At 09:37 PM 8/29/02 -0600, Matt & Carrie Trott wrote:
>Could I humor those of you who have used both to compare the TS-850 vs. the
>IC-765? Which would you rather have?
Matt,
I own both radios. I've had the IC-765 since 1989; it is one of my
favorite radios which is why I still keep it around. I bought the TS-850
in 1998 as a traveling radio for Caribbean trips. Both are excellent
radios; the consideration of one vs. the other may be personal preference
more than anything else. Here's my thinking.
Both radios are excellent on CW.
IC-765 Advantages:
- Simpler, larger controls
- Slots for cascaded CW filters in both wide (~500) and narrow (~250)
- Standard on-board tuner (helpful for operation without an amplifier)
- Less internally-generated noise
- Separate keyer paddle and straight key (for computer keying) inputs
- Internal power supply (convenient for home use)
- Receive path brought thru jacks on rear panel (good for beverages of BPFs)
- Convenient connector types (RCA) for things like amp relay keying
TS-850 Advantages:
- CW reception on either LSB or USB
- CW spot function for zero beating
- External power supply (use a light switcher for traveling)
Some of the IC-765's advantages can be incorporated into the TS-850 thru
modification. Whether this is acceptable is up to you.
A couple things I don't like about the TS-850 are its use of DIN connectors
for a lot of common connections, some of these are wierdo configurations
that I defy you to find here in the USA.
My biggest gripe about the TS-850 is the fact that the !@$%^#&^ RIT cannot
be cleared; the control has to be re-centered or the RIT function turned
off. Yes, I know that with an RS-232 connection your logging program could
clear the RIT if it wanted to, but do that a few too many times and you'll
find the pot at the end of the range. Yeah - it's a pot like a TS-830 -
1980's technology.
Although your questioned focused on CW, I'll add that IMHO the TS-850 is
the better SSB radio. The receive bandwidth on SSB is better than the
IC-765, and the TS-850 has a real RF speech processor with adjustments
where you need them. However, the RIT still sucks.
FWIW
73,
Dave/K8CC
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