Introduction - The Kenwood TS-850S is
one of the first of the new generation of HF Radio that used a "Soft" menu
to configure various options. Before this, one had to set "DIP" switches
which required you to open up the radio. All new Kenwood Radios and
most other manufactures have incorporated this system. The instructions
provided here is for the TS-850S but if you look in your manual, something
similar should be available. What this article will do three things,
one is to check the "Mark" frequency, check the "FSK Shift" and then set
other options while in the menu that makes operating the radio more fun.
One note. You should really use FSK instead of AFSK with the TS-850S.
By using FSK you will have the ability to select your CW Filters in the
FSK Mode and there by narrowing down the bandwidth for the incoming RTTY
signal, you will greatly improving your RTTY reception. I am
using a 400Hz CW filter from International Radio.
Entry to the internal Menu
1. Turn the TS-850S off.
2. Press and hold the LSB/USB key while your turn
on the POWER Switch.
3. A number will appear in the display.
4. Select the desired number by rotating the M.Ch/VFO
CHannel control.
5. Change the function by pressing the UP/DOWN
switch.
6. Function selection can be turned off by pressing
the CLR key, or by pressing the POWER switch OFF and back ON.
Check the MARK Frequency.
1. Rotate the M.Ch/VFO Ch control to number "13".
2. The factory default is 2125 Hz which is what
you want. Optionally, a Mark tone of 1275 Hz can be selected.
This is called Low Tones. In the old days, some of the Europeans
used low tones. The present standard is High Tones, 2125 Hz.
Press the UP/Down switch to select 2125 Hz.
Check the RTTY/FSK Shift.
1. Rotate the M.Ch/VFO Ch control to number "12".
2. The shift range of the FSK mode can be set to
170, 200, 425 or 850 Hz.
3. The default setting is 170 Hz. This is
what you want. If it is something else, change by using the UP/Down
switch. One note. The default for the TS-850S is 170 Hz, most
TNC's the default is 200 Hz, which was set for HF Packet. This may
causes a problem in that you may come back on the same frequency that you
are receiving. You should check your TNC to make sure it is set to
170 Hz shift with a mark tone of 2125 Hz. The AEA PK-232(MBX)
is factory set for 200 Hz with a mark tone of 2110 Hz and needs to be changed.
I have alignment instructions for the PK-232(MBX) assessable from my home
page. http://www.qsl.net/k0bx
.
Other Useful Functions.
1. Memory Function "03" M.CH/VFO Ch control step
frequency selection.
2. The default setting is 10 Khz. Set this
to 5 Khz. You will be able to move 5 Khz at a time with the M.Ch/VFO
switch. Nice for getting right on the nearest 5 Khz and if you do
any short-wave listening, all the International Short-wave Broadcast stations
are 5 Khz apart. Try it on 9.650 Mhz.
1. Memory Function "09" S-Meter peak hold.
2. Default is off, change to on. It will
give a trailing S-Meter segment that will give a better visual indication
of the signal strength.
1. Memory Function "16" Tunable Memories.
2. Determine whether the change the frequency with
the tuning knob when the standard memory channel is recalled to RX VFO.
Default is off. Change to on. By doing so, you will now have
100 tunable VFO's. Moving the VFO knob will no change the memory
frequency but will allow you do move up or down from that frequency.
Acknowledgment - The above information was
taken directly from the Kenwood TS-850S Instruction Manual, pages 35 and
36. Good Luck De KØBX.