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Reviews For: Kenwood R2000

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

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Review Summary For : Kenwood R2000
Reviews: 29MSRP: 450.00
Description:
The R-2000 is an innovative all-mode SSB, CW, AM, FM receiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/kc7bum/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00294.2
N7BWB Rating: 2020-09-15
Reliable, Capable, Sensitive and Intermod Prone Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I received my R2000 as a Christmas gift from my now ex-wife new, in 1985. In spite of her being an ex, this radio was one of the nicest gifts I've ever received.
First off, this has been an extremely reliable rig. In the 35 years that I've owned it, I've had two issues pop up. 1. The dial lamp decided to "fail" after leaving it in the garage over the (cold) winter. I lived with it for awhile then decided to order a replacement lamp. Before the order went out, the lamp started working. That was last April, and it has worked since. 2. The attenuator switch has recently been going flaky on me. I dosed it with a shot of DeOxit, and it appears to be fine now. In 35 years of ownership. That is it. Reliable as a brick.
What I like about this rig: In spite of being such an odd duck, the limited memory system in this radio can be put to good use. Each memory is essentially a VFO, so you can set up your memories quickly for manually scanning bands, nice since there is no direct frequency entry. Memories hold the demod mode.
Sensitivity: Although not the most sensitive receiver in the stable (currently a tie between my R8 and my R390A) it is able pull out very weak signals. As a MW DXer, it picks up my weak (OR, WA, UT) daytime fringe stations with ease. I'm in southwestern Idaho.
Ergonomics: Once you get the hang of it (quickly) it's easy to use. The three manual scan speeds can get you from one end of the band to the other quickly.
Reliability. Like a rock.
Quirks: In the lower bands it makes a slight clicking sound every hundred khz. Has done it since new.
What I don't like about this rig: 1. Since I've owned this rig, I've moved 8 times, and it's always been used at each QTH. I lived in the country for a decade plus and had no problems with intermod. I currently live within 10 miles of three fairly heavy hitting MW broadcast stations and the poor R2000 front end crumbles under the load. And the attenuator is too broad...it's all or nothing. In retrospect, both my R8 and my R390A are rock solid. My three SDRs (RSPdx/SDRiq/G90) are unable to handle the RF load either, so the R2000 is in good company in that respect. 2. Muddy sounding 2.7 khz narrow filter. It is what it is. Not especially good.
Overall: As reliable as this rig has been, I can't give it a 5 because of the inability to stand up to our current local RF torture. But if you live a good distance away from AM broadcast towers, this is a reliable, sensitive, and unique Kenwood exercise. If you can get a good deal on one, give it a try.


BXLISTENER Rating: 2013-02-23
It grows on you! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I thought I'd do another review for the R2K so I could up it's rating from the 3 I gave it to a 4. This is now the receiver I use all the time. My FRG 7700 died and when I looked inside I found lots of yukky glue stuff in the tuning slugs and other places. The R2K is held together with nuts bolts and screws so you can strip it down like a car if you want to. For me the worst thing about it is it's low dynamic range so I set the RF ATT to -20dB sometimes. I sent it away to Castle Electronics for a realignment and to get a new memory battery installed and the engineer was quite impressed with it. Happy days!
K8JHR Rating: 2012-07-10
Great - Solid Build - Good Performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am VERY satisfied with my Kenwood R-2000 receiver. It is very well made, and feels solid and durable, and still works they same as it did when I purchased it in 1986. It works OK on SSB, and really shines receiving SW broadcast stations. It is not the most sensitive DX machine, but it does a good job and with a really good antenna, it does a solid job, and sounds especially good - very good internal speaker - one of the few SW radios that you don't need an external speaker to really enjoy.

This is a basic Kenwood receiver - it is not as good as its bigger brother, the R-5000 - which I have also owned for many years - and does better with broadcast stations than it does on the ham bands, but, nevertheless, it works well on both assignments.

This radio is really BUILT WELL, and is made to last. It looks good, and sounds good, and holds up to the ravages of time and long use. Other receivers may be as sensitive and selective, but they won't last as long or look as good for as long as the R-2000. I have used mine as an AM DX rig, employing various high quality, high performance antennas and this rig will end up in my Estate Sale after I am gone, I like it that much.

Bottom line: Good, solid, general purpose radio, with good reception, really good audio, and good looks. I feel I am getting more than my money's wroth - after 26 years, it has become an old friend.

Happy trails and good DX to ya. / James -K8JHR /
WA9LAE Rating: 2011-12-23
Nice for general listening Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I won this receiver off eBay for $125.00 so right
away I was ahead! Advertised as untested and rightly
as it had audio but no signals came through. All the
controls did something so things looked promising.
Fortunately, the problem proved easy to find as
the two headers on the antenna input PCB were
shorted together. I separated them and poof, I was
receiving signals. Aside from spraying control/contact cleaner in the AF Gain and Tone pots and the RF ATT switch I was good to go. Oh, I also replaced the S-meter bulb. After 5 days of use I am pleased to report it can hear anything
that my R-5000 hears. Selectivity is pretty good
but I really need the optional CW filter to aid
in CW reception. The noise blanker needs some
adjustment so that's next. Works but only so-so.
I don't use the scanning features on any of my
receivers so I can't comment there. My concern
is with reception of weaker signals on SSB and CW
and audio quality of SW and MW AM stations and
there this rig is right up there with the best
medium-priced receivers. I'm a happy camper and
would recommend the R-2000 to anyone looking for
a good, all-around workhorse.
STEVEQ Rating: 2011-11-04
Nice little rig Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Being an avid SWL with a number of mil spec receivers I ventured into the solid state world with the Kenwood R-2000 with the UHF VC-10 option installed.

I like this little rig, the audio is very nice, the tuning is just fine and the filters do what they are suppose to do.

Negatives: well it is not one of the big mil spec rigs but having said that, it does hold its own and it is a lot of fun to work ........ wow and it has memory and scan capabilities, that is new to me (ha,ha)

Find a good one and have fun with it .....

KI6RSE Rating: 2011-08-26
EXCELLENT Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Ive owned a couple of these and I personally like them better than some of the higher end radios..Rock steady on frequency ..very sensitive..Nice features..easy to tune on side band,,excellent for the price..
WB3IGR Rating: 2010-08-29
Great Receiver Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought mine on E-Bay. It was advertized as a working unit. When it arrived I was surprized to see that it had the VC-10 VHF converter installed. Outside of a few scratches and missing one cabinet foot it was an outstanding buy! I have the HF hooked up to a wire antenna outside at about 25 feet and the VHF converter is hooked to a discone antenna in my attic. It still receives very well with both antennas.
GM1SXX Rating: 2010-03-21
very average Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hi,

I've owned one of these receivers since they were new. Mine has the VC-10 VHF converter.
I have to rate it as a poor receiver, especially the VC-10 converter which is fairly deaf and produces loud pops as it automatically switches during tuning between the three oscillators used to cover the VHF band. On VHF it overloads very easily and pager transmitters in this area break through all over the VHF band.
On HF it suffers from quite a few internally generated spurious signals and by comparison with other receivers I use here, it's a poor performer. It cost a lot of money here in the UK for what is really a very mediocre radio.
The older, cheaper and simpler R600 is a better performer. Ditto the ancient Yaesu FGR-7.
Although I've owned this radio for many years, I'm reluctant to pass it on, because I rate it so poorly. It just gets used as a medium wave bedside radio, all it's really good for IMHO.
Not one of Trio/Kenwood's better efforts.
73 Al.
GM1SXX


KB3QIA Rating: 2009-11-17
One of the best I've used! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got a nearly new one of these off eBay a few years back, and find it to be one of the best all-around rigs I've used. Mine had the VC-10 already installed, as well as a Collins Mechanical filter. Especially nice is the ability to tune down to 50hz, which enables you to zero in on most stations. The only thing I find lacking is the ability to adjust the BFO while staying on frequency. It can be difficult with the available tuning steps to resolve voice transmissions so that they sound natural. Other than that, a great radio!
M0WZM Rating: 2009-07-29
Couldn't ask for more Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just got an almost pristine Trio badged R2000. The audio is great as everyone says and the sensitivity even with my temporary bit of very random wire brings in more than my ICF SW7600GR on the whip (although, to be fair, it's very subjective at the moment).
I found the rudimentary scanning options a bit confusing at first until I finally gave in and read the manual. The program scan in particular could be useful. The memory scan is a bit pointless maybe with only 10 memory slots. Have found no problems resolving SSB properly with 50Hz tuning either.
Construction oozes quality as well.
Money well spent.