shift. You can add 1.2ghz option if you want to work that band on Satellite or other things hams are doing on there too. It has a packet TNC built in, and DX Cluster feature on-screen. I use a cluster but do it through my logging software but it is a neat aspect. Someone mentioned using the 746pro mobile, well the TS-2000 has a control head which is about the same size as their dual-band mobile control head, so you can mount the radio in the trunk and put the little mobile control head in the front. They come with all of the filters. You also have the option of buying an INRAD 8 pole crystal filter for ssb/cw and the comments made on that were something along the lines of the INRAD filter for the TS-2000 making it sound just like a collins S-LINE!

 

[jonny290]

One big attraction for the 746 Pro is that it has synchronous detection built into its AM mode. This is great if you are into SWL. The downside is that it is attenuated on the MW bands, and the mod is not easy.

Best fix for this - you can get LW/MW converters to convert those low bands up in frequency, then you get your receiver's full performance. I know that longwave nuts almost always use upconverters to bring LW up to the 4-4.5 MHZ range, for example - giving you the full benefit of your HF radio's capabilities. It'd be trivial to take an SA612 chip and design a little converter.

 

[zz0468]

An even better fix is to use a loop antenna with a low noise preamp. The antenna system will provide more than enough signal to the receiver without adding another conversion stage.

 

[hsdtech]

If your into satellites and/or need 440 go with the kenwood. If not, the 746 Pro is the way to go.

 

[kellykeeton]

yea, now i need to find one on a swap or get me 1500!

 

[nexus]

I paid $1100 for mine, private sale off of QRZ.COM swapmeet forum. I've actually bought three radios from there now. I see TS-2000's posted there all the time. I've seen a few on ebay too. Had mine for a week and love it. Now if only the bands would start to pick up.