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write your own review of the Kenwood TS-570D(G).
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W8JX
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 20, 2009 20:31
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Solid Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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No radio is perfect but having owned one for about 10 years since it was new I know it pretty well. In reading some of the reviews where some complain about poor performance particularly in CW it is safe to say that they never learned to use radio properly as it can be a very sweet CW rig when you learn how to use it. It is not a 5,000 dollar radio but it has pretty good noise limiting compared to other rigs in it price class. One weakness of sorts is that using preamp all the time can result in strong signal swamping of AGC. If you leave it off when not really needed this swamping is not a issue. One other thing, Kenwood errored when they only provided one slot for optional filters. Also, when working digital modes I like to use a 500 hz CW filter but you have to fool radio to use it. In menu you have to tell radio it is a 1.8 Khz filter to be able to select it when running AFSK digital.If you enter 500hz in setup menu it is locked out in AFSK. I also own a 480 (and a 830) which holds and has two optional filters in it and it also will let you select any install filter in any mode without having to "fool" radio. Overall it is a good solid rig that can handle high duty cycles at high power in digital modes without over heating. And as far as sensitivity, when comparing between all three radios they all hear about the same.
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W3NRL
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 16, 2009 03:47
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I like it
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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OK I got my TS-570d on a trade some 3 years ago, yes the radio has some good point and some bad point as the previous reviews had mentioned but over all i enjoy the radio very much, I use it for digital work and rag chewing on 10 meters and on occasion some dx'ing. So i like the radio.
If you find one i recommend this radio.
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KT4WO
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Rating: 2/5
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Aug 19, 2009 18:12
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OK---NOT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Its hard to belive that this many ham have never had a radio with a good RX...because the 570 does not. I sold my TS-450 and bought the 570..what a shock. Thought something was wrong with it..nope..just deaf.
KT4WO
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2E0XOM
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 19, 2009 16:13
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top radio for its money !
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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i had a problem with mine tho ! smal issue with dryjoint solder but radio is on top form good reports from all over the place grate on 10m easy radio to use unlike some ( icom !! why do you a degree in avionics to use a icom ??? to meny menus ) a simple good all round radio just the radio for beginers or the older operateors alike and not too expensive now !
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LU5DDX
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 7, 2009 17:20
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exelente equipo !!!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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asombroso equipo de hf se nota realmente la diferencia con su hermano menor el ts-450 el dsp esta bastante bien logrado , mucho mas en cw .. el nr-1 es muy efectivo y el NB trabaja exelentemente en cualquier condicion .. muy comodo para operar . sin tantos menues ni botones ocultos .. escucha mucho mejor que el ic-706mk2g y que el mismisimo ic-746 .. me faltaria probar el software que kenwood ofrese gratuitamente para este equipo .. lo unico que puedo observar es el mic de mano es un poco pobre , pero no sale de la linea de todos los microfonos de mano .. hasta ahora es uno de los mejores equipos que probe en rango medio de precio .. buena compra vamos por el ts-870 ... saludos jorge lu5ddx
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W3LZK
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 6, 2009 19:44
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I Like it I Like it!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Having recently acquired this radio from a friend with whom I have talked with on and off for the last 5 or 6 yrs.. This was a package deal, the Kenwood 570D(g), matching PS-53 power supply, and an MC-85 desk mic.. I will give credit to Ward K1DXB, his packing of all parts and pieces was exceptional! After carefully unpacking and taking each piece out and inspecting for any damage, which there was none thanks to the great packing. Once unpacked, set into its temporary operating position, I set about getting all cable connections securely installed it was time to put this baby on the air.
After turning the radio on, getting all the menu settings adjusted for my preferences it was time to make some contacts. It was quite easy, as there were a few stations on 20 meters, made a couple of contacts and moved on. On a lark I decided to try 10 meters, was I surprised, 10 was rocking, I picked a clear frequency and called CQ, one station answered we exchanged the typical signal reports,WX, etc. had a couple of those, then had a guy in OH. come back to my CQ, and we spent the next 45 minutes in the most pleasant ragchew that I've had in quite some time.
We talked about everything under the sun, yea there was some QRM,and when the band shifted we had to strain a couple times to hear each other, but we did. He did say that my audio was quite good, and with me not even having set the MC-85 to optimal working conditions, but work it did. That was a month ago, I have temporaryly taken my Icom 756 Pro off line, I want to use the 570D on a daily basis for a couple of months to fully explore its capabilities.
My main interest in the 570, besides it being a Kenwood, is that my son who has Down Syndrome belongs to the local special needs Boy Scout Troop. This troop has approximately one camp out per month per scout year, which runs from late August to the end of May. Now then, on several of these camp outs, I and 1 or 2 of the guys from our local club set up a couple of stations and hopefully if the propagation gods smile upon us we get some of the higher functioning scouts on the air. This works out quite well as most of the contacts are more than willing to take the time to work us and our scouts.
Now then here comes the 570 into the picture, on these camp outs being that it is a special needs scout troop they MUST have AC power so anywhere they go power is there. I am hoping that the 570 does as well out in the field as it so far has here at the house. Signal reports have been good to excellent audio, well its a Kenwood need I say more, with that being said, I know conditions wont be the same as they would be right noe here indoors, on a base antenna. Whereas, at the campsite I will be using a Hustler 4BTV hopefully with a couple of radials, then again maybe not, will have to see when the time comes. There will also be hopefully a 40-10 meter dipole, at the very least a 20 meter dipole. Will give another review after the first camp out and conditions prevailing hopefully it will be a great report. Listen for us in the next month or so.
73 de Mark
W3LZK
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NR4C
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 29, 2009 12:13
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Very Nice
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just acquired a used TS-570D(G) (friend upgraded? to TenTec) and so far I love it. He loaned me a MC-60 Mic and I got the system tuned up and working in about an hour after he shut the door on the way out. Signal and audio reports have been excellent. Locals say I "haven't sounded this good, ever!" Just ordered a Heil HM-10 (Dual) to go with it and am sure it will be a winner.
My old radio is an old Icom IC-735, and the Kenwood sounds better, the meter is larger and easier to read. I have disconnected my old LDG auto-tuner since the built-in tuner in the 570 works better on my loop antenna.
I like having some control on my outgoing audio, and the eq on the recieve as well. The DSP works quite well and pass-band width control helps cutout a lot of annoying adjacent channel cross-talk.
So far I only have two wishes, first is for a second filter slot, and two: "Wish I'd gotten a Kenwood before?"
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26JLH
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 19, 2009 18:51
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very very good audio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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got this kenwood 570d today and all have said what have you done its the best ive heard you.i must say this one was boxed with the cellophane protector still in place over front panel.i like the dial it is big and easy to see,its easy to setup as the menus are logical most settings can be done from front of set.it is very well made like a ham radio should be, not like some of the guff out there. i like icom and kenwood other radios are just pants as far as i can see they just look cheep and nasty and sound bad. kenwoods are well priced,beware of expensive imatations a lot of rig for a little monney is the 570 d the best out there used pure and simple ...jeff M6-GLH ..
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PA3CRC
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Rating: 3/5
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May 16, 2009 13:56
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nice SSB, poor CW
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Got one since 2001. I agree with many of the reviews, but want to make an amendment if it comes to CW.
The set is OK for SSB, but poor on CW reception, even with the IF filter installed. (and without that filter the set is even worthless on CW)
Those "toys" like the CW Autotune is not really necessary: it does not make it a CW set.
My QSO´s are 50% CW, 50% SSB, mostly 80m and 40m.
For SSB the set is fine, the receiver performs nicely and audio quality is good.It is a very sturdy chassis, I carry it around every holiday (camping in a tent) and it always worked well.
But on CW you get intermod in the receiver´s AF-section (or DSP?), which can get very annoying if there are two strong CW stns in the IF passband, even with the CW filter selected. This produces intermod products that sound like beeps switching on and off ("on" when both carriers are on)
I´ve got home brew rigs that perform much, much better on CW. (and yeah, I know, those do not have all the nice convenient uP-based features a TS570 has)
The ear is much more sensitive to those intermods in CW mode than it is while receiving speech. With speech, the intermod products are "hidden" in the 300....3000Hz speech spectrum while with CW these products really stand out.
The problem is that for good CW you need dynamic range right up to the headphones and not only up to the IF filter (which is OK for SSB). On 40 and 80, the change getting more signals within the IF passband id big, even with a narrow filter.
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K3RAP
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 7, 2009 14:50
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Good Overall - Some Flaws
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Overall, it's a pretty good rig. As new, it had a lot of features for the price. It's been discontinued and is now only available used. From the used prices I've seen, it's still a pretty good value. I've had mine since 2001 and use it almost daily. It has never failed. The multi/ch control has gotten a little jumpy requiring the contacts to be cleaned. This is fairly easy to do and is documented several places on-line. I use the radio on SSB, CW, digital (psk31, rtty) and occasionally on FM and AM. The mod for MARS or 60M use is simple.
I regularly get unsolicited "very good audio" reports using only the radio and a decent microphone (Heil Gold line or BM-10 head set). The internal tuner works great (but will not work on 60M). The AF DSP works fine under certain circumstances. When I'm jawing on 75M ssb, and it's crowded, I can eliminate QRM from the side very effectively. This works only if the signals you are trying to receive are strong. The CW auto tune works well. Noise reduction NR2 works well on CW. The Inrad 400Hz filter works great. If you plan on working CW, a CW filter makes a huge difference and is pretty much required. Also, if you have the CW filter installed, but tell the radio it's a ssb filter, it works great for psk31. The radio has three CW memories that come in handy. The NR1 noise reduction on ssb is OK (I leave is set around level 7). I don't recommend the auto setting as it makes the receive warble. The NB works OK for certain types of noise. The beat cancel feature eliminates the annoying tuner-upper on ssb, but the AGC will still pump away on the signal if it's strong. The rig runs very quiet. The cooling fan works on a thermostat and comes on very rarely. You have to run the rig full out, high duty cycle, for quite a while to get it to kick on, and even then, it's pretty quiet. It has two antenna connections which can be useful.
It has some issues however, that others have mentioned. There is no way to turn off the AGC. It will act on an adjacent signal and wipes out the receive. This happens when you are trying to work a weak one and some big signal is within the IF band pass. There is nothing the AF DSP will do about that. One mechanical filter slot!?!? Why? It can't be that costly. The Inrad 400Hz filter is super. So is their 1.8kHz ssb filter, but you can only have one in at a time. If you are like me, and work both CW and SSB, I think the CW filter is a better choice. The CW keyer, at times, mal-functions and sends out an extra character. Also, more than once I've been poking around in a menu and somehow invoked the memory keyer to start sending, which is just bizarre. There are two antenna ports, but you can't have them switch for TX vs. RX. It would be nice to have the radio automatically switch for a receive antenna. I know it's not a "high end" radio, but I would expect AGC off, and two mechanical filter slots in any modern era HF rig.
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