Equipment / Base transceiver · Kenwood
discontinued

Kenwood TS-820S

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160m-10m
Bands
100 W
Output
1976
Introduced
FrequencyTX/RX: 160–10 m (amateur)
TX power100 W
ModesUSB, LSB, CW, FSK
Weight15 kg (33.1 lb) - ~15 kg (some sources 16 kg). Built-in AC power supply + tube finals.
ConnectorSO-239
Year1976
Connectors
key1/4 inch phone
antennaSO-239
ac inAC mains (built-in power supply)
power req120/220 VAC via built-in power supply
hybrid SSB/CW/FSK transceiver (solid-state driver + tube PA) 160-10m + WWV receive 200W PEP input / ~100W output IF shift + improved receiver selectivity (the key upgrades over the TS-520) digital readout, VOX, semi break-in CW Kenwood's late-1970s flagship (1976)
Strengths

Kenwood's late-1970s flagship hybrid. Solid-state driver + tube PA, 200W PEP input / ~100W output, on 160-10m (+ WWV receive). The digital display was accurate and readable. A huge production run means parts are available.

Weaknesses

Heavy. The hybrid design ages like a tube radio. The driver transistors can fail and replacements require exact matches. The finals run hot. AM capability requires the optional AM filter and carrier oscillator mod.

Verdict

The Kenwood flagship of the late 1970s. Between the TS-820S, Yaesu FT-901, and Drake TR-7, operators had three excellent choices. The TS-820S sold more units than either competitor and remains the most commonly seen vintage Japanese HF rig at hamfests.

The Kenwood TS-820S is the higher-performance flagship of Kenwood's hybrid transceiver line in the late 1970s, a more sophisticated and capable sibling of the TS-520 aimed at the serious operator. Like the others it is a hybrid, mostly solid-state but using a pair of 6146 tubes in the final amplifier for 100 watts of output, and it covers the 160 through 10 meter amateur bands in SSB and CW, with a bright digital frequency display and a notably good receiver.

It offered features the 520 lacked (a digital readout, improved receiver performance with better selectivity, and other refinements) while keeping the smooth, forgiving tube final that made the hybrids so likable. That combination of modern features and classic hybrid character made the TS-820S a premium choice in its day and a lasting favorite. A clean example remains one of the most satisfying vintage Kenwood hybrids to own and operate.

It is a discontinued classic. See the popular TS-530S and the solid-state TS-120S.