New Kenwood Radios: TH-D72 and TS-590S

590

It looks an evolution from ts-570. This is great news. 570 has been a great rig. I love Kenwood and a gap in the entry level/midlevel has been seriously lacking.

 

Agree 100%.
Great to see Kenwood doing Something.....
But what I would love to see is something along the line
of the K3, but,instead of HF, it would have 6-2-220-440-1.2ghz...all-mode,all in one box...
call it a K5...what a fantastic VHF-UHF contest radio that would be!!!

 

Exactly my thoughts. Looks like a mix of a TS-570 and a K3. After waiting this long for Kenwood to bring out a new radio, it still looks years behind in technology compared to what the other guys are offering. Glad I sold my 2000 and went to Icom.

73,
VE3TMT

 

I am a 897D and 817 owner and fan here....but just the other day I was thinking:

"Isn't it about time Yaesu replaced the 8x7's with a whole set of newer models?"


I mean the "D" upgrades with the DSP(audio) is nice and all and gave a couple of years extra life into the 8x7, but maybe its time for REAL IF-DSP to be in their radios at this point, add a USB Port built in for audio in/out and CAT, built in Ethernet for remote control,remote station, detachable/remote front panels(FT817 I am looking at you)...and why won't anyone put a WX SAME DECODER in their radios, like every $29 scanner has now?


I know I am ready to upgrade and have been looking at other brands because it seems like Yaesu is never going to upgrade these.

 

My first impression also but then again, how else is a radio supposed to look if it ain't in a metal box? What other shape could it possibly be?

As to Kenwood, I really think they need to re-tool and start making the TS-820s versions again only with solid state driver and finals this time and use this as a base design and start adding DSP and all the other bells and whistles.

K2WH

 

I remember when I first saw that picture, shortly after it was published on the web, and said I thought it looked an awful lot like the TS-570. I guess it is the "Next-Gen" of that series of radios. Nice that they finally named it.
NOW, if we could just get a price, and a release date......
Come on Kenwood, don't pull what Icom has, on the IC-9100, and keep the public in limbo, indefinitely.

 

It may be next gen to Kenwood, but old school to the rest of the manufacturers. After waiting this many years for a new HF radio and this is all they have to offer I am pretty disappointed. Owned, a 520, 820, 830, 850, 870 and a 2000 and finally jumped ship and went with a PRO. The 2000 was an embarrassment.

 

Don't forget the TS 480

Don't forget that there is another Kenwood HF rig. As the owner of a TS 480HX, I remind you that they are still available. But, like the other (current) offering from Kenwood, if it's good, it's really good. But, if it sux, it really sux. I briefly had a 2000, and hated it. The receive sensitivity was horrible. The 570 I had, had the same issue. But, my 480 is sweet. I am very happy with it's ability. Two of my friends who own, or owned 2000's felt the same. Yet, others I know of, LOVE the sensitivity of their 2000's. It all depends, I guess, on which you get, a good one, or a bad one. Must be a QC problem with Kenwood products

That said, I am no fan of Yaesu, anymore, either. With their abandonment of FT 100 users, while that radio was still a newer, hot item, they (proverbially) shot themselves in the foot, as far as I am concerned. I have no reason to give Yaesu my hard earned dollars, regardless of the quality or capability of their new rigs. I'll stick with my 7000, 480 or either of my two Drake Twin stations.

More offerings than the Alinco and Jetstream 220 rigs, in the "lesser used bands" world, a D-Star by someone other than Icom, maybe a D-Star repeater on 6M or 220, some good VHF/UHF and 1.2ghz all mode rigs, without HAVING to buy a whole HF rig (like the 9100, if it EVER gets released) would be nice, too. A 220 or 50 module, for the 910 would have been nice.

 

Complete agreement.

I have had a couple of 599 twin sets, a 520, a 570, a 830, a 940, 2-2000's and my current 480. Of them, the 570 and the 2000, were the worst radios I ever owned

 

Hey Mark,

I owned a Ft-897d and loved it. It was the radio I kept in the RV for camping. The economy tanked and had to sell the RV and the radio. I do have the FT-2000 right now and love that radio and the dual receivers. It's great for busting the pile-ups when working split. That was the deciding factor between the IC-756 or the FT-2000. I've been a Ham for a few decades and I know that radio preferences are like the old Lucky Strike comercials. They would rather "fight than switch". One of my first radios was the TS-520s way back when. I loved operating that radio too. I've learned not to get into any radio debates cause there's no winners and there are no losers. I just wished Kenwood would get more competive below 30MHz. When was the last time a DXpedition chose Kenwood as their radio to put through the wringer? Kenwood makes great VHF/UHF gear.

Jerry
kd5om.com

 

I believe those 2 Yaesu radios are really designed for field/Portable use.
Who cares about AF or IF DSP in a field/portable use??
Most hams don't even understand the concept of IF or AF DSP anyways (Not saying that you don't).
There was no DSP when I became a ham, Many folks survived with out it.
I don't look at features primarily, I look at specs!
As a former employee of Motorola for 20 years, I have learned what is junk and what is good.
More hams should become aquainted with looking at and understanding the specifications concept, they would save a lot of money in the long haul.
More important, NEVER, NEVER buy version 1 of anything, that includes radios!
Cheers!

 

I hate it that you had to sell the RV, There is nothing like Rv'ing and amateur radio!
The Ft-2000 is a excellent radio!! I'm not a fan of Icom or Kenwood for that matter. I don't think that Kenwood is serious about amateur radio.
I hope you get back to RV'ing!

73's - Mark

 

Randy

Dont forget youtube.

Greg
W9GDG

 

Truer words were never said.

 

Thanks for serving our country!

73's - Mark