kenwood ts-440

[W2NAP]

Anyone around here use one? I noticed alot of mods for it.

If I can dig up the cash in the next couple weeks. might try and get one if i can find one with the AT in it for under 300-350

is it better then the 430 on rx, pick up SW stations on AM well (the 430 I had AM was pinched off sounded like crap.. and to my ears the 430 rx just sounded bad for me) 440 RX comparable to the 450?

[N8YX]

I have one.

The only major negative I'll give the rig is its susceptibility to front-end overload in the presence of very strong signals. In other words it's a poor choice for a Field Day or multi-multi contest setup but if there's no one else (RF-wise) in the vicinity it'll be fine.

I'm sure you're aware of the VCO failures which some 440s (and cousin R-5000s) have been plagued with, along with the keypad bounce issues. Both can be fixed: The VCO by repair and the keypad by frequent use...or by computer controlling the rigs.

My -SAT is run slaved to an R-5000. Kenwood foresaw this possibility and even provided the necessary circuitry inboard the rig - but I would advise adding some sort of 50-ohm power divider (Mini-Circuits SBL-2, etc) to the Ant In/Out ports so as to minimize the amount of IF and spurious signal leakage between radios.

[W2NAP]

have you done any of the 440 mods?

http://www.radiomods.co.nz/kenwood/kenwoodts440.html
http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/ts440/ts440mods.htm

[W3WN]

I had a 440 for a little while (loaner from then KQ3DX). It was a nice little rig. Marginally better than the TS-430S, most of the differences (to me at least) had to do with some bells & whistles (like more memory) and the availability of the built-in AT.

However, because of the CPU issue, I don't think I'd buy one. IIRC, as the heat shrink-type compound around the CPU started to break down due to age, the CPU would overheat and eventually stop working. I now know it's a relatively easy fix, but at the time, Kenwood was chargining around $100 to do the repair work. Greg was a little steamed at me, he was convinced I had abused the rig in some way, until he found out that this was a known issue.

Also IIRC, Kenwood's fix wasn't a permament one... they replaced the compound with more of the same.

So I'd be hesitant to ever own a 440. Of course, YMMV.

[W2NAP]

My biggest thing is my hearing. its bad. alot of rigs around I just cant use cause everything sounds pinched and like they are talkin with a sock in the mouth. of course its not the radios fault. but since my hearing has went down. bout the only rigs that sounded good to me was the kenwood rigs minus the 430 but the 450,850,870 sounds very pleasing to me i can actually listen.

Having been around the 897,920,746,706 they just sound horrid to my ears. and its not the rigs fault just my hearing so I have to find something I can use. someone suggested finding a 440 to me and pointed me to the rx audio mods. (its also not just hf rigs I have problems with alot of just the 2 meter fm rigs sounds like crap. as well.)

but even face to face talking is hard as it sounds alot of the time the person is mubling with a stuffed sock in they mouth. really shitty actually lol

[K7SGJ]

One of the speakers that have the audio filter switches might work for ya. I have one on the Kenwood speaker I bought with the TS530, and when my ears are really ringing or giving me problems, I can sorta tailor the audio to what I can understand the best. I'm sure there are other soultions around, but this one works for me; and I've had it around since I bought the system new in 19whatever.

[N8YX]

have you done any of the 440 mods?
10hz digit display, 60M TX mod and the ALC adjustment are the three main ones I can think of. The R2000's AM filter is a direct sub for the 440's very "pinched" TX-path IF filter and I have a couple of them in the parts stash. Next time the radio is on the bench for servicing I'll swap for the wider filter.

Filters are another thing I added - all slots filled. And that Aux RX antenna port I mentioned earlier on the rear-panel "spare" RCA plug rounds the mod list out.


One of the speakers that have the audio filter switches might work for ya.

I use several SP-820 units here, though I'm going to swap those for SP-940s in the future. They do work. Another thing which may help is an adjustable outboard DSP unit such as a Timewave DSP-599. It allows you to tailor the AF passband.


However, because of the CPU issue, I don't think I'd buy one. IIRC, as the heat shrink-type compound around the CPU started to break down due to age, the CPU would overheat and eventually stop working.

Nope - the potting compound for VCO5 (a collection of discrete components) is hygroscopic. It attracts water which corrodes the components and the circuit stops oscillating...resulting in a PLL Unlock condition. The fix is straightforward: Using a dental pick or similar instrument, carefully chip the old compound away from the circuit, desolder the varactor diodes, any corroded resistors and possibly a couple transistors...then replace the parts with new ones, all of which are still available from Kenwood. Test the repair then use a low-temp hot glue to secure the newly installed components against vibration - which, if left unsecured, may introduce microphonics, especially when operated mobile.

It's an easy, if not tedious repair. I've done several. Take your time while removing the old compound and you'll be fine.

[W2NAP]

hey I know someone where i could get "parts" from lol.

I think if i can get some things sold off. ill try and pick one of these up cheep if i can. (im not rich)

I noticed on the mods page, there is a 17 and 12m tx mod.. the 440 dont tx on 17/12? thought the 440 came out after 12 and 17 were given to hams

[N8YX]

I noticed on the mods page, there is a 17 and 12m tx mod.. the 440 dont tx on 17/12? thought the 440 came out after 12 and 17 were given to hams

Correct. I will have to check that info out and see what's what.

[W2NAP]

Correct. I will have to check that info out and see what's what.

ok cool, i kinda found that odd the rig came out after 12/17 was gave to us but not enabled..


diode controls in out (cut)
----- -------- ---------- ----------
D65 mode confirmation Morse single beep
D66 display resolution 100 Hz 10 Hz
D67 memory protect none on
D73 CW shift 800 Hz 400 Hz
D78 WARC 24MHx band tx disabled enabled
D79 WARC 18MHz band tx disabled enabled
D80 General Coverage tx disabled enabled

[N8YX]

ok cool, i kinda found that odd the rig came out after 12/17 was gave to us but not enabled..


diode controls in out (cut)
----- -------- ---------- ----------
D65 mode confirmation Morse single beep
D66 display resolution 100 Hz 10 Hz
D67 memory protect none on
D73 CW shift 800 Hz 400 Hz
D78 WARC 24MHx band tx disabled enabled
D79 WARC 18MHz band tx disabled enabled
D80 General Coverage tx disabled enabled

Mine came without D78 and D79 installed. To get 60M I clipped one end of D80.

[WX7P]

I had one of these in the late 80's thourgh 1992. Great radio. I used it with a Dentron -1000B amp and worked anyone I could here even with my center-fed zep from Concord, CA.

I had to have it repaired once because it lost receive on 15 meters. Not being the whiz that John YX is, I had to send it to Kenwood. I came back quickly with my bank account minus $150.00.

Stay away from boatnik radios. I had a 430S that was on a boat and it was nothing but trouble.

[W2NAP]

Mine came without D78 and D79 installed. To get 60M I clipped one end of D80.

maybe its only early models that need it done

[K7SGJ]

Not being very familiar with the details of the 440 series, I'm wondering if there was a TS440 where the warc bands weren't enabled, a TS440S where they were, and of course the TS440SAT had warc and the antenna tuner. I know when I bought my TS530S in 19whatever, it had the warc bands on it, but there were some early TS530 models without it that had to be modified. Just guessing here.

[N8YX]

I know when I bought my TS530S in 19whatever, it had the warc bands on it, but there were some early TS530 models without it that had to be modified. Just guessing here.
Same with various runs of the TS-830, TS-130 and TS-660. The latter is an unusual little rig and sports a very hot 6M receiver. It came from Kenwood with the ability to transceive on 6/10/15 and receive on 12; a modification enabled 24MHz transmit. IIRC, the rig was being produced in that configuration after 12 had officially been opened for amateur usage.

[K7SGJ]

The 130 is a nice little rig, too. No frills and good sounding. I bought one off Craigslist a few years back for $100. I never looked at it, and had my son pick it up for me, Naturally, I figured it would need some (a lot) of attention. The rig was in the original box, original everything, and had a slip inside where it had been fixed by KW a few months prior. The only thing I had to do to it was add the cw and sideband filters. What a deal. I still use it from time to time. Also have a couple of 830s here that need to be fixed or parted out. The KW rigs of that era always had a great sound.

[N8YX]

The 130 is a nice little rig, too. No frills and good sounding. I bought one off Craigslist a few years back for $100. I never looked at it, and had my son pick it up for me, Naturally, I figured it would need some (a lot) of attention. The rig was in the original box, original everything, and had a slip inside where it had been fixed by KW a few months prior. The only thing I had to do to it was add the cw and sideband filters. What a deal. I still use it from time to time. Also have a couple of 830s here that need to be fixed or parted out. The KW rigs of that era always had a great sound.

Have one of those, too - loaded with filters. An AT-130, DFC-230 and PS-30 and a SP-120 round things out. Probably going to put that entire station up for sale over the winter. I find myself using the '440 more but that '130 has racked up a lot of Field Day points in the time I've owned it.

[W3WN]

< snip >
Nope - the potting compound for VCO5 (a collection of discrete components) is hygroscopic. It attracts water which corrodes the components and the circuit stops oscillating...resulting in a PLL Unlock condition. The fix is straightforward: Using a dental pick or similar instrument, carefully chip the old compound away from the circuit, desolder the varactor diodes, any corroded resistors and possibly a couple transistors...then replace the parts with new ones, all of which are still available from Kenwood. Test the repair then use a low-temp hot glue to secure the newly installed components against vibration - which, if left unsecured, may introduce microphonics, especially when operated mobile.

It's an easy, if not tedious repair. I've done several. Take your time while removing the old compound and you'll be fine.
Yup, that's it. I glossed over it... but as usual, you are right on the $$, and I stand humbly corrected.

I was under the impression that the potting compound was also replaced. I may have been misinformed. In my defense, well, the entire episode left a bad taste in my mouth WRT that rig. I try and take good care of my stuff, especially stuff that's loaned to me. At the time, the finals in my T4XC had blown, and I didn't have replacements handy; my backup rig had failed; my Hallicrafters classic station was also down for some reason I don't remember... so here I get loaned someone's prized spare rig, and IT fails on me too. Can you blame him for wondering if I had a black thumb at the time?

Now, if you can get a 440S or 440SAT that's had the bad compound removed and the appropriate parts repaired/replaced, or are willing to do it yourself, it's not a bad rig. That, however, is a BIG "If".

[W3WN]

hey I know someone where i could get "parts" from lol.

I think if i can get some things sold off. ill try and pick one of these up cheep if i can. (im not rich)

I noticed on the mods page, there is a 17 and 12m tx mod.. the 440 dont tx on 17/12? thought the 440 came out after 12 and 17 were given to hamsThe 430 came out after the WARC bands were announced but before they were fully available. There was a simple mod (I believe a wire clipped or a resistor clipped) to fix that... which also made it all-band transmit. I still miss that rig.

The 440, though? I think it may have come out when 17 was just opening up, but before 12 did. I'd have to go back and look, though.

[W2NAP]

been searching around. ebay is horrible, noticed the ebay greed is taking off on qth and qrz as well..

found acouple in other places.. 1 of them has a "display issue" waiting to find out if its dead digits, broken window screen, or is the whole board dead... dude says he has other stuff with it. $250 waiting to see what all he has with it.