I have two TS-2000’s, both of them are X’s with 1.2 GHz installed. I think I got my first in about 2001, and I got my second in about 2004. One is in a vehicle, using the RS-2000 remote head, and one is in the house (both were in vehicles with the RS-2000 until last week). The RS-2000 is easy to find a place for and allows the big body of the rig to be out of sight and out of mind. The autotuner in the rig spreads a Hamstick across the full Voice portion of each bands except 80 meters. Or when used with a screwdriver antenna makes everything smoother and easier to use.
Keep in mind the DSP is essentially at the audio level, not at higher IF levels seen in some modern equipment. If I remember right it is at 12 kHz. They call it IF level DSP (on the main band), and technically that might be true, but it is kind of “between”. One step up from the old school pure audio DSP and half a step behind the current wider / higher IF DSPs. The sub band receiver is pure audio DSP, but that band is 2M/70cm and FM only so not a big deal at all.
I really, really, like my TS2Ks, but then again I like them as a package understanding the limitations. As a package it is, in my opinion, the most capable ham radio made today, but in any one feature/facet it is not necessarily the best. You always have to balance cost point and feature set. If you expect it to outperform a dedicated HF/6 only box in the same price range it probably will come up short. If you compare it to other all band/all mode boxes it is very good.
In the area of the HF receiver it is definitely not top shelf, but not too bad. Certainly not contest rig level. I would say the performance is probably similar to or slightly better than your 430 probably was. The transmitter is just a standard, solid state, 100 Watt basic. The transmit audio can be completely adjusted with the TX equalizer, and will go to 3 kHz width if that is your thing.
All mode (AM, SSB, CW, FM, digital) and full power (100 W) on HF/6/2.
All mode and 50 W on 70 cm.
All mode and about 10 W on 1.2 GHz (if you get the X). A way underutilized band in many areas, and fun to play with.
So, really what I have just described is not all that unusual, or good, so why do I think it is one of the best packages currently made?
It is the features that are brought together in one box, such as the dual bands and how they can be used. And the built in TNC, and the Sky Command.
The main band will do any frequency the radio is capable of. All the HF bands, 6M, 2M, 70cm, and 1.2 GHz and will do them all mode. The sub band will do 2M or 70cm, regardless of what is on the main band (so simultaneous 2M/2M or 70cm/70cm is possible). The sub band is FM only except in the Sat mode of operation. The radio will do cross band repeat between the main band to the sub band.
This means I can have an 80 meter freq cross banded to my handheld on 70 cm, for example. Or I can check into the 40 meter swap net from the 2 meter in the garage. This is why one of my TS2Ks is back in the house, I missed this capability when I had both of them in vehicles.
The Sky Command works very well if you have a compatible hand held or mobile and essentially allows full control of the radio from the remote handheld/mobile.
So yeah, the rig comes up short on HF compared to my FTDX-5000 or my Flex-5000, even compared to my FT-2000, but nothing else I have tried combines the capabilities found in as complete and usable a fashion in one box.
T!
