TS50.2

Original from WA2DAC to MODS@ALLUS

Merry Christmas to all you lucky TS-50 rigs!
    I read with some upset in the Sept 93 QST review of my new TS-50 that the
"keying becomes erratic at speeds over 30 WPM" in full QSK. I stay around 20
wmp but this upset me.
    I also found that when I turned my 15 meter beam that is located just
above the roof of the house toward my shack that is on the second floor, that
the rig did trun off a high CW BUT WHEN I TRUNED THE BEAM AWAY FROM THE RIG
THINGS IMPROVED.!!!!!!!!!!!
    As the rig was under warranty and I like QSK I called Kenwood. They turned
me over to their repair department and, after listening to the strange
beam-TS-50 reaction they told me to put one of the Snap-together Toroid Chokes
(part 273-104 .... 2/$7.99) in each leg of the 12 V power chord that clips
into the back of the rig. The fellow felt that RF was getting in and turning
the automatic shut down off.
    I installed the chokes and turned my bug and computer up to 40 WPM with a
string of dits. PROBLEM SOLVED! I even talked to some of the "contest 599 TU"
computer guys with it at higher speeds.
    I hope this will help others who might have trouble with these little gems.
    The other thing that is a must if you work CW is to instal the Xtal
filter. It is not a hard thing to do but don't get upset when you open up the
case. At first I thought that mine was full of dirt until I took a magnifying
glass. Those are radio parts!!!!!
    For a few months I operated the rig with a knob MFJ Deluxe Tuner II in the
shack and with mono band Valor, one frequency, whips in the car. The rig will
not work if it sees poor SWR. Then I took part of my Social Security Check and
bought the Automatic AT-50. Everyone I talk to (I have 5 antennas to cover the
bands so I did have a good low SWR setup to start with) told me that the auto
tuner brought my signal up about 3 S units. It seems that we humans can't tune
out all the SWR by hand. The little AT-50 can!
     That is it. I am 63 years old and have been a ham for 35 years. I have
had, and built, many rigs but unless the sky falls down and the crick rises
too much I think I will end my years with this TS-50. (If I could only get
antenna rights on my grave I WOULD TRY TO TAKE IT WITH ME!!!) Kenwood has done
and miraculous thing with this little rig.
    If any one has found anything else to make this rig better, let me know by
Packet. (I am a Civil Air Patrol Officer and had the dealer open it up for me
for MARS/CAP use after presenting my license). It works fine and and the AT-50
tracks the 4.466 MHZ CAP frequency.
73, Lynn Wilke, PO Box 446, Peru, NY 12972 WA2DAC