Roadie schreef:

The computer
control board is worth looking for IF remote control is wanted. The
other options don't seem to command much of a premium in price.

The second hand r5000 that I got last week suffers a bit from the key
problem. So to bypass that problem, and preventing more unnecessary
aggravation of that problem by using the number keys more I decided to
get me the necessary IC's and interface.

Luckily both the IC's and the interface is not that expensive.

--
JeroenK

The second hand r5000 that I got last week suffers a bit from the key
problem. So to bypass that problem, and preventing more unnecessary
aggravation of that problem by using the number keys more I decided to
get me the necessary IC's and interface.

Funny, I use the big round thing on the front to change stations,

The only time I use the keys is to change mode.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Drifter wrote:

use/ plugged in, etc. and, i must say, the 5K does run hot. i'm not
saying it's the better of the offering of that era. but, it is a beauty.

Is it a 120 volt only or a switched version? Mine never gets hot, only
slightly warm to the touch and it is the 120 volt only version.

Now I run it on a transformer because house voltage here is 230 volts,
50Hz.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Roadie wrote:
the R71a and last the NRD525 with it's well known wooly audio.
Ergonomics was also different and each radio had its plusses and
minuses. After listening to Bob and spinning the dials on all three
at the local radio store I went with the R5000 mostly because of size,
layout and audio quality.

I sold my R-5000 when I bought an NRD-535D. Just before I moved here,
I sold the NRD to the person who bought the R-5000 for the R-5000 and
cash. I never liked the audio of the NRD even with the expensive matching
external speaker.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

On 17 apr, 16:34, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

Funny, I use the big round thing on the front to change stations,

The only time I use the keys is to change mode.

Going over a list of frequencies in a considerable short time will be
quite slow with the tuning knob and 1MHz step buttons alone. But
anyway, don't see a need for a discussion on what way is the best for
tuning? If you prefer the 'big round thing' on the front and find
everyone else funny if they use other methods that OK with me

JeroenK

In article ,
says...
Drifter wrote:

use/ plugged in, etc. and, i must say, the 5K does run hot. i'm not
saying it's the better of the offering of that era. but, it is a beauty.

Is it a 120 volt only or a switched version? Mine never gets hot, only
slightly warm to the touch and it is the 120 volt only version.

Now I run it on a transformer because house voltage here is 230 volts,
50Hz.

Geoff.



I'm not sure, but there are two regulators in the US version that get
way, way too hot to touch. There was a very crude looking mod out at one
time to move them to the outside on the heat sink. I think a tiny fan on
the outside of the case blowing on the regs might have been a better
solution.

I had two R5000's, and one had issues with the regulator failing, and it
cost a lot of cash to fix all the other stuff that failed because of the
regs blowing. When I got the second one, I ran it on 12V without any
issues.

I sold it for almost as much as I paid for it after two years. The guy
who bought it put it on 120V and it died a few months later.

BDK

In article ,
says...


BDK wrote:

In article .com,
says...
On Apr 17, 4:14 am, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
JeroenK wrote:
Be aware that r5000's can vary in price due to optionals added into the
radio. They can be a VHF convertor unit, and a range of optional
filters. They can greatly affect the price of second hand r5000's.

The options that are available a

1. Replacment AM filter. Kenwood's was also 6kHz, but much more selective.
Other companies also had direct replacements and International Crystal
had/has a 4kHz filter.

2. Narrow SSB filter 1.8kHz.

3. Narrow CW filter 600/500/250 kHz, I think Kenwood's were 500 and 250.

4. Computer control. 2 chips added under front panel, TTL to RS232 converter
in the cable. Real old units need a ROM upgrade too. Chips and cables
can be obtained from third parties.

5. Voice sythesiser. Very rare,

6. VHF converter. Rare and expensive.

7. Car Kit. Adds a 12 volt power socket in the back, came with a detachable
cable.


Good list of the options. The optional filters are certainly worth
looking for. The VHF converter has become a collectible and the price
seems excessive in light of its limited coverage. The computer
control board is worth looking for IF remote control is wanted. The
other options don't seem to command much of a premium in price.



Other issues:

PLL unlock aka the dreaded dots problem. Due to poor choice of manufacturing
materials, the main PLL unlocks, the display shows only dots.

Memory battery. A 3 volt RECHARGEABLE lithium battery under the front cover.
eventualy needs replacing.

The keyboard bounce problem others have noted.

Note that early units sold in the U.S. were 120 volt only. Mine purchased
in 1990 was, by 1993 they were replaced with a multivoltage (manualy
switched) unit.

In plain English a unit with no additional filters (6kHz AM wide, 2.4kHz SSB),
and no other add ons, that has never had the battery replaced or the PPL
unlock fixed is worth around $200-$250 dollars. It is very likely both
will have to be done.

A unit with ALL accesories (narrow AM replacement, add on narrow SSB and CW
filters), recent battery replacment and PLL fix, computer interface,
voice sythesiser and VHF converter could easily go for close to $1000.
(and be worth it IMHO).

Figure the VHF convertor is worth $150-$200 if you want one, the
filters are worth $50 each. There were never enough voice sythesisers
to set a price. The 12v car kit is not worth much, and the computer
interface is not a high demand item.

Note that with today's prices, it's cheaper to buy a used R-5000 with a
VHF converter, keep the better of the two and sell the other than to buy
one on it's own and put it in the radio you have.

Geoff.


Nice list of the R5000 issues.



Another R5000 design issue that's overlooked is the extremely hot
running 110V PS in it. Running the radio on 12V is a very smart move.

I operated an R5000 for several years and never noted it running extremely hot.

dxAce
Michigan
USA




The two regs that got insanely hot were inside the radio, when/if they
failed, it was a 250 buck repair. I know, I paid to have a tech fix it.
The outside only gets moderately warm, to slightly hot. The slightest
amount of air blowing on the outside cooled it down nicely. On the
outside. Touching those regs when it was running would get your fingers
burned.

I had an Icom R-7100 that was another one that ran insanely hot. It made
a great space heater on 120V. On 12V, it was nice and cool.


BDK

BDK wrote:
In article ,
says...

BDK wrote:

In article .com,
says...
On Apr 17, 4:14 am, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
JeroenK wrote:
Be aware that r5000's can vary in price due to optionals added into the
radio. They can be a VHF convertor unit, and a range of optional
filters. They can greatly affect the price of second hand r5000's.
The options that are available a

1. Replacment AM filter. Kenwood's was also 6kHz, but much more selective.
Other companies also had direct replacements and International Crystal
had/has a 4kHz filter.

2. Narrow SSB filter 1.8kHz.

3. Narrow CW filter 600/500/250 kHz, I think Kenwood's were 500 and 250.

4. Computer control. 2 chips added under front panel, TTL to RS232 converter
in the cable. Real old units need a ROM upgrade too. Chips and cables
can be obtained from third parties.

5. Voice sythesiser. Very rare,

6. VHF converter. Rare and expensive.

7. Car Kit. Adds a 12 volt power socket in the back, came with a detachable
cable.

Good list of the options. The optional filters are certainly worth
looking for. The VHF converter has become a collectible and the price
seems excessive in light of its limited coverage. The computer
control board is worth looking for IF remote control is wanted. The
other options don't seem to command much of a premium in price.


Other issues:

PLL unlock aka the dreaded dots problem. Due to poor choice of manufacturing
materials, the main PLL unlocks, the display shows only dots.

Memory battery. A 3 volt RECHARGEABLE lithium battery under the front cover.
eventualy needs replacing.

The keyboard bounce problem others have noted.

Note that early units sold in the U.S. were 120 volt only. Mine purchased
in 1990 was, by 1993 they were replaced with a multivoltage (manualy
switched) unit.

In plain English a unit with no additional filters (6kHz AM wide, 2.4kHz SSB),
and no other add ons, that has never had the battery replaced or the PPL
unlock fixed is worth around $200-$250 dollars. It is very likely both
will have to be done.

A unit with ALL accesories (narrow AM replacement, add on narrow SSB and CW
filters), recent battery replacment and PLL fix, computer interface,
voice sythesiser and VHF converter could easily go for close to $1000.
(and be worth it IMHO).

Figure the VHF convertor is worth $150-$200 if you want one, the
filters are worth $50 each. There were never enough voice sythesisers
to set a price. The 12v car kit is not worth much, and the computer
interface is not a high demand item.

Note that with today's prices, it's cheaper to buy a used R-5000 with a
VHF converter, keep the better of the two and sell the other than to buy
one on it's own and put it in the radio you have.

Geoff.

Nice list of the R5000 issues.


Another R5000 design issue that's overlooked is the extremely hot
running 110V PS in it. Running the radio on 12V is a very smart move.
I operated an R5000 for several years and never noted it running extremely hot.

dxAce
Michigan
USA




The two regs that got insanely hot were inside the radio, when/if they
failed, it was a 250 buck repair. I know, I paid to have a tech fix it.
The outside only gets moderately warm, to slightly hot. The slightest
amount of air blowing on the outside cooled it down nicely. On the
outside. Touching those regs when it was running would get your fingers
burned.

I had an Icom R-7100 that was another one that ran insanely hot. It made
a great space heater on 120V. On 12V, it was nice and cool.


BDK


True of R70, R71, and R7000 as well.

In article ,
says...
Roadie wrote:
the R71a and last the NRD525 with it's well known wooly audio.
Ergonomics was also different and each radio had its plusses and
minuses. After listening to Bob and spinning the dials on all three
at the local radio store I went with the R5000 mostly because of size,
layout and audio quality.

I sold my R-5000 when I bought an NRD-535D. Just before I moved here,
I sold the NRD to the person who bought the R-5000 for the R-5000 and
cash. I never liked the audio of the NRD even with the expensive matching
external speaker.

Geoff.




The JRC speakers, like almost all the optional external speakers sold
for ham and SW radios, are pretty worthless. A fifty cent speaker in a
hundred+ buck case. I don't have a 535, but my 525 sounds really great
on an old speaker I found in the basement after we moved into this
house. No, it didn't sound as good as the R5000, but it was a lot better
than it sounded with the 3 different JRC speakers I had. I bought them
all used, and they are all gone now. I presently use a couple of the RS
Minimus speakers, the old basement speaker (6" full range), a 4" high
buck midrange I got from a friend who sold the speaker it went into,
shoved into an old steel Motorola under dash case.

Even my NRD-515 sounds pretty good on the old basement speaker.

The R5000 sounded awesome on the old regutted Moto. Seems like most
Kenwood stuff likes that speaker a lot. I've had almost all the 40 and
50 series HF radios on it, and they all sound great.

BDK

JeroenK wrote:

Roadie schreef:

The computer
control board is worth looking for IF remote control is wanted. The
other options don't seem to command much of a premium in price.


The second hand r5000 that I got last week suffers a bit from the key
problem. So to bypass that problem, and preventing more unnecessary
aggravation of that problem by using the number keys more I decided to
get me the necessary IC's and interface.

Luckily both the IC's and the interface is not that expensive.

What causes the key bounce problem? Is it mechanical or electronic?