ARRL Lab Receiver Test Data Comparisons

XX/YY =  (preamp-off) / (preamp-on); 14Mhz operation, 500 Hz CW filter, AGC off, High Ip mode.

All measurements in dB. Lab tests and rigs can vary by several dB, so results within 2-3 dB are roughly equivalent.

Numbers in RED indicate data that is 10 dB or more below comparable data for the K2. (A factor of ten signal difference.) 

 

RIG 
MDS (dBm)

Sensitivity

BDR

'Desense'

 5 kHz spacing

pre-amp  off

BDR 

'Desense'

 20 kHz spacing 

pre off / on

Ip3 (dBm)

20 kHz spacing 

5 kHz spacing  

pre off / on

IMD DR3 

'Intermod'

5 kHz spacing

pre-amp off

IMD DR3
 

'Intermod'

20 kHz spacing

pre off / on

Ip2 (dBm)

Out of band Signal Rejection

Phase Noise (dBc at +4 kHz) Receive Current

(Also see below)

K2 

-130/-136

 135

  

134 / 126

+21/+8  (20kHz)

+21/+8 (5kHz)

 91

97 / 95

+80 / +79

 -124 150-200 mA
Ten-Tec Orion -128/-136 130 129/128

+23/+13 (20kHz)

+22/+11 (5 kHz)

92 95/94 +63/+63 -138 3.1A

Ten-Tec Omni6+

See Note 1

-133

 119

123 (nl)

+12

 86

97

+58

 -117 2A

FT-1000MP

-128  /-135

119

142 / 137

+15 / +5

 83

97 / 94

+86/+88

 -118 2.8A

IC-756PRO

See Note 2

-128 / -136 / -140

104

127 / 125 / 120

+15.4 / +4.3 / -6.9

80

95 / 92 / 88

+64 / +63 / +43

-130 3A
IC-756PRO II

See Note 2

-131/-139/-141 100 118/116/107 +20.2/+10.2/-4.1 76 97/95/91 +75/+71/+59 -130 3.5A
IC-746PRO

See Note 2

-132/-140/-142 100 125/123/118 +13.5/+3.7/-4 75 97/96/92 +72/70/+54 -123 1.9A

TS-870

-129 / -139

not tested

127 / 123

+16 / +4

not tested

97 / 95

+63 / +63

-118 2A

TS-930

See Note 1

-139 not tested noise limited -7.75 not tested 86.5 not tested not tested 110V supply

Ten Tec Argo V

Model 516

See Note 1

-132 67 118 -3.4 62 85 +47 -108 1A

Ten-Tec Jupiter

See Note 1

-135

not tested

123(nl)

+7.3

not tested

85(nl)

+53.6

-115 1.5A

Ten-Tec Scout

See Note 1

-125

 not tested

119

+5.5

 not tested

87

 not tested -95 600 mA

Ten Tec Pegasus

See Note 1

-132

not tested

110 (nl)

+7.2

not tested

77

+44.3

-104 1A

TS-50

-132/-139

 not tested

113 / 109

+3 / -7

 not tested

90 / 88

 not tested -115 800 mA
FT-100

See Note 3

 -133/-137 ~100 +130/+125 +10/+4.2 ~70 94/91 +51.7/+52.8 -118 1.5A

FT-817

-126/-134

not tested

106/104

+5/-5.6

not tested

87/84

+84/+88.4

-103 450 mA
FT-897 -133/-137 96 (nl) 109/106 -1.3/-6.7 67 89/86 +67/+62 -102 900 mA
IC-703 -131/-141 95 121(nl)/122(nl) +11/+1.9 76 89/91 +56/+47 -118 320-580 mA

IC-706MKIIG

-136/-142

 86

122(nl) / 120(nl)

-1.3 / -11

74

89 / 86

+36.4 / +38.5

-118 2A

Kachina 505DSP

-133 / -142

not tested

103 / 103

+15.5 / +3.5

not tested

99 / 97

+49 / +30

-117 2A

Patcom PC-1600A

See Note 1

-127

not tested

118

+17.6

not tested

94

+54.1

-100 3.3A

SGC-2020

See Note 1

-130

 not tested

110 (nl)

+15.5

 not tested

88

+32

 -108 430 mA

Note 1: Only one set of numbers is listed because these radios use a fixed gain front end which is not switchable. Compare their dynamic range and IP3 numbers to other rig's by using similar MDS figures to determine which set of numbers to use (pre-on / pre-off) for comparison.

Note 2:  The IC-756PRO & PROII  and IC-746PRO have two different gain preamps. Numbers are for Pre-Off / Pre #1 / Pre #2.  Pre #2 adds more RX gain than Pre #1 at the expense of  dynamic range. Higher preamp gain reduces strong signal dynamic range. For comparison, Pre-Off and Pre #1 most closely match the K2's and other radio's settings and are the most commonly used positions.

Note 3:  FT-100 5 kHz dynamic range numbers taken from swept dynamic range graphs in ARRL expanded test report.

ARRL Results are from QST rig reviews (K2, 2/04 (K2/100) and  3/00  (K2) reviews);  IC756 PRO, 6/00; Omni6+, 11/97; FT1000MP, 4/96; Scout, 12/93; TS-50, 9/93; SGC-2020, 10/98; IC706MKII, 7/99; Ten Tec Pegasus, 2/00; Ten Tec Jupiter, 6/01; TS-930, 1/84; Kachina 505DSP, 5/98; Patcom PC-1600A, 12/00; FT817, 4/01; FT-100, 6/99, Argo V 4/2003; FT-897, 5/2003; IC-703, 7/2003; Orion 1/04).

5 kHz Signal Spacing

DC VOLTAGE  POWER OUTPUT
9.0 V 2.0 W
9.5 V  5.0 W
10.0 V  7.0 W
10.5 V  10.0 W

Note 1B (K2 current drain): 0.15-A minimum receive current is with receiver in OPT BATT (battery save) mode. In OPT PERF (performance) mode, minimum receiver current is approx. 0.2 A. All K2 receiver performance measurements were made using OPT PERF mode.

Note 2 (SG2020): Different user's manual editions claim 11 V or 9 V minimum. SGC tech support says the 9 V claim is incorrect, and that the actual minimum is
10.5 V. This is consistent with the LM2940-10 voltage regulator used. Max power output at reduced voltages not specified.

Note 3 (TS870): Standby current drain shown. Active current drain not specified.

Note 4 (Patcomm, TS-50): Current drain not specified.