[Kenwood] Kenwood ts-850s

Mon Oct 22 09:46:19 EDT 2007

Hi John,
I have a different model Kenwood - R599, and my I.F. is different,
too. I have noticed the same thing with my narrow CW filter (250 Hz).
I compared notes with some other people and concluded it just goes
with the territory, The narrower the filter the more attenuation at
the top of the response curve. Some designs add an amplifier ahead of
the filter to compensate for that. The 599 does not and I am not going
to modify it. If your rig has an amp to compensate for the additional
loss in this filter there may be an adjustment. Somebody else who is
familiar with your rig might know of some additional step that applies
in your case.
If the additional attenuation is really severe you may have a
defective filter or perhaps the wrong model. This only happens on mine
with received stations that are way down in the noise already.
Switching in that filter loses them. The effect is not readily
noticeable on other signals. I will take a look at the s-meter with
and without that filter on stronger stations.
I have been sharpening the grey matter filter between my ears for use
with the wider filters in the rig just because of this. Sometimes its
that weaker signal we really want to work. Otherwise I use the narrow
filter on contest weekends to reduce the amount of work the ole grey
matter has to do. I have done some experiments with "stereo filters"
and "resonance/disonance" methods to help the mental filter along
without attenuating those weak signals. I hope to have something on
the net by next summer.
My experience says that most of the commercial rigs can be nice
appliances but they are compromised. They would not be commercially
viable if they weren't. Homebrewing a rig for one specific purpose
might get around this problem for you but the fact is that sometimes
that very weak signal is just going to be buried under qrm/qrn anyway.
Thats why its a challenge:)
73,
Bill KU8H
You wrote:
I've just finished adding a YG-455 CN , cw filter, to my 850. When, I
tuned in, on a cw station and switch in the 455 filter, weak stations
disappear and strong stations are attenuated?