Friday, August 20, 2010

K3 Killer imminent?

Kenwood Corporation recently announced the October launch of the long-awaited TS-590 HF/6m transceiver. Described in some quarters as a "K3 killer", the new transceiver uses the novel (for modern Japanese radios) approach of a single conversion receiver with a low (11.374MHz) IF on the amateur bands to give what is claimed to be exceptional dynamic range.

The news release bears careful reading, as what it doesn't say is as interesting as what it does. The receiver will have a 6KHz roofing filter directly after the mixer, followed by a 500Hz or 2.7KHz filter (both included as standard) after the post-amplifier. But a footnote states that "For 1.8/3.5/7/14/21MHz amateur bands, when receiving in CW/FSK/SSB modes down conversion is selected automatically if the final passband is 2.7kHz or less" which suggests that a conventional (for the Japanese) up conversion will be used for the short wave bands, AM or FM modes, the WARC bands, 10 and 6m.

I think the current obsession with receiver performance figures is absurd. I am far from being a member of the Elecraft fan club, but even assuming the TS-590 does turn out to outperform the K3 on the main amateur bands, I think anyone considering swapping their K3 for the Kenwood on that basis would be foolish.

As far as I know, the Kenwood will not have an option for a second receiver, nor one for a panadapter. It will not have the transverter and external preamp interfacing (which I use to insert the MFJ noise canceller) nor an independent receive antenna input. I doubt that it will have fully isolated audio inputs for data nor a soft ALC in digital modes that allows you to vary the power output in PSK31 without fiddling with computer mixer settings to avoid IMD problems. I'm sure it won't have an internal 144MHz option either.

Whenever I look at the features of the K3 that I am currently using, I realize that there is nothing else on the market at a price I am willing to pay, nor which would fit on my operating desk, that could do what my K3 is doing.

The price of the TS-590 will be 228,900 Yen, or about £2,000 by the time you have added on VAT (never mind the usual exorbitant UK dealer mark-up.) If it goes on sale here at £2,499 I will not be surprised. Compared to currently available HF radios and Kenwood's previous HF models including the TS-570 to which this new rig bears a considerable similarity, the TS-590 looks overpriced for what in the end is nothing more than a compact HF/6m radio.

A K3 killer? I don't think so!

5 comments:

  1. Morning Julian
    I too have the K3 and it is a very nice radio with lots of potential. As for Kenwood, Yaesu or Icom for that matter and there new rig releases, all I can say is competition keeps them all improving and on their toes.....including Elecraft.

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  2. I agree with your remarks on rig spec "obsessions". Something like audiophiles obsessed with receiver/speaker reproduction of "highs" only their pet poodle could hear.

    Well, my three FT-817s acquired over the years will have to do. Concerns that my pension/social security won't be here at this time next year precludes any big-ticket purchases.

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  3. I'm not too sure that Kenwood has posited the 590 as a "K3 Killer" (have they?).

    Looks like Stateside it will retail for around $1800, about in the middle of the road for HF transceivers with similar numbers, features, etc.

    Kenwood has a large and loyal following and assuming no major bugs with the early units they will likely sell a lot of these over the coming decade.

    And besides, this nonsense about "competition class" transceivers is rubbish bandied about by those who enjoy playing games with their radio ~ though most could probably never tell the difference between "competition" class and just a good receiver.

    But lots of people like to believe marketing crap and they love to believe that they own the "best" transceiver that money can buy which explains the endless banality in mailing lists arguing over which one is the "best"...

    :-)

    73, Jeff KE9V

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  4. I don't think Kenwood have officially called it a "K3 Killer" though I've seen reports of conversations with Kenwood reps at shows like Dayton where the comparison was made, and the chatterers on the forums have certainly used the phrase. Anyway, "K3 Killer" has a better ring to it than "Kenwood rig that some people think might have a better receiver than the K3." :)

    Welcome back. Shame your blog's gone, though.

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  5. This is an ad from one of the hamradio magazines i think:

    http://www.arifidenza.it/Public/data/I7SWX/201071021731_TS590vsK3.jpg

    Smells like a K3 killing attempt ..hi

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