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write your own review of the Kenwood TS-520S.
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N2UGB
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 20, 2008 06:12
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Fine Everyday Casual Rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Not my first but a recent purchase. Have had several over the years. Great rig for everyday use. It is not a super-station contest rig for today's competitions. Since I don't compete...no problem.
Most of the good reports listed here apply to my opinion of the 520S.
Mine has the CW filter. Try and get one, if you can. If not, look for an outboard audio or DSP filter. On CW, my mode, very necessary.
Spend a few extra bucks for a good hybrid. There are DOAs out there that can be frustrating and require major restoration.
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N6EAJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 28, 2007 11:06
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Old faithfull
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I've been a ham since 1981, but just got active in the last six months. I called up my Dad to see if he had a HF radio I could try out. I was interested in PSK31. The Kenwood TS-520S was sitting out in a shed at my parents house.... I am thinking this is a permanent "loan". When I first saw it I thought " wow, the 70s called and they want their radio back". I was so wrong. I started to research the radio. There are some great websites out there devoted to the radio. It was one of the radios to own back in the late 70s/early 80s. The tube output stage and tuning scared me a bit at first. I am no stranger to analog electronics, but I know very little about tubes. http://www.k4eaa.com/ has great info on the unit including a step by step guide on tuning the radio.
I can tune her up in about 10 seconds now for whatever band I want to use it on. I use a 140ft inverted V dipole with it and an antenna tuner. I popped the lid and took a look around inside. Wow! Some amazing mechanical engineering go on there. Beautiful variable capacitor plates, chain driven shafts......
I have made contacts using voice on 160m, 80m, 40m, and 10 meters. I have also used the 520S for PSK31/MFSK16 on 80m and 20 meters. I normally adjust my audio input level for a 30W output on PSK31 or the other digital modes.
Even though she is almost 30 years old, she works great. The plate voltage holds up well while transmitting.
Perhaps I will eventually get a modern HF transceiver, but the Kenwood is a great unit that can be had for a fraction of the price of new transceivers. She might drift frequency a bit, but for the price (okay, mine was free, but for the going used rate) she rates a full 5.
Matt
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KA4DPO
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 27, 2007 10:42
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LIKE A ROCK
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've owned my TS-520S for about five years. I picked it up at a hamfest for a couple of hundred dollars along with the VFO, Antenna Tuner, and Speaker. It has the original S2001A finals in it and has full output. The reciever needed an alignment which is very easy to do on this radio and it came to life.
Great receiver, great transmit audio, and built like the proverbial brick out house. Given the number still in use today, and the quality of construction the TS-520 series are probably the best amateur tranceivers ever made. If you find one, buy it, if you own one, keep it.
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KU2US
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 6, 2007 22:55
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A REAL radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I had owned one of these about 20 years ago and never should of sold it. I just recently bought a mint 520S and glad I did. This is a REAL radio. Built like a sherman tank, looks like a real radio, performs rock solid, love the knobs, the lights, the smell of the 6146B's, and will probably outlast me! Very forgiving, great cw and ssb optional filters (of which I had installed), and still available outboard options (VFO/mics/transverters/dig.readout). Its big, clumsy, 3 knobs to tune it, visually attractive, but most of all, a SUPER performer. Many on Ebay, get one.
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HB9TRE
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 29, 2007 06:52
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Great rig... mine was stolen last year---
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Hi,
It was my first rig in 1978 (bough in Canada when I first got my VE2FTT license). Left it at my parents place when I moved to Europe a few years ago and the rig was stolen 2 years ago...
Learned to load a rig properly, no antenna tuner included so one needed to learn how to cut an inverted vee... Easy interface to get some packet and RTTY done... never changed original tubes ;-)
Moved up to FT990 in 1992, added a FT897 a couple of years ago but kept the TS520S since it simply worked and did the job. Most of DXCC made with the TS520S and inverted vee antenna...
Now looking to buy one (or a TS520) to get that great feeling again...
73's
Bruno
p.s. I don't have the serial number of the stolen rig but there are 3 idents on the front panel, both right and left bottom corners made with a metal saw... just in case you see one like that around ;-)
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KD8ESF
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 1, 2007 18:03
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Great rig and fun to use
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Traded for a Kenwood TS-520S about 2 months ago. Boy am I glad I did. Tuning was a bit tricky to learn but once it's tuned the world is at my door. I can go right through pile-ups with ease. I use an Icom IC-735 (and really like it also) but the 520S is a better radio. Very good transmit and receive sound. Simple G5RV is all I need for an antenna which is also nice. Love this radio and highly recommended.
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VE4AMN
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 23, 2006 12:22
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Classic rig that retains value and pleasure
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned one for over a decade. I recently did the front end mod, cleaned some pots,the tuning capacitor wipers, and then realigned it - et voila! a new rig. It is as sensitive as my FT1000MP (and any other rig I have) but does not have the slice and dice features of cascaded filters or DSP. But I still really enjoy using this rig and was going to put it on eBay after the mods but not anymore!
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NL7W
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 23, 2006 11:20
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The TS-520S Is Still Fun!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A solid, bomb-proof radio that's still fun to use today. The transmit audio is excellent, besting most modern radios. As well, the receiver audio is of typical Kenwood quality -- wonderful. Although the receiver's strong signal handling capability leaves much to be desired, a mod helps reduce this shortcoming.
In closing, I like it! With my properly aligned DG-5 digital display and CW filter, the rig is a joy operate.
It's a Classic!
73.
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PA3AGZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 20, 2006 03:32
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Still love my TS520
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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When started as a ham, approx 1977, I was advised by an elder OM that this rig would change my live as a radio-amateur.
Today, I still own my first bought TS520
(incl. TV502-TV506-VFO520-DG5)
The DC-DC-converter is good for field-days, JOTA etc...
A few weeks back, I bought a TS530, couldn't leave it behind on Ebay.
I hope there will be a solid-state repacement/solution for the 12BY7 and 6146 tubes as this rig is a good solid peace of equipment, not been made nowadays.
73's from Holland
Bill - PA3AGZ
P.S. ALso have a look at the Yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TS-520_820_530_830/
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W4KPA
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 30, 2006 07:29
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Capable, durable
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I had trouble deciding between a 4 and a 5, because compared to a radio of recent design, the 520 series can't compete, of course. But, any rating less than the tops just wouldn't do justice to this fine old radio. I got one in the mid-70s when I upgraded. I still have it. It works fine. The transmit audio on these radios is superb, and I get unsolicited compliments on it all the time. I used mine for years on 2 meter SSB with the matching TV-502 transverter. I combined it with a mast-mouned preamp, and it worked like a champ.
If mine ever quits working (which I doubt will happen), I'll just use it as a bookend. These things go for a song today. Buy one and use it. You'll enjoy it and it will make the bands sound better.
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