SHERWOOD'S SHOOTOUTS

      (New Kid on the Block: 'ANAN')

  Lab tests show theoretical data on how a radio will perform.

But how does that relate to On-The-Air performance?

(Especially in Contests!)

 

Lab measurements don't lie...or do they?

 

In amateur radio technology, the rubber meets the road "On-The-Air".

What better way to test and compare two or more radios than in a contest?

 

Of course this kind of test will always be subjective and influenced by the tester's own likes and dislikes, but in my opinion, this is just as valid of a test as any lab test.

[Rick, DJ0IP]

 

Please click on a Shoot-Out in the Menu on the Top-Left...

 

...or from the list below:

 

SHOOT-OUTS:

 

 

 1)  ICOM IC-7300 & 7610 vs KENWOOD TS-990S

  • This shootout compares the two newest ICOM radios to Kenwood's newest radio under contest conditions.
  • When reading the document, please keep in mind that Rob is testing these radios at his rural contest site in Ault, Colorado.  Results will vary from one QTH to the next.

Note [from Rick]:  Rob speaks of rarely incurring the "OVerFlow" (OVF) fault light in his tests.  Here in Europe it is common, at least with the 7300, to incur this light often.  Attenuation or turning down the RF Gain will turn it off.  An external pre-selector is even better.

 

Note 2 [from Rick]:  In the meantime, Icom has corrected the IP performance degradation problem that it had with its original run of radios.  More INFO.

 

2)  ANAN 7000DLE vs. ICOM IC-7610 in the CQWW 160m Contest

 

  • This shootout compares the newest radios from ANAN and ICOM during the 2018 CQWW 160m CW Contest.  
  • Of course Receiver Performance is scrutinized closely, and so is the QSK ability of each radio. There are other important factors to be considered, which Rob describes here in detail.
  • Finally, Rob ads in his subjective comparison to the lower priced ICOM IC-7300.  He did not use the 7300 in this contest but has used it in several contests previously and does a nice job of positioning these three radios.
  • Remember, Rob has an excellent rural QTH in Ault, Colorado.  He has relatively little noise compared to us city-dwellers.

 

3)  ICOM IC-7610 vs. Kenwood TS-890S in Contest Comparisons

 

  • This shootout compares the new Kenwood TS-890S to ICOM's IC-7610 in OM during the 2018 CQWW SSB Contest and ARRL 160m CW Contest .  
  • As always, Receiver Performance is scrutinized closely, with special attention to Noise Reduction (NR), Noise Blanking (NB), etc.  Rob was especially impressed by the Waterfall on the TS-890S. T
  • You may recall in earlier shootouts that I made the following comment:  Remember, Rob has an excellent rural QTH in Ault, Colorado.  He has relatively little noise compared to us city-dwellers.  Well that "was" the case.  It looks like Murphy has found him.  Seems you can run but you cannot hide from Murphy!