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TS-590-sLatest news on the ordered Kenwood TS-590S: it will arrive next week!

Ohw mama! 🙂 I traded in my TS-850S and got a good deal from the Kenwood dealer. Already completely rebuild the shack. The 590 has 2 antenna connections I’m able to connect both my Cobwebb for 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 meter and my horizontal loop for 40, 80 and 160 meter! So I don’t have to switch between antenna’s no more. In the future I could also use a extra (active) receiving antenna on the receive input of the 590.
Also great: no more need for the SignaLink USB. If I’m understand the manual correctly I can attach the 590 via USB to my computer and both CAT and sound are connected! That is awesome!
So the shackcomputer is already installed with both driver and Kenwood software.
I guess I’m all ready the welcome my new rig 🙂

Last week I did get the opportunity to listen to the new rig over at Robs, PA3EKE. Great guy (he did not hesitate inviting me over when he heard I wanted to listen to the new radio before buy one), took the time to show me around, absolutely lovely! He is known for his extremely critical opinion on radio’s. Even he was quite excited about the performance of the 590.
And I’m even more impressed by the real life performance of the 590! It’s really a great radio.

But for now I hope the new one will arrive next week before thursday. Then I’ll leave for another week in the France Alpes. Of course it would be great if I could run it a few hours over there 🙂 More news and pictures will follow!

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Ham Radio DeluxeAccording to the Ham Radio Deluxe website there is a new version of Ham Radio Deluxe 5: 2777.
Release notes say:
After a lot of hard work with incredible support from Terry G4POP and Chuck K7PT this beta is now available.
Logbook

* Country file upgraded with support for Unique Calls
* ALE window now correctly supports entries with a / in the callsign
* Award tracking rewritten and tested almost to extinction
* ALE custom field titles now user-definable

Ham Radio Deluxe

* Rigblaster support where RTS is toggled instead of sending a CAT command. See Options, COM Port TX.
* Initial support for TS-590S and FTDX-5000

Needless to say I’m cheering of joy because I love to see the award tracker updated. And of course since me catching the TS-590S-virus the initial support for the TS-590S makes me smile! Installing right now, maybe I can report on the changes later.

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TS-590-sLately I get more and more interested in the new Kenwood TS-590S. When I read it’s brochure and manual, when I look at the clips of first runs on air I get the impression this must be my new transceiver!
Last friday I decided I have to consolidate the shack and sell most of it before buy something new. Put on for sale: Kenwood TS-450, Kenwood TS-50 + AT-50, PS-52 power supply, SP-31 speaker, lots of filters, BHI-DSP speaker, Signalink USB, Condor 16 kit, a few SWR/Power meters and a Kenwood AT-130 antenna tuner. It became an unbelievable saturday with lots of e-mails, calls and people coming over to see the goods. Already sold: the TS-450 and the TS-50 +AT-50. PS-52 and SP-31 expected to be sold today. Signalink and 1 SWR/Powermeter already flew out the door.

I’m nearly half way to the new Kenwood. Still one thing I need to do: listen to the thing with my own ears and check if I like the sound of it! Only thing I’m in doubt of: shall I swap my good old TS-850S for the TS-590S or should I keep it as a backup transceiver? Hmmmm, tough one.