|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
|
You can
write your own review of the Kenwood TS-950SDX.
|
ON4KBZ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Aug 4, 2011 04:33
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
kenwood ts 950sdx
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I would like to make a comment on this transceiver that I have owned during 3 years; reception WAS perfect
transmission perfect 150watts out on ssb
transmission and on all bands ;
The only defect that increased every day was a shift Ļof reception frequency tha shifted more and more widely from the fundamental in reception but not in transmission ; the result was
that during a QSO you didn't hear your correspondent anymore because your frequency of reception was shifted while the frequecy indication did not change ; repair was not easy but finally corrected the defect on the control digital board ON4KBZ
|
|
WA1RKT
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Feb 26, 2011 07:42
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great radio for living with contesters
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I bought a TS-950SDX from an ad in qrz.com and immediately started having problems, traced to the infamous bad solder joint issues on the PLL board. By pure luck I found another PLL board on ebay, bought it and put it in and the radio has been flawless since. Haven't had a chance to really shake it down but so far it's the best radio I've owned.
I say "great radio for living with contesters" because I am on a couple of 20-meter SSB traffic nets and the contesters on contest weekends make our lives absolutely miserable when we're trying to pass traffic, mostly to and from Haiti where the rebuilding effort following the earthquake has made little or no measurable progress, and the cholera epidemic results in priority traffic to the US on an almost daily basis. I do find that the TS-950SDX is better than any other radio I've owned in trying to filter out the contesters who don't care that the frequency is already in use.
Yesterday I bought another TS-950SDX from a local ham. This one has the INRAD roofing filter mod and I found out something... the roofing filter mod KILLS the bandscope function of the SM-230. The roofing filter is prior to the pickoff point for the bandscope so it makes sense that it would do this. So, now I need to decide whether I want the roofing filter more than I want the bandscope capability. For the record the bandscope has only limited capability anyway.
INRAD suggests I modify the 950SDX to change the point at which the bandscope pickoff point is located. Have any of you done that?
|
|
KM6SD
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Aug 15, 2010 20:22
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
High mark of Kenwood development !
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
Me and a friend went over to the QTH of a top notch DXer who owns a venerable Icom IC781...His antennas consist of a HyGain TH-11DX on a 90' Tower and 1/2 wave full length dipoles for 160 and 80/40 at 75'...My buddy lugged his Yaesu FT-1000D, and I brought the SDX.....We did side by side comparisons of RX/TX and it took about 10 hours.....We consistently got best audio reports from the SDX using the MC-90 mic, RX was usually a 3 way tie, but some weak ones were more listenable on the Kenwood as well !!!!!I have had zero issues the last 15 years, and this is a lifetime keeper.....Also have the SM-230 Station monitor, SP-950 speaker & TL-922 Amp.....Analog is still King of the hill IMO !!!!!
|
|
W7MJM
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Feb 11, 2010 05:23
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent Rig, well worth maintaining
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I love my TS-950SDX and wouldn't consider selling it. With great transmit audio, superb reception and very comfortable ergonomics, it has a well deserved reputation as a top-notch rig, holding its own against equipment nearly two decades its junior. One thing in particular that I like about this rig is the way it combines analog filtering with digital signal processing.
As with all older equipment, you need to invest some time maintaining it, but I've found the effort to be well worth it. Fortunately there's lots of good information on how to keep your TS-950SDX purring at http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jaking/TS-950sdx.htm (Thank you Jeff!)
And when, as sometimes happens, you become enamored of a younger rig that may not yet require as much TLC (though that's not always the case), or you simply decide it's time to hang up the soldering iron, you can easily find another ham who will happily pay good money for your used TS-950SDX. But I'm keeping mine!
|
|
K8CPA
|
Rating: 1/5
|
Feb 11, 2010 02:00
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Nice Rig, but when they get older, they get issues!
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I had a couple of minutes to kill here and I thought I would share with you my personal nightmare. It is my Kenwood TS-950SDX.
I got it from a friend of mine's estate; his call was N8OPK. Not in the callbook anymore, He passed away at age 43. Died back in 1996. Massive heart attack, his aunt sold me the radio. They originally went over $4000 new. I got this one for $1500, which at the time, back in 2000, was a steal.
To be fair to Kenwood, I got 5 good years out of this radio. Which is pretty darned good considering the radio was basically transmitting through what some would call a Dummy Load with wires on it. It was a Van Gordon Engineering Shorty All bander Dipole. To be blunt, the antenna was a piece of crap. But it was a CHEAP piece of crap and I bought it and a 4:1 Balun and I was the king the world! Or so I thought so...
Speed Ahead 5 or so years. I operate, or used to operate alot of 75 meters. To me, 75 meters was the refuge away from the tin foil hat wearing 2 meter geeks with their 5 milliwatt H.T's and them wondering why they cannot hit every repeater in Detroit. Anyhow, one day the Kenwood started doing something odd; the RX would cut out, SWR pegged, I thought it was the antenna. I believe now, it might have been a combo of the rig AND the tuner. (I have a MFJ 989C, that just got "gone though" by a friend of mine...)
Anyhow, I consult with the "Experts" and they tell me, it's a pot in the TXCO Unit. and so, I get that replaced and Naturally, I still got issues. I THINK I've got it nailed down to the Resister Packs in the PLL unit. What the problem is, they tell me, is that the Kenwood had an issue with these radio, some idiot in Japan at Kenwood did not turn up the soldiering ovens high enough and the stupid soldier on the boards didn't get a good flow and that's causing all kinds of problems for this radios. They finally fixed it in like the last 1000 rigs out the door. But all the rest have the issue.
To give credit where it is due; my good friend, Matt AC8AC worked on this thing and He and I tried to get it going. I still make take it back down to his place and leave it and see if he can work the kinks out. Maybe reflow all those stupid traces. I can't do it, my eyesight is shot, and my hand ain't that steady, plus, I just don't own the good equipment. :(
How's this for a heart breaking story. I get a new homebrew antenna up, got my tuner gone though, and operate for all of about 6 hours and the rig goes kaput on me. I mean, I was ready to farking cry. :(
So, take it from someone who's been there and done that. AVOID the 950SDX! Because it just ain't worth trouble. Some like the rig. But, I know for a fact, that as they get older, they develop issues.
What compounds the problem, I am unemployed, have been since 2005. So, I'm stuck with the Broke rig, and new antenna and zero funds to fix it. What really stinks is this; I could have SOLD this rig back around 2003, and made enough to buy a decent rig. Now, I'd be lucky to get 850 for the rig and that would be with all the original stuff that comes with the rig, and the box, none of which I have! :( So, I'm stuck with a junk rig, that I cannot afford to fix and when I do sell it, I'll be lucky if I make anything on it.
73
-Chuck K8CPA
Lincoln Park, Michigan
|
|
WS4B
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jun 10, 2009 12:42
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
The best radio ever made....Period!
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
This is when Kenwood made great HF radios. Sorry TS-2000 owners, but one cannot compare a 950SDX with a TS-2000. They don't even belong in the same room.
I have owned this rig for almost a year now, and I can tell you that this is the best HF rig ever made, period! That's including the new high end stuff that it out by Icom, Yaesu, Flex, Elecraft, Ten-Tec, etc. If you wish to have great TX and recieve abilites, this radio is first rate. I get glowing audio reports from this XCVR and after RX/TX modifications by WZ5Q, the radio has gone from great to awesome!
If you can find one of these babies, buy it! The person that is selling it may be crazy for doing so, but thats his/her problem. I will never sell this radio. NEVER!!!
Pics or a desire to have a Sked with me to hear this radio is available by e-mailing me at bmessick@tampabay.rr.com.
73 de W4BJM
Brad
|
|
AA9RN
|
Rating: 5/5
|
May 31, 2009 16:18
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
The Best
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
Ok.The best in my eyes and ears.I bought it used about 7 years ago.I have had no problems.Now I cant compare it to alot of radios because I only had the 450 before 950sdx.I hear alot more dx on the low bands with this radio.I have same antennas up yet.I do have a hearing problem and the 950 seems to help in the changing of the tone on CW when they are lite.Now this review is not from a expert.But from one that likes to work and listen to alot of DX.I would like to try the FT 2000d but am afraid it might not live up to the 950.
The only down fall is parts as the radio gets older.
|
|
K8CPA
|
Rating: 5/5
|
May 23, 2009 16:56
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
An review after 9 years of use
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I give it a 5, because quite frankly, I have zero right to complain.
I bought this rig from an estate sale of a ham, who became a silent key in 1997. I hate to admit it, but, he was using on CB. Yeah, 4K for a radio, and he was using it on the CB band. Amazing isn't it!?!
Anyhow, I got it, no original boxes, manuals or anything. Just the radio, and filters and such.
I took possession of the radio in 2000. I ran a Van Gordon short all bander dipole at 40 feet. For 5 solid years, I got nothing but excellent service from this rig.
In 2005, the rig developed the infamous TCXO board pot issue. I tried to fix it. Oh, I fixed it alright, busted the pot a good one! D'oh!
I finally put up a better antenna. I will be ordering said pot from Miles at AES next week, and a friend of mine and I are going to replace said pot.
I may keep it, and then again, I might just put it up for sale. She's getting older, and I just don't have the money to keep putting into her. I'd like to sell it, but I'd have to get enough for a ICOM 756 Pro 3. But she's quite old, I don't know if anyone would give me, what *I* think it is worth.
In short, If you can find a late serial number version, like I have. Get it. I'm the second owner of this rig, and I love it. It would be a heart wrenching experience to sell this rig. Once you've had the best, it's hard to go down.
Some of you will understand.
73 de K8CPA
-Chuck
|
|
EA4AZZ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 20, 2009 06:20
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
the best kenwood
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
What can I say???
16 years and works like the first day. The best kenwood ever made.
One of the best receivers and the tx is the best of the best.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
