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Reviews For: KDK FM-2015R

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : KDK FM-2015R
Reviews: 14MSRP: 390
Description:
Late 70s 15W 2m FM mobile
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00143.9
AH6VC Rating: 2016-06-27
Simple to operate workhorse - great for the blind Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned one of these from 1991 to 1997 - purchased it from a blind ham who originally obtained it in 1979. It was great for blind users - the 100 kHz and 10 kHz knobs were concentric and had stops at both ends, so it was simple to input a frequency just by feel. Every other input on the radio was either a flipswitch or a knob with limited range or click stops.

The only problem I had with it was that the 5 kHz switch did not work right - it offset more like 8-9 kHz, and even the KDK repair facility in Dallas wasn't able to fix it. Fortunately, I never needed the 5 kHz feature.

Transmit audio with the KDK microphone was excellent, receive audio was always fine with the built-in speaker.

I used the radio primarily for packet the last few years - the 4-pin mic connector was very easy to connect to the TNC.

I eventually sold my radio in 1997 to a newly licensed blind ham. I hope the old rig is still getting use somewhere!
K7UA Rating: 2013-01-29
Alternator whine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had one of these as my 2M mobile and my father had two of them in his cars. They were great rigs except for one thing. They had alternator whine like no other radio I have ever owned. We tried everything, but could not get it shut down. Kept the rigs for quite a while, but eventually they were replaced. Mostly because we got tired of the whine.
K2WH Rating: 2012-03-05
Good Fixer Upper Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have (10) of these radios due to notalgic reasons (my first rig 35 years ago. Since they are had for a song and dance on Ebay, I just kept buying them. I am currently using one of em in the shack, very reliable. The others, I have gone through 4 others and 3 of them are "Parts Only" unless you are willing to repair them. I am currently working on the 5th one and that has a bad audio chip which I will probably replace. Other than that, I love this rig even with it's PL limitations but that can be overcome.

K2WH
N4FDG Rating: 2012-01-01
Great rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought one used in 1979. It was stolen in 1982. Back then I thought it was the Cadillac of rigs. Wish I still had it to go along with my old Yaesu FT 227 Memorizer.
EX_KM8AM Rating: 2012-01-01
What a Workhorse for 34 Years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought this rig in 1977 and have used it almost every day since then - first as a mobile, then at home for local repeaters, then on packet, and APRS.

As previous users commented - you can fix this rig by yourself. Simplex crystal went south in 2010 - easy fix.

Not useful for modern tone-access repeaters, but who cares. This thing will be around when the modern rigs are in the trash.

I love it!
N8EKT Rating: 2008-06-20
Fantastic transmit audio! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This was one of my first 2 meter radios.
The receiver wasn't great on selectivity but the transmit audio sounded like fm broadcast quality!
WW3QB Rating: 2007-05-21
Not bad for 30 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's been a while since this was reviewed. I bought mine new in 1977 at a hamfest. I was 17. It was so advanced back then. It was in service intil 1982 when I put it away. Now I am using it again. Power is still good. The lack of CTSS is it's most limiting feature, but at least my local repeater doesn't neet it. It actually has a very limited CTSS generator, but I can't get it above 130Hz. It may be possible to add a new CTSS board. There is some space.
VE1ZA Rating: 2004-11-13
Great for the price Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this rig 10 years ago at least--for 75 dollars. It worked OK for 5 years and went south--Poor Rx & erratic TX power. I just got it working again.

The last 5 years I had the same problem as described in previous reviews, poor RX (distortion and erratic TX power). I traced the problem to the relay contact used to control the TX and RX switching voltage. The contact had a voltage drop of 6 volts! I by-passed this contact with another relay and the radio works fine now. The TX power is a bit low--10 Watts instead of 15, but hey. I also cannot get low power adjusted properly. If I reduce power, it drops to less that 0.5W. As well, I replaced the light used to illuminate the S-meter.

Its an good rig for the price and seems solid as a rock now. I suspect the TX relay contact will eventually go but.....

Not bad for a 30 year old rig and its NOT PLASTIC and you can fix it.

Let me know if you need a manual--Tony VE1ZA
AJ5F Rating: 2003-09-03
OK within limits Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I rated it 3 (OK) because mine has been fair reliable, but it has had a problem. I bought it at a hamfest in the Carolinas (can't remember if it was North or South) in 1988 for $80. I used it on packet for a couple of years and then packed it away for 13 years while I was inactive. It still works fairly well today. The first thing to go was the "wedding cake" switch. The smallest knob (10 kHz) just wouldn't work. Contact cleaner and hitting the contacts with a soldiering iron didn't help. Too much aftermarket to get a new switch so I added a dip switch and cut a hole in the top cover just behind the front panel. Dip switches (4) work as a binary. It's still putting out 15 w. on high power and 1 w. on low, and still receives OK. Biggest problem now is: NO CTCSS!!
If anyone has experience adding a CTCSS board to this rig, email me NOW at mitchell@advantexmail.net.
K7LZR Rating: 2003-07-02
Rugged & Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 2015R used in September 1982 - Almost 21 years ago. I've used it on voice and on packet, mobile and at home, and it has worked flawlessly except for my having to replace the xmit driver transistor about 5 years ago. Still in use here in my shack as the primary voice and packet radio and still performing just as it did 21 years ago. I have experienced none of the problems which were described in other reviews.