What is Kenwood doing these days regarding new products?

Seems like everyone is coming out with new products except Kenwood. I know this is going to sound rude but is Kenwood going to be in the amateur radio business 5 years from now? If you don't have new products every 3 to 5 years you are not spending money on R&D. And that is never a good thing.

 

For the big three: Kenwood, Icom and Yaesu, ham radio products are usually an offshoot of their commercial and government products.

We should be glad that they even sell any ham equipment.

 

FWIW, I've heard (versions of) Kenwood is "going out of the amateur market" for over 50 years now... Maybe, just maybe, they spend more time time at diligent R&D to provide what performs VERY well, and not just "eye candy" on their products.

 

The time to start worrying about Kenwood's longevity in the amateur radio market is when Dishtronix buys all their existing inventory and parts stock. Until such time, relax.

 

dishtronix? I heard it was Ten-Tec.

 

Well, they did bring out the 891 a few years ago. That's the Kenwood way compared to Yaesu and Icom who have more robust amateur radio lines...new products are few and far between. Frankly, I'm surprised they don't come out with a successor to the 590sg...something to compete with the IC-7300 and FT-DX10. Maybe they will...but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

Yeah, but if that happens many here will say: "KENWOOD WILL BE SELLING NEW TRANSCEIVERS ANY DAY NOW!!" For years.

 

Why would Kenwood release another radio? What is in it for them? Certainly, no money to be made in ham radio market, and the clientele is aging and dying off. Show me the money.

 

Yeah, Icom sold so few IC 7300s they gave up on it. Oh. Wait.

 

Look at Kenwoods track record on releasing new radios. They do not release near as many as Icom or Yaesu, but when they do it is usually a homerun. And will be in production for 10-20 years. I am waiting to see what they step up with in the SDR world.

 

I think that a company has to have new products occasionally to stay active in a market. And long term I would hate to lose a player in the market. The big three becoming the big two is not good for anyone particularly the buyer. Prices are more apt to go up. I am hearing that Kenwood is not spending the money on R&D like tey used to, but that is a rumor.

 

Let's hope that is the case. Looking for a more portable HF rig but have been holding out for almost two years. Come first of the year I am going to pull the trigger and go ICOM, or (more likley Yaesu), If I dont hear about anything new from Kenwood coming.

 

The new TS 490 to replace the 480
It will be a SDR type mobile and will a Big seller like the 480 has been/ they made good $$$s on the 480.
You may see it at Dayton next year. HI

The 890 and 990 replacements will have new numbering and are 2 years off with things like they are in the world.
.... ..

73 from,
The K0UO " Rhombic Antenna Farm" 2 miles of wire in the Air & On the Air daily

 

Yes, this! ^^

As I have posted every time this subject arises...

Kenwood has been in the amateur radio market for nearly six decades.


They've stuck to the same pattern throughout that time...

Rather than "flooding the zone" with new models (See: Yaesu & Icom), Kenwood has always developed a just handful of top-performing radios and continued to manufacture/market each model (with minor improvements along the way) for as long as it sells in sufficient quantity to make it worthwhile -- often ten years or longer -- thereby getting the most out of their R&D and manufacture tooling investments. (See: TS-520/530, TS-820/830, TS-2000, TS-430/440, TS-570/590, TH-F6a, etc.).

And, on an ongoing basis, they take more ad space in QST than either Yaesu or Icom.

 

They keep their radios selling for a decade or more. Their home run HTs can't be made anymore due to "The Chip Factory" fire.