What nobody tells you about when they review the revered Kenwood R-5000
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- Опубликовано: 5 янв 2025
- Kenwood R-5000
Very attenuated MW
Poor stock filters for broadcast listening
Despite this it’s a great radio and very sensitive on SW. Audio listening quality is good and it has the bonus of dual VFO’s.
I always liked the look of the Kenwood, but I bought a Icom R71E new, glad I did now.
I agree 100% with your opinion here. I have a 5000 and have done several videos on it including a direct head to head comparison with the JRC 525. My 5000 has the deluxe 6khz filter as well as 2.4, 1.8, and .6. I am contemplating changing the 2.4 for a 3.0. Truth be told, the deluxe 6khz is so good that the only time you need a 3.0 or 4.0 filter is if you are working 2 signals 5khz apart, and even then you can do some work arounds like tune off 1 khz away from the other signal. I call that “poor mans pass band tuning”. The IF shift would be great in these scenarios but Kenwood disables the IF Shift in AM mode
@@dieselten01 I found a 3 kHz filter for sale (albeit expensive!) that is on a plug in board. I could take that off the board and put the YK88A I have on the board and then solder in the 3 kHz filter.
At the moment I have the stock 6kHz filter, YK88S 2.4 kHz, YK88SN 1.8 kHz and the YK88C at 500 Hz.
I hooked mine up to my ground plane and wow!
When I was studying for my first amateur radio exam back in the 90's I would see the Kenwood R5000 in magazines and catalogs. It's cosmetically similar to the Kenwood TS140 and the TS440S/AT amateur HF transceivers. I had both radios and I owned a Kenwood TS 450S/AT. I got to use an R5000 once and it is a very good receiver in my opinion. It has its issues but every radio does. Nice video, 73🙂
It's just a TS-440 receiver section. Some front panel differences, but the same case.
Good to know. I was looking at one on a well known auction site. I will look into the JRC now. Thanks for sharing.
@@MartinAndersonSatanSon It’s a really nice radio and very sensitive on SW. The JRC’s don’t have great stock filters themselves and often no CW filter installed but there’s no attenuation on MW and the audio is superb with a separate speaker. Plus you have easier direct keypad entry, but a big plus is dual VFO. Swings and roundabouts basically.
@@arcticradio Thanks for replying to my post. I'll do some more research before spending my money. Happy New Year to you.
@ I just saw a JRC NRD-525 go for 275 euros recently. It was a bargain! Especially on that well known auction site. I paid 350 for mine
@@arcticradio I think prices may be falling - I offered mine for £200 a while ago on 'Ham Radio Deals' but no takers. I won't use eBay for selling radios no matter what the prices reach, several thieving experiences.
@@davewalker7126 I wish prices would fall for the JRC NRD-545 but they are still 1000e or more 🙈
Wow what a catch so pleased for you it does look good and so nicely set out. I know that there were all sorts of mods to improve performance but it has been a while. Can you fit a selective filter and adjust accordingly. I had a very old GEC BRT 400 valve set, a real monster at 40 kg. It was used by the BBC to receive foreign transmitters and retransmit so had some brilliant adjustable crystal filters. For it age 1950's it was a real performer with the added bonus of keeping you warm in the early hours. Have a Good New Year and I look forward to your update on the LW transmitter. Ps Did you receive the Grimeton SAQ transmission this year. 73's Wirral UK
This was in superb condition, a really nice radio. It will be great when I install the filters I prefer.
I used to use the RCA AR88D from 1943 it was superb.
SAQ was heard here but I could not make out the Morse all I could hear was the carrier whine.
LW transmitter is ready but desperately seeking an antenna setup and a mast. I cannot find any mast solution yet and so much conflicting advice on antennas.
@@arcticradio AR88 was very similar to the BRT400 and a fine set, a friend of mine had one. I have some Racal 17E receivers from the Navy I passed the HRO and the BRT onto the Porthcurno Museum for World Telegraphy in Cornwall.
SAQ is an amazing machine a good to see it is being cared for, as for your LW transmitter project, I am pleased you are moving forward at a steady pace I find when things are done this way equipment and resources become available. .
I recommend you drop into Geerling Engineering channel on YT. They operate some large AM stations in the US and this video is essential viewing for ground planes " Why is the invisible part of this radio tower so important? " If you make contact with them I think you may find them receptive to what you are doing and probably have some ideas as to where a decomisioned tower or array may be.
This last year you have made good progress and in some ways sorted the hardest problems. I hope to get my gear back running after many years without HT in readiness to hear your carrier. Very best to you from UK
The review on medium wave circle did point out its lack of MW sensitivity on the R5000. I remember having one a long time ago and it being poor receiving NDB's compared to the Yaesu 757GX I also had at the time. Its never going to outshine your JRC's so I would not bother trying to improve its LF performance but find a better suited role for it.
@@davewalker7126 I’ve done some mods and installed filters so it will be kept but yes the JRC’s are just so good.
R-5000s were the sleeper receiver -- amazing design and construction, though vulnerable to heat if you don't replace the power caps. I have come to really appreciate 5000s among all of the others I have here. Good points on mediumwave, but modifications can deal with this.
@@dxace1 I really like the receiver and I’ve done some mods and installed optional filters so it will be a keeper.
Receivers of this generation often had octave-wide filters as preselection. Maybe it switches filter at 1600 kHz, and you can modify or even bypass it below 1600 kHz?
I don’t know of any other mods apart from what I’ve done but I will research further. It has helped and MW is now better
I have the Kenwood R-600 does not cover medium wave. It is so much better. it has really good filtering and attenuation. It is very simple to operate.
tangential: its a shame that so many "reviews" these days are just a quick shill with no care for the actual end user at all. it feels so stupid to be able to unironically say that outside of a SMALL selection of youtubers, id have no idea where to find any true and proper reviews that actually understand the product theyre telling me to buy.
It looks like all your radios are receivers, not transceivers. I take it you aren't into amateur radio? As we hams say, "73" (basically "all the best") from Gary W5PAZ.
@@GarySchiltz I only have a Kenwood TS-430S but yes not got round to taking my licence yet. Been too involved in setting up my radio station which is turning into 2 stations now
INRAD still offers the 8-pole crystal filter with 6kHz bandwidth for the 8830kHz IF.
The medium wave attenuator can be eleminated, see mods .dk
Another problem may be the heat of the internal power supply, it needs some cooling via a fan, or just use an external DC plug.
After changing these three problems, it is a great rig.
I love mine (which has the better YK-88A filter for AM) - even though I own several JRCs 😇
The modification which increases the MW sensitivity of the Kenwood R-5000:
a) Jumper R10 with a short length of wire, and cut R11. Cut R9 and put a 470 Ohm resistor in series.
b) A quick version of this modification should be clipping either one [NOT BOTH] of R9 or R11.
I think you mentioned this one in your video. Perhaps the first version could be helpful?😎
By the way, happy new year and all the best for 2025 for everyone.
@@nixraff7802 That mod rings a bell, I think the set was hobbled for certain markets.