Wow, there is a memory walk I love to read about!  That old rig even has a 
nice CW sound and shaped keying, though it's not QSK by any means, it is an 
old friend I appreciate you sharing with the list. I had a TS520S for quite 
some time, and an FT101ZD which also has nice sounding CW, but, of course, 
my favorite CW rig is the Ten Tec omni I had, which just plain rock and 
rolled. My favorite receivers are Drake, and used the T4X and R4A for many 
years and that is some kind of nice CW as well, almost QSK, very fast and a 
good relay for it's day for TX/RX. I'd love to peruse the R8 line, don't 
know if Drake had an T8 line? There is some fun, guys, for me, to think of 
all this stuff. I began with a Collins 75A1 and Heath DX35 transmitter, with 
cathode keying, (be careful of the contacts), so definitely, I graduated to 
better things. Had a Heath DX60, then a Heath Marauder TX all with that old 
Collins RX, until I got my Drake line in 1967 I think or so. :) Really dig 
those rigs and lines! :)

Curtis Delzer
W B 6 H E F
Fessenden, North Dakota; 58438-7300


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 7:03 AM
Subject: TS-520


Some of you are familiar with the tube or hybrid equipment. Anyone have tips
for the Kenwood TS-520 that might be helpful? I picked one up on ebay the
other day for a great price, too good to pass up. It's my backup radio right
now and a toy to play with on weekends, with my group on 10 meters I talk to
and all. I've been using it like my old FT-101E I used to have, tuning for
maximum output on my old ni-Viking meter with the audio tone, and I know by
the sounds on the bands where I am. I wouldn't use it as an every day user
but as a short time backup or weekend driver, you might say, I am very happy
with the radio. If anyone has tips though that might help me, let me know. I
know I love the sound of these radios and the smooth feel of the controls
and really a lot about them, lack of menus and extra bells and whistles I
don't need. AM would have been nice too but I didn't know it didn't have it
until after I got it and for $100 with the MC-50 I'm sure not going to
complain. I mostly bought this to have fun with and as a backup, I hear so
many of them on the bands still.
*note, to the newbie/s, don't think about it. You're better off with voice
frequency read out if you can't see until you know your way by sound around
the bands.*
John Miller N1UMJ
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