New Kenwood TS 990

[WA9SDJ]

The Kenwood doesn't have the elegance of the Icom 7800 or Yaesu 9000, hope it has the performance and they keep up with the firmware.

I'm really waiting on Icom/Yaesu to update their top of the line models as they are both from the 04/05 era. In a perfect world Elecraft would release the K4, their K-Line all wrapped up in one single package!

[W5DQ]

That doesn't seem like a bad price at all. Performance wise, if it's like an IC7800 it will be a steal.

If I was buying one today, at $6K price point, that would be the only way I could get it ..... TO STEAL IT

W5DQ

[K2WH]

My thoughts exactly!!

And my thoughts also. I love where they say "Rising to the Occasion" and highlite the "Dual Watch" function. Ah excuse me but my ICOM 756pro which I think is about 10 years old or older has dual watch so this is not something new nor is it a Kenwood innovation. I guess sell price around $13k.

However, if it is actually (as another poster says) around $5k, where do I get one?
K2WH

[WA1VVX]

Very,very interesting. Can't wait to see the price!
WA1VVX

[WB2WIK]

Will certainly be interesting to see the results.

I've had a lot of rigs from Kenwood-Icom-Yaesu over the years and have been a pretty big fan of all of those companies; however I've become a somewhat bigger fan of Ten Tec, whose rigs I've owned since they started in business with the PM-2.

Elecraft is also no slouch, nor is Flex.

Nice to see the "big three" from Japan are easily matched by the "big three" from the U.S.

[N1ZLE]

I'm thinking the FDdx-5000 will be here for a long while. Can't wait to see the Sherwood tests. I wonder if it has an IF out? I still love my TS-2000. I think Kenwood has the opportunity to hit a major home run here.... Keeping fingers crossed for the top of the heap "best ham rig ever tested"........we'll see.
73
N1ZLE

[KE2IV]

I agree that it kind of looks like an Icom -- except that the meter is classic Kenwood. Guess they threw that in for "heritage" reasons.

$6K isn't so bad considering the built-in AT and PS plus 200W etc. Certainly compares with pricing on an upper range Icom or Yaesu.

I'm curious what they're actually going to do with two USB ports and a ethernet connection. Perhaps the ethernet hookup will allow easy remote operation?

Besides, unless they have some decent software etc. for managing this rig, who cares?

Then again -- with all those switches and knobs -- this hardly LOOKS like a SDR-type rig. I guess they had to please all the old fogey hams by making it look like an old-style radio.....

[KE2IV]

I agree that it kind of looks like an Icom -- except that the meter is classic Kenwood. Guess they threw that in for "heritage" reasons.

$6K isn't so bad considering the built-in AT and PS plus 200W etc. Certainly compares with pricing on an upper range Icom or Yaesu.

I'm curious what they're actually going to do with two USB ports and a ethernet connection. Perhaps the ethernet hookup will allow easy remote operation?

Besides, unless they have some decent software etc. for managing this rig, who cares?

Then again -- with all those switches and knobs -- this hardly LOOKS like a SDR-type rig. I guess they had to please all the old fogey hams by making it look like an old-style radio.....

[W2JTM]

At first, the similarity to my IC-756proIII was a bit disappointing. I was expecting and hoping for something totally new, at least something that looked like a Kenwood. But if the price is something reasonable, I think the ICOM will be up for sale soon...

Jim

[NT6U]

Thanks for the pic VE3GNO. Nice looking rig, looking forward to the reviews.