[amsat-bb] Problems with the Kenwood TS-2000 for satellite work

["Cris David Salanga \(KG6VFX\)" <KG6VFX@xxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

    I just wanted to mention how I was able to solve some problems using a
Kenwood TS-2000 for satellite work.  Now, I started working satellites about a
month ago, so I'm still pretty green.  I started with an Arrow II beam and a
Yaesu VX-7R HT, from that point I was hooked!  I researched different rigs and
decided on the purchase of the Kenwood TS-2000 based on the the reviews of it
on eham.net.  What I later learned is that the rig has a birdie (internal
beat) on 436.799MHz (+/- 10kHz).  This makes the rig deaf for AO-27 and SO-50
until the doppler corrected frequency gets down to about 436.791MHz.  I was
pretty bummed out when I learned this.  The TS-2000 also does not allow you
program a PL tone while it is in "satellite" mode and using the trace function
in "satellite" mode incorrectly shifts the uplink frequency by an excessive
magnitude.

SOLUTIONS:

    I really liked the TS-2000 and decided that instead of returning it for a
Yaesu FT-847, I would get a Yaesu FT-817ND to use as a separate reciever.  I
chose the FT817 because it can also be controlled by WiSP and Orbitron.  This
solved the birdie problem for AO-27 and SO-50.  Incidentally, I found that if
I put the sub band into memory mode, put the main band in VFO mode, I could
program a PL for the uplink frequency and still retain doppler correction via
WiSP.  This solves the PL tone issue for AO-51 and SO-50.  In order for this
to work, you have to configure WiSP to use a separate rig for the downlink.
This prevents the TS-2000 from entering "satellite" mode while WiSP corrects
doppler.

    I hope this helps anybody with a TS-2000.  I contacted Kenwood and
received "canned" email responses regarding the PL tone issue and the doppler
shift magnitude issue.  I don't believe they intend to resolve these anytime
soon.

    Has anybody else figured this out?


73 de kg6vfx
Cris
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