Kenwood TS-2000

[W2JDH]

In April of this year I purchased the TS-2000 HF/VHF transceiver after a lot of research and prior positive experience with the Kenwood TS-450S. It appeared to be a good value overall, and I liked the 450. After about 4 months of using the radio, primarily on HF, I came to the conclusion that it was very little better than the TS-450 at double the price. I operate some RTTY and AMTOR digital, using the "real" FSK, not AFSK through the microphone jack. This feature quit working, but my digital equipment still worked well with the 450, which has the identical digital pinout. A few days later, the 2000 would act strangely when powered up. For the first 15 minutes or so it would not receive, and the readouts would flash on and off accompanied by the morse code letters U and L. The manual identifies signal this as the PLL unlatching. Serious stuff. I returned it to the Kenwood factory through AES company, and Kenwood kept it for a month. When I got it back, it had paperwork indicating that it required "parts replacement" and work on connections. I powered it up, and it was decidedly worse than when it went in, with the receiver going into some kind of massive oscillation. Totally disheartened, I traded it on for an ICOM at a loss of approximately $1000. An altogether bad experience with both the original product AND the service. The supplier, AES, treated me well.

[KG4RUL]

I have a TS-2000X and have had none of the problems you describe. #Of the several other 2000 owners I have had occasion to talk with, all of them are ecstatic about their rigs!

Sorry you have had so many problems but, I believe yours is a rare exception. #

So to other who read this thread, Don't let one person's bad experience sour your view of the 2000. #It is as close to a universal radio as you are likely to find.

Dennis - KG4RUL

[W2JDH]

I couldn't care less if it "Doesn't ring true" to anyone. The fact that the transciever had an active warrantee is why I could get full trade-in credit for it. Past experience (51 years as a ham) plus a full career in the electrical/electronic industry has shown me that occasional units are simply lemons, and no amount of "fixing" will make them reliable. Remember, one of the items mentioned by the kenwood serviceman was "repaired connections". Scary in a brand-new radio. Sorry you sense a red herring, I thought this venue was for first-hand experience, not contradiction. I stand behind my revue, and freely acknowledge that this particular radio may well be the exception. Remember also that I praised my Kenwood TS450, and still have it as an excellent back-up rig, so any Kenwood Kops should be satisfied.

[WA4EWV]

Why in the world didn't you send it back AGAIN, and tell them you wanted a NEW radio!! Geezzz, they have a reputation to uphold, and should have replaced it immediately!
73, and good luck
Al
wa4ewv

[AI4EP]

Always remember with these "all-in-one "rigs, that if the HF does not work right, you have to send it back...LOSING recieve and TX on 2 meters, 6 meters, 440 Mhz...etc. I found it FAR better to buy seperate rigs for each band, and if one rig tears up, you still have the other rigs to talk on, BUT if going MOBILE, then for size, the all-in-one rigs are "ok"...YOUR decision....kd4amg

[KF2GQ]

Hi to all,

# # When I decided to come back to the amateur service it was because of 9/11 & what our President asked
of us. #I joined up with ARES. #I didn't want to carry 2 or 3 radios to the shelter during a storm. #I wanted
1 radio to do everything. #That radio for me is the Kenwood TS2000. #At our Red Cross shelter drill this past
Saturday, May the 3rd, not only was I running VFH/UHF but also running 40 meters using a Buddipole. #The drill,
at least at my location, went without a hitch. #

Bob, KF2GQ

[KY4LC]

If you traded it in with FULL TRADE-IN CREDIT, why did you lose $1,000 on the deal????

i'll say it again i love my ts2000, in fact i love it so much im going to put one on my nightstand next tothe bed so i can sleep with it every night. that way i can have one in the shack, one in the truck, and one in the bedrm. the one in the shack is hooked up to a mfj soundcard wired into the back of the radio and not through the mic and on a hp pavilion4800 notebook pc with the kenwood arcp disc. running win/arps program, pacet and sstv disc on an aux, drive. antenna is a 2m/70cm/6m cushcraft beam on a 40 ft crankup and on hf a hygain big gun 2 on a 45 foot telephone pole and it tunes with the builtin tuner on 6 thru 20 meters. no problem. the mfj 35 amp fancooled power supply is also most exellent. 73rds and good luck in all you do......KE7AUW DAVID in Hoquiam, Washington..