Re: Provocative Kenwood Advert working link here

Posted by Julian, G4ILO on
URL: http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/what-was-so-provocative-The-Answer-tp5249768p5251031.html

That was an ad from a Kenwood dealer in the UK, in the latest RadCom. I think it is grossly misleading, however "ethics" and "UK ham radio dealer" are rarely used in the same sentence unless accompanied by the words "lack of".

I don't know whether the Kenwood has an IF out or not because I haven't seen a picture of the back panel but I bet it also doesn't have switchable RX antenna input/output, transverter input/output, or dual receivers. I'd also be pleasantly surprised if it has a true RS-232 control interface, isolated line in/out sockets or handles digital modes as well as the K3 does. All of those features are important to me, and no other radio south of the IC-7600 comes close to matching them. On top of that the K3 has the internal 2m option, which again I'm sure the Kenwood doesn't.

Unfortunately this hobby seems to have become fixated on receiver performance, despite the fact that for the kind of operating most people do, any of the rigs out there do a good enough job already. So if Kenwood does manage to match or better the K3's numbers, it will receive critical accolades far beyond what it deserves as an overall package.

Jeff kb2m wrote

What I don't like about the new Kenwood is that it doesn't have an IF out. I
think they shot themselves in the foot on that one.