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TS-870S serial number

 

Hi everyone

I've just bought this radio in mint condition from a dealer and would like to know its year of manufacture. I contacted Kenwood support in the UK but they referred me back to the dealer, who is unable to help.

The SN is 00100062. I found a source that said it's either 1999 or a factory refurb sold in 2002 or 2003.

Anyone able to decode this for me please?

--
Mike G8GYW
 

Hi Mike
I found this years ago but can't remember where it came from...

TS870S first figure of the serial numbers linked to year of manufacture as follows:

This is how it works:
7 = 1995
8 = 1996
9 = 1997
0 = 1998
1 = 1999
2 = 2000
3 = 2001
4 = 2002
5 = 2003
6 = 2004

73 and Happy New Year
Trevor G4CLE
 

Thanks Trevor, and a Happy New Year to you too.

That information appears on a number of web sites, including this one:

https://chat.qth.com/viewtopic.php?t=2822

It was the note about some sets with a 00 number being manufacturer refurbs from later years that made me curious. The set I bought looks like it's never been out of its box.
--
Mike G8GYW
 

I bought my 870 new a long time ago and it’s my main hf rig. You won’t be disappointed, I’m sure.
 

Looks like a TS-570 predecessor in terms of functionality.

I'd be interested in seeing a map of Kenwood transceiver development history. Does something like this exist? Maybe even an article on same?

That's a lot of radio!
73 W7STF Sam
 

Hi,
Just be aware of Kenwood's pricing scheme for their radios.? The first letter
(i.e. 5 of 570) indicates which price/performance class it belongs in.? If I remember correctly the 570 was the first model to have DSP in the audio.? This really paced the performance of the radio.? The 480 also had audio DSP.? The 870 was the first to have IF DSP.? Generally speaking radios with IF DSP are of higher performance than those with audio DSP.? DSP was available on the 850 but was an externally connected box, a significant extra cost feature.

Some of what you are searching for may be in the "in-depth" series of manuals for the Kenwood transceivers.? Do a Google/Bing search of the particular model you are interested in with the term "in-depth" in the search line and you'll find some great information about the Kenwood radios that you can read or download.

Enjoy my ramblings ;-)
73,
Mel KF6OZ
 

Thanks for getting back to me. I finally got some sense out of Kenwod UK and they confirmed the build date as 1998.

It's a step up from my TS-850SAT, performs really well.

--
Mike G8GYW

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