Seriously, Kenwood? LOL!

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

Kenwood has discontinued the TK-2000 and AliExpress has them on sale for about $40. They have good reviews and user feedback, so I decided to pick up a pair. Of course, everything from AliExpress should be viewed with a critical eye, but they seem to be the real deal. The boxes and owner's manuals are right, the markings are right, they programmed easily with the Kenwood software, and they seem to be well made.

After programming, I took them into my yard to test them on my club's 2 meter repeater about 22 miles away. I can work that repeater clearly from my yard with almost any 5-watt radio and a 701-type antenna, so I didn't expect any problem. I keyed up the first one and announced my call sign asking for a signal check. To my surprise, I got no response, even though I got the repeater's squelch tail and courtesy tone. I turned on another HT to listen and repeated the experiment. I was getting into the repeater but the signal was just static. Well, that was disappointing. Because I'm not a quitter, I tried the other radio and got a 5x9 response. Hmmm. Check the obvious things first. I unscrewed the antenna and found this.
I swapped it for the Nagoya 771 on the "listening" radio and got back a 5x9 report. I'm not going to send the radio back over a part that I already have in my bag of antennas, but that's pretty amusing. A little attention to detail, Kenwood!

 

[PACNWDude]

I used to work for the JVC/Kenwood Group, and this is about normal for the attention to detail. It really comes down to every person striving for excellence instead of mediocrity (which is more common).

Then the corporate mindset of quarterly earnings and shareholder interests, that supersede quality, and maintaining a good reputation. For any radio shops across the country, even with Motorola, Icom, and others.....just doing a quality assurance check for incoming product could make your shop gain a much better reputation than the manufacturers of the products that you sell.

Last, is the customer service side......I have seen people with attitudes ruin their companies reputation, on how they addressed a problem like this. Clearly, that antenna has a physical defect, impacting its use. If a vendor noticed that, switched out the antennas, they could probably jack up the price a bit too, and still look good.

 

[n7maq-1]

I would bet a good amount that the radio is a counterfeit. I would love to see pictures of the inside of the radio.

 

[WB5UOM]

Yes lets rag on KENWOOD over an antenna on a $40 handheld from Alibaba.

 

[tlemke940]

Ok i just have to post.
#1 that is a Fake Kenwood radio. it is a clone of a real radio that was not imported in to the USA.
#2 the antenna is Fake and is not correct attached is a photo from a real Kenwood antenna the center pin will be gold color and will not have writing on the bottom just on the side. the older style antenna did have a silver pin but dose not look like the new ones at all.
#3 the board inside that radio will not be a great one but i will upload photos of the VHF one i have later but i would love to see the inside of yours to see what it looks like on the UHF radio.

 

[AK9R]

You are blaming Kenwood for poor performance of a no-name antenna that was included in the box with a discontinued radio from an online retailer known for selling Chinese junk?

 

[tlemke940]

oh and i just seen that it shipped with the wrong band of antenna on top of it being a fake Kenwood radio. cant blame Kenwood on that. the one i ordered years ago (Knowing it was a fake) still had a vhf antenna on it wow they really are getting cheap if they cant add the extra tin to make the antenna VHF at least.

 

[KevinC]

You are blaming Kenwood for poor performance of a no-name antenna that was included in the box with a discontinued radio from an online retailer known for selling Chinese junk?

I blame Motorola.

 

[mmckenna]

but they seem to be the real deal.

How did you determine that it seems to be the "real deal"? From a photo on a Chinese website? From likely faked reviews? From your decades of experience as an LMR tech?

As stated above, that's not a legit Kenwood antenna.
And it's not likely a legit Kenwood radio. TK-x000 have been out of production for well over 10 years, and it's unlikely that a bunch suddenly appeared in China for $40 with questionable antennas on AliExpress.

Admit it, you got taken. But don't feel bad, many do. Learn from it and move on, but don't blame Kenwood for a long discontinued radio you purchased off AliExpress for $40.

Be glad that you are only out $40. Hell, a legit OEM Kenwood antenna is going to be $20+.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Kenwood has discontinued the TK-2000 and AliExpress has them on sale for about $40... they seem to be the real deal. The boxes and owner's manuals are right, the markings are right, they programmed easily with the Kenwood software, and they seem to be well made.

Morgan Freeman Voice: They were in fact NOT the real deal.

FYI, only the garbage CCR manufacturers/counterfeiters put the band splits on the bottom of antennas.

A little attention to detail, Kenwood!

Kenwood does not sell legitimate radios on AliExpress, so how exactly is this Kenwoods fault?

 

[MTS2000des]

One thing you can count on that never fails: cheap ass hams expect Steak and Ale for a Pizza and Beer price, then complain loudly when the pizza is cold and beer isn't top notch IPA. Gotta love hams.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Back to the actual problem a VHF radio shipped with a UHF antenna.

 

[K9KLC]

Back to the actual problem a VHF radio shipped with a UHF antenna.

Ya they would have done a lot better shipping a counterfeit Kenwood VHF antenna with that counterfeit Kenwood radio. At least he would have had a shot at it then.

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

So, on the basis of a single photo of the bottom of an antenna, you know this radio is a fake? That’s a degree of wizardry that even Gandalf would envy. None of you have even seen the radio. Of course I knew it could be a clone, I even half-expected it to be, but for $40, if it actually worked I wouldn’t feel too screwed. However, let’s run down the checklist of items which may indicate a radio is a forgery.

Price. The price did seem unrealistically low, but I did a little poking around before I ordered it. A member on this site bought one for $50 in 2023 and Walmart sells them right now for $63.99 with free shipping. The TK-2000 was always an inexpensive radio described by Kenwood as a “budget-friendly” and “entry-level” LMR radio. After a little research, I concluded the price was surprisingly low but not impossibly low if an overseas distributor found themselves stuck with a bunch of radios which were discontinued and no longer supported by Kenwood.

Antenna. Let’s dispose of this one first. Note that in the photo from Walmart – which is probably not selling forgeries since they’re an authorized Kenwood retailer – the antenna post is silver, not gold. Pull up as many pictures from an internet search as you want and you’ll find they’re all silver. I don’t know why they’re different from other Kenwood antennas, but they are.

Packaging. The box is marked correctly. The printing on the box itself and on the labels is sharp and clean. The expected labels are present and they are applied squarely and in the correct places. The numbers on the boxes match the numbers on the radios.

Owner’s manual. Crisp, clear printing. Written in perfect English with no grammar, syntax, or spelling errors.

Radio itself. Heavy, solid, has the right satin finish. Battery locks in solidly with no gaps and stays firmly in place. The control knobs are firmly applied with distinct detents and a solid feel when you turn them.

Markings. The inside of the radio has the right label with sharp printing and is applied squarely, The serial number follows the correct format and decodes to a manufacture date of October 2020. Whatever that other number is, it’s in the same range as the Walmart radios and others sold online. Yes, Kenwood does have radios made in Singapore. Look it up. The lettering on the battery is sharp and clean with the expected information and no spelling errors. The antenna has “KENWOOD” cast proud of the surface (as shown in all the other pictures I could find). It’s sharp and clean. The belt clip and the left side of the radio below the PTT are also marked, again very cleanly as if laser engraved.

Programming. The Kenwood KPG-137D software read and programmed the radio flawlessly with zero hiccups or errors. The CPS thinks it’s a Kenwood radio.

Taken all together, this adds up to a degree of attention to detail that you don’t see in forgeries. The point of a forgery is to get it out the door as quickly as possible and they don’t get all the details right. All the details are right on this radio. Not even one red flag. Could it still be a forgery? I guess so, but in all the history of radio, I doubt any forgery got everything right, right down to the programming. If it's a forgery, please provide evidence. You're going to have to do better than "Because I said so." And if it’s actually a forgery so good that even the Kenwood CPS thinks it’s genuine, should I even care?

I suppose I should no longer be surprised that so many people could be so confidently wrong, but somehow I still am.

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

 

[WB5UOM]

Plus its not a "K" model for US market
and the serial number convention is not what I would expect.
There IS one of these on ebay now,says its in China, has the same V C code at end of model BUT the serial number is more inline of what I would expect

 

[mmckenna]

Understand that some of us have been doing this for decades and have worked with Kenwood products for quite a long time. We're familiar with the products, and what has been mentioned above is accurate.

Antenna. Let’s dispose of this one first. Note that in the photo from Walmart – which is probably not selling forgeries since they’re an authorized Kenwood retailer – the antenna post is silver, not gold. Pull up as many pictures from an internet search as you want and you’ll find they’re all silver. I don’t know why they’re different from other Kenwood antennas, but they are.

I doubt WalMart is a real Kenwood dealer. Almost anyone can sell on the WalMart storefront, and it's no guarantee that the products are legit.

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Kenwood pretty tightly controls their dealers and dealer regions.
WalMart might be selling parts, or someone may be using them as the storefront, but that alone shouldn't instill any level of confidence.

In the North American market, Kenwood didn't sell a "400-470MHz" antenna for their LMR.
None of the legit Kenwood antennas I have, direct from Kenwood shipped with legit radios purchased under state contracts from real Kenwood dealers are marked in that fashion. That's been said a few times above. I'm looking at a legit Kenwood UHF antenna right now from that era and it does not have the same marking around the coax connector.

Counterfeit antennas are a big issue, and the Motorola guys will confirm. They've gotten really good at making things look really close, but they are not the real thing.

Radio itself. Heavy, solid, has the right satin finish. Battery locks in solidly with no gaps and stays firmly in place. The control knobs are firmly applied with distinct detents and a solid feel when you turn them.

Yep, this may be some overseas market radio, but I'm still skeptical.

We know that injection dies, document files, etc. ended up in various places and likely used by others. Just because it looks similar doesn't mean it's the same.

Markings. The inside of the radio has the right label with sharp printing and is applied squarely, The serial number follows the correct format and decodes to a manufacture date of October 2020. Whatever that other number is, it’s in the same range as the Walmart radios and others sold online. Yes, Kenwood does have radios made in Singapore. Look it up.

That label does not look similar to any of the Kenwood radios I have.
No FCC ID.

And if it’s actually a forgery so good that even the Kenwood CPS thinks it’s genuine, should I even care?

You shouldn't. If you are happy with it, then be happy with it.

But don't slam a manufacturer when you purchased off a Chinese website and found that it's lacking in quality.

View attachment 202879

The 137E44 says that is European market software.
The 000000 is a bit suspect. I've seen that serial used as a default for software.

View attachment 202883

That casting doesn't look as good as any of their other radio models I have from that era made in Singapore
Similar radios from that era I have all have black screws.

Looks similar, but there's a few red flags there that suggests that may not be a legit radio.

That serial number looks nothing like other radios I have from that era, but who knows, maybe we're all wrong and you are the only one who is correct?

 

[mmckenna]

View attachment 202888

That does not match any of my Kenwood UHF antennas. They all use the triangle over the top of the W.


But, like I said, if you are happy, then roll with it. But don't say they make an inferior product when it's apparently bootleg.

 

[sallen07]

Price. The price did seem unrealistically low, but I did a little poking around before I ordered it. A member on this site bought one for $50 in 2023 and Walmart sells them right now for $63.99 with free shipping. The TK-2000 was always an inexpensive radio described by Kenwood as a “budget-friendly” and “entry-level” LMR radio. After a little research, I concluded the price was surprisingly low but not impossibly low if an overseas distributor found themselves stuck with a bunch of radios which were discontinued and no longer supported by Kenwood.

Antenna. Let’s dispose of this one first. Note that in the photo from Walmart – which is probably not selling forgeries since they’re an authorized Kenwood retailer – the antenna post is silver, not gold. Pull up as many pictures from an internet search as you want and you’ll find they’re all silver. I don’t know why they’re different from other Kenwood antennas, but they are.

Point of order. That radio is NOT being sold by Walmart. It's being sold THROUGH Walmart, just like you can buy things THROUGH Amazon that aren't actually sold by Amazon. Third-party seller. Does this prove it's a fake? Not at all, but "You can buy them from Walmart" is not accurate.

Walmart DOES sell a few Kenwood items on their website, but all of them are car stereo related.

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

Understand that some of us have been doing this for decades and have worked with Kenwood products for quite a long time. We're familiar with the products, and what has been mentioned above is accurate.



I doubt WalMart is a real Kenwood dealer. Almost anyone can sell on the WalMart storefront, and it's no guarantee that the products are legit.

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www.shopify.com

Kenwood pretty tightly controls their dealers and dealer regions.
WalMart might be selling parts, or someone may be using them as the storefront, but that alone shouldn't instill any level of confidence.

In the North American market, Kenwood didn't sell a "400-470MHz" antenna for their LMR.
None of the legit Kenwood antennas I have, direct from Kenwood shipped with legit radios purchased under state contracts from real Kenwood dealers are marked in that fashion. That's been said a few times above. I'm looking at a legit Kenwood UHF antenna right now from that era and it does not have the same marking around the coax connector.

Counterfeit antennas are a big issue, and the Motorola guys will confirm. They've gotten really good at making things look really close, but they are not the real thing.



Yep, this may be some overseas market radio, but I'm still skeptical.

We know that injection dies, document files, etc. ended up in various places and likely used by others. Just because it looks similar doesn't mean it's the same.



That label does not look similar to any of the Kenwood radios I have.
No FCC ID.



You shouldn't. If you are happy with it, then be happy with it.

But don't slam a manufacturer when you purchased off a Chinese website and found that it's lacking in quality.



The 137E44 says that is European market software.
The 000000 is a bit suspect. I've seen that serial used as a default for software.





That casting doesn't look as good as any of their other radio models I have from that era made in Singapore
Similar radios from that era I have all have black screws.

Looks similar, but there's a few red flags there that suggests that may not be a legit radio.

That serial number looks nothing like other radios I have from that era, but who knows, maybe we're all wrong and you are the only one who is correct?

I respect your knowledge, and you certainly may be right. When you impart information, you do it in a professorial way, not like some pompous jackwagon. Unfortunately, not everyone follows your lead.

With your input, I admit there's some doubt, but also it doesn't follow the pattern of any forgeries I've heard of or seen. Maybe some forgeries are made with this attention to detail, but if so, it's a damned good forgery. In every way I can examine, it's as well made as the Yaesu FT-70D I bought from GigaParts and better made than my Baofengs. Certainly worth $40. I'm not going to respond point-by-point but I think the subject remains unproven either way.

I wasn't "slamming" Kenwood; I just thought it was funny. I didn't know I was going to be attacked by a lynch mob. I've learned some useful information here, but more often than not, I'm ridiculed instead of educated. This may not be the right place for me.