THE TS-590S review, story and detailed information... 

Now with a chain of events up to: 5/19/12
The choice was made 2/03/2012 (The purchase is not about price, there is a lot more to consider)
The new radio has arrived 2/16/2012 (I look over the manual and do some listening)
The firm-ware update 2/17/2012 (Time to start transmitting and setting up the amplifier)
Getting used to the menus and buttons 2/18/2012 (The 590 is easier to use than the TS-2000)
I finally get back to this project 3/07/2012 (The mysterious "service menu")
The girls are complaining again...I don't know why 3/10/12 (ALC over-shoot - HUH)
Get the real information here 5/2/2012 "What not to do in the 590 service menu"
The ARCP remote operation, setup tutorial 3/16/2012 (Setting up the 590 on a local network) (TBC)
I have acquired an FT-1000. I will be making comparisons 5/5/2012
I revisit the "service menu". There a few cautions to be noted. 5/19/2012
My 590 user notes and download links...HERE
I am done here, let me close and move on...

   Well I finally managed to save all my dollars (1600 of them) and bought the Kenwood TS-590S. This will be my last radio purchase (new radio out of the box) that I will make. I do buy used radios and save them from final fate, but this has been a year long saving adventure, that fluctuated back and forth until I finally reached the purchase price. And yes, it is on my Birthday week that the radio will arrive. I will turn 69 and celebrate my 55th year in Ham Radio. Wow, 55 years...did I actually survive that long??
   Anyway, this is not about me but about a venture into the unknown. No this is not some 10 grand radio that has more bells and whistles than one of those 7000 series rice boxes. This is the staple of all moderate conservative radio amateurs. This can be likened to buying a TS-520 or a new TS-180S back in the Carter years. This technology is very different. This is the first "real" step toward high end digital enhanced IF, AGC and signal processing. A true connection between the computer and the radio. This is not SDR. it is SCR and "software controlled" is as good as it gets because the "590" is a radio and not a box that is dependent on processor speed. Yes, I have an I7 CPU in my computer, but the "590" does not care. It does it's thing while I control it's functions, not process them and there in lies the key to this review. This rendering is all about the preparation I took before I made the purchase, and includes the first contact I (will) make with the radio and those results. I will cover the "bells and whistles", the interfacing and the software needed to be successful. I will also give a short but precise review for those who simply want the TS-590 and care less about "software control", and more about making the contact.
  
   I purchased my TS-590 from HRO. That is not an endorsement, I bought my TS-2000 from them and several other devices as well; so I naturally asked the same question you would..."What kind of price break are you giving me today?" I took advantage of HRO's "match the competition" policy. I must say I love the free-market when it is allowed to operate properly. I had to sell two of my favorite radios to get the "590". My TS-530SP and my TS-180S are now in the hands of a new user. I sold them at a fair price, and these were great radios, but they were old radios and it was time I moved on, so I moved out the all analog shack and replaced it with another digital enhanced transceiver. I will back up my "590" with my 14 month old "2000", they will look great together and I still have my VHF-UHF capabilities.

Update 5/10/12 ~ I purchased a used FT-1000. This radio has a few issues, but I will get the damn thing going sooner or later. Oh yeah, I won a Kenwood TM-261 at a hamfest, I previously used the TS-2000 on 2 meter FM, but I got lucky...another Kenwood in the shack.

Update: 5/15/12 ~ This is one great radio. I cannot tell you if the unit is worse or better compared to an FT-DX5000 or a K3, but I know that dollar vs. dollar, the TS-590 is a great investment, even as a second radio it out performs those at the same price or more. In it's class, it is a winner that you will certainly enjoy. If the 990 performs as well or better, it will certainly be widely accepted. Unfortunately, I can't afford one. Oh yeah, receiver vs. receiver, the TS-590 does do a better over all job when compared to the FT-1000D. The 1000 was and still is the classic main stay of the Yaesu line. On my bench, the TS-590 is a dwarf...but a giant killer, even if the giant is 20 years older.

2/03/12 ~ I sold the TS-2000 today!!! The 590 simply made no sense of keeping it. Maybe I will buy me a FLEX, or a TS-450/690, or maybe not!
   The "590" has a distinct TS-2000 look and feel, but the box is not quite as "ugly" as the "2000". My first TS-2000 introduced me to "less knob" radio, not knob-less, I said less knobs; like I was missing all those knobs that gathered dust. The ones that no one uses unless they have to, and that is the point of menu driven radios, most of those knobs are used one time and forgotten. They are better off as a process control. Only a few knobs are actually turned more than one time during any communication event, so why all the clutter on the front panel. Let's not even consider the dirty pot scenario. Use them or lose them is the issue...
   It was about 1 year ago that the buzz was up in the air about new radios. The TS-590S was getting some attention and I took notice. I did listen for them on the air and had to say it sounded like a Kenwood. I have only 1 good ear, so what I hear is not worth the damn...if I can listen to a station and not strain my ear(s), I am a happy Ham. If I listen to CW, the note has to be above 700 Hz but below 1500 in order to be intelligent. I chose the TS-2000 because it had some flexible filtering (DSP) that allowed me to tailor the audio. I noticed that the TS-590S would offer that same functionality. The 590 has a roofing filter that is variable, so that should offer me more clarity. The TS-2000 has a great receiver, and it uses roofing filters too, but it lacks adjacent signal rejection, and I had to learn how to overcome that issue. The TS-590 has basically solved the TS-2000 image rejection problem. No, this design did not solve the "asshole" issue...just image rejection that is outside the bandpass. There is no way to fix "asshole".
   As I read reviews, I did notice that Kenwood wanted to build and market a better receiver. That is one that would compete with the K3 and the ORION. The only thing I noticed about the competition was they offered a graphic pan-adapter that I cannot believe anyone really uses. There are on-line pan-adapters that work just as well and you don't have to use your receiver to see where the band is busy. If you want DX, say hello to the "spots". I want a receiver that hears the frequency I am set on, and if anything in the receiver takes away from that, well I don't want it, or need it. It is obvious that Kenwood was trying to sell a better transceiver for the sake of "better" not bigger or brighter. I cannot afford a 10 grand radio, so the TS-590S was my target. I looked at the Icom 7600 (no thank you) and the Yaesu radios. The FT-2000 looked alright but after all the filters, the damn thing is 3000 dollars. Remember, this is my last radio I will ever buy and it is not going to cost me the price of a cotton lined casket. I don't need a pan-adapter display on my radio. I want to look at a frequency and talk. Damn, the guy on the other end cares less what I am using...why is that so hard to understand? If you tell me you are using a 10,000 dollar radio and I am on a 1500 dollar radio, who is really smarter here? I get to work in a 1986 F100, you get there in a BMW 640i, whet is the real difference?
   So I made my choice...the TS-590S will be the new W3EUT radio. Now the next thing I do is find the Kenwood website and look at the brochures and download any software that I might be able to use. I will also download the manual and the support files (PDF). So off to the website I go...wow, did I get a face full. More than 100MB of manuals, files and software. The Kenwood ARCP-590 was my first download. It is not much bigger than the TS-2000 version. It looks similar, but there is a lot more menu selections that apply to HF operation. The TS-2000 has several menus, but a lot of them are dedicated to VHF, UHF and SAT operation. Well the ARCP-590 does not have these features, so the menus are extended. The first thing you notice is the controls are sliders now. There is a RIT and XIT knob on the display and the main dial is much larger. The buttons are placed neatly and the menus pop up so you can set and adjust them with ease. I will know more after I hook it up, but that is another story and a lot more software to install. All in all I downloaded 100 plus MB of data and these included the KNS (Kenwood Network Solution) This package is basically an "operating system" that ties the ARHP, ARCP and ARUA together. In simple terms, I can operate my TS-590S from anywhere on the planet (even in an airplane) as long as I can log into my computer at the QTH. I can control my amplifier and select antennas (1 of 2) from the remote position. I can turn on the radio and off when I am done. All the functions of the ARCP are available with a single USB cable plugged into the "590", and I do not need an interface in between. The ARHP is the "host program" and the ARUA is the "audio" service for both microphone and speaker functions used by the "workstation". I can operate SSB, CW, FSK, or any digital mode...all remote. I did not realize this capability till I spent some time with the manuals. Now this is really neat stuff!!!

   So now I sit and wait for the new radio...it is due tomorrow, just before my birthday and you know it will be on the air 3773 KHz come Thursday night.

2/16/12 ~ One day before my Birthday (69) and around 1500 hours the radio arrives. This is perfect timing because everything is in place for the big test. That means, I get the first ear-shot of my TS-590S...OK. let us go...I placed the unit on the shelf where it is proudly displayed and I turn it on (see text below). Needless to say I was not excited, the audio was low and signals sounded distorted. That was not my best moment in life. I calmed down and read the manual..."if you encounter errors after activating your radio for the first time" please see the "HARD RESET" information in the TROUBLE SHOOTING" appendix on page 78. This will save you a lot of aggravation.
   The "hard reset" is completed and now for the FIRMware upgrade. In order to do this I had to complete the following steps...the radio must be connected to a computer. If you are using Windows XP or Vista, you must first, before connecting to the radio, install the ARCP-590 on your computer and the Silicon Labs, virtual com port driver (VCP). The VCP is used for data communication to your USB cable via the serial ports on your PC. This port will show up in your devices listing under My Computer/properties. You must set this port to a speed that matches your 590 settings in menu "62" (115200). When you have completed the setup, see the instruction .PDF files on the Kenwood Software Downloads page, you can turn on your 590 and the XP/VISTA machine will find the radio. Note: If you are using a Windows7 machine, you should setup the VCP, but the computer will automatically find the radio on the USB port. It is easier to setup the 590 on a Windows7 PC. Most new PC machines using Windows7 will not have a dedicated serial port, so USB is your only alternative. Keep the cable as short as possible. Do not use extenders or USB hubs. These are generally not FCC approved and if you run an amp, you could have a possible RF problem with your PC.

   Now that the communication is up and running, test the ARCP thoroughly before attempting any FIRM-ware updates. You will discover that the ARCP offers ease of radio menu functions and gives you more control, in real time, than the MENU button on the radio. Note that radio functions over-ride the PC, so the ARCP goes into sleep while you adjust your 590 radio directly using the menus.

2/17/12 ~ Update the FIRM-ware. This was something I had to do, but first I gave the radio and the computer a chance to settle down. I did not want anything to go wrong on my first update. I had no clue what to expect. I followed the Kenwood directions to the letter. I was operating the radio from Windows7 and the USB cable. I completed the update in a few minutes and found that this was a painless operation. No patients were lost, and that is a good thing considering.
   The radio is working fine and I am rather surprised at the receive functions. This was, after all the main reason I made the purchase. I expected a "better" receive, but not the "Ohh Face" results I got. I mean wow...when compared to my TS-2000, this is a vast improvement. My favorite receivers were Kenwood's TS-180S and the TS-850; both stood tall next to the TS-2000 when it came to image rejection and signal to noise ratio, but the TS-590S is a giant killer (an out of box giant killer). It took some getting used to because I generally ran the "PRE" (RF amplifier stage) turned on. The TS-2000 was not much of a signal getter without it, but the TS-590S hears so well that running the "PRE" full time is a thing of the past. On the net (3773 Cam Radio Net) my friends have all increased by 10DB and that is with stock settings...no other receive controls running. They not only increased signal level but the 3770 bunch does not bother me at all. They are history, while on the TS-2000 they were bothersome most all the time.
    It was time to test the transmit. I had heard 590's on the air and all of them seemed fine. I did run across one that sounded "gruff" and scratchy, but that may have been microphone. I run the Heil Goldline or the Sennheiser 935, I learned my lesson well...I was an MC-60 user and that was a nightmare for RF feedback, so I went to the XLR connectors and the balanced input microphones. I won't go back! The Heil gave me good reports on the TS-2000 and my friends told me that the 590 sounded exactly like me. I had not been into the TX-EQ yet and I figured I would leave that for another day. I wanted to get the amplifier running with the 590.
   I use the ARB-704 interface with my amplifier. This is an insurance device. I don't know how many times I have heard stories about "flash-over" and I don't want that "lightning bolt" coming into my radio via the control circuits. The issue gets worse if the amplifier does not use a "tuned input". Mine does, as well as great control circuits for handling "over shoot" and "over drive", but I still take no chances when it comes to my radio investment. The setup on the 590 was easy. I went into menu "53" and set the amplifier keying to number three (3) on the display. This allowed me to control the amp timing circuit. You can read all about that in the manual. The menu "54" is for six meter operation. Don't get confused. One thing to note, I do not use ALC with my amplifier. Any modern radio that has been developed in the last 10 years does not require ALC. especially into a 20 year old amplifier. These circuits do not operate in the manner intended by designers of tube amplifiers from the 70's. Forget it! Now, if you purchase an all solid-state unit, that is another issue that I cannot attend to here. My amplifier is an Ameritron Al-1500. The 590 drives it perfectly (read about the "over shoot" issue later in this review) and the QSK keying circuit inside the 1500 reacts to CW operation as well. If you have "over-shoot" problems, don't blame it on the 590. Stop using the ALC line between the amp and the 590...in fact stop using it into any radio if the amplifier is an older vintage tube type.

   Just to let you know, I cover ALC elsewhere on my website, but to remind you...most ALC circuits are crude and worthless. They are a resistor, taking RF voltage from the deck and rectifying it. That is (in some cases) controlled by a "bias" pot that combines the ALC radio line and the RF deck line to hold down the exciter RF drive output. This is totally stupid and the reason Drake named it AGC on the "L" series amplifiers. ALC on modern radios takes care of itself.

2/18/12 ~ The ease of use factor...I may be jumping all over the place here but this is a feature worth talking about.
   In the image to the left, you see an active function menu selection, if you click on, say the "noise blanker" the "NB1" icon will pop up on the screen above the frequency display, if you push a second time the radio enters "NB2" mode. However if you hold the "NB" button for (1) one second, the "menu help banner" pops up as shown (2) and you can adjust the depth of the "NB1" setting using the MULTI/CH knob (3). What makes this unique is you now have knob type control for every button on the radio and you do not have to remember menus or numbers. Some of the buttons have their own control, such as the "Notch" and "Notch W" (wide) control. So essentially you have total "front panel control" of most all the buttons, but without the "menu help banner", your learning curve would be extended and you would be thumbing through the manual just when that rare DX station is ready to call you...what a bummer!!
   The ARCP app if you have it running, will also allow menu changes, but if you have any of the menu buttons active on the radio display, the ARCP is closed and you cannot use it until the menu selection is completed and un-selected. This is a fail proof software change for the ARCP that was not available on the TS-2000. More on the ARCP later on...
   I know that a lot of you don't care much for computer controlled radios. A lot of you have no time for computers and have never gone beyond Windows 98 or XP, but that is not a choice when it comes to SDR or the more expensive "box radios" that use the computer for setting radio properties. I am not knocking them, but computers have become contraceptive to many "I like knobs" users. That is simply a line of "bull shit". Knobs have nothing to do with it...the computer is probably the intimidating factor. So rather than learn a computer, we will simply make excuses. But this radio eliminates that problem...it will satisfy both users and you old farts can invite your grand kids to bring in their laptop and program the EQ's for you and update the radio. How cool is that?

   Oh yeah I have a question, or two...why would you concern yourself with a microphone that is rated at 20 to 20,000 cycles for SSB use? Why hang a 100 band EQ off a radio when the last 65 bands are out of the SSB audio spectrum? What am I missing when my filter is set to 2.6KHz and your radio is broadcasting at 6KHz wide? Is there some secret code above 3KHz that I cannot hear? If you have a responsible answer, please let me know.

3/07/12 ~ Well now I know that I have purchased an entry level radio. Yes the 590S is considered an entry level radio...by who(?) Well some ICOM 7600 user...yes he was reviewing the 590S, but he does not own one. He saw it at a hamfest and that is his personal review. Amazing that this entry level puts the heat on those 'spensive radios like the K3 and the 7000 series ICOMS. Oh yes, they also hear as well, if not better than the FT-1000D. So if this is my entry level radio, I guess I have to sell it off and spend another 5000.00 so I can "adjust" my "on air" ego and my "more knobs" mentality. Imagine what the owner of a FLEX 3000 must be thinking about right now(?) But then why would he be reading this?
  
  
   I did manage to find some very useful information regarding the SERVICE MODE for the TS-590S. The service mode menu was borrowed from the TS-570S. The 570 used the plug I show here and ribbon cable that is used to separate the radio chassis. Since you won't be doing that, I suggest you make up the connector from the pack of plugs you received with your 590. The jumper is from PIN8 ~ PIN 9. These two pins should be shorted together. Now simply plug the connector into the ACC2 din slot and prepare to turn "on" the radio. With two fingers, push the [MIC] and the [NR] buttons while you turn on the radio. The number MENU "88" should appear in the "memory" position on the main screen. When the number appears,  you may remove the adjustment jig (I do not). Now select the adjustment Menu Mode using the [MULTI/CH] knob. You may change any adjustment data, but keep in mind it will not be active till you write the data and press the [CLR] to enter the VFO mode.
   Changing the data is done using the [M.IN] button or the [SCAN] button. You may also use the "hand mic" [UP] or [DN] keys. This sometimes makes things a bit easier, but the buttons on the face of the radio work just as well. To write your adjustments, you simply scroll to MENU "60" and use the [MIC] key as explained above, to (good) the changes. To cancel the adjustment menu, hit the [CLR] key. If you turn off the radio the "write" mode is also cancelled, so you really don't have much to worry about. However keep in mind that you should keep a cheat sheet. That way you will know if your adjustments helped or hindered the radio operation. There is a PDF file that will help explain the menu. You can download that file from this website.
Note that with the "jig" in place you cannot transmit, so "turn off the radio" and remove the plug. Now turn the radio "ON".
There is also an XLS file that goes into the menu as well. I will try to find that file and place it on the site for your review. Never-the-less, if you want to play with the radio service menu, the information I gathered here will be helpful.
   One thing to note...after you enter new data and set [CLR] to write the information you will receive a "good" for your effort. I mean the menu will read as "good", like "good job" or "good for you" or "good luck". You make the call because I fear that you may be playing with fire. Always keep notes...

3/10/12 ~ The ALC argument continues...however I have not found out what the issue really is. I have 107 watts out of my TS-590S on CW-FSK and SSB. That is measured by my Bird 43. Now I don't really trust my Ameritron wattmeter inside 10%, but even if I give it 10% tolerance, I am in the ball park. My Drake WM-4 has always been within 10% and even that shows the TS-590S is better than 100 watts out. But it is the Tektronix 2213 that tells me I am doing 100+ watts into the tuner. So I must trust what I see and without expensive test gear. I can only abide by the ALC meter on the radio and hope that circuit is functioning properly, but what do I know, my 590 is apparently a fluke...I have sent a nice letter to Kenwood asking them to explain the issue. I hear so much about it from "Icom users" that I cannot get the facts correct. So I wrote Kenwood and asked for an answer. They replied asking me if I updated the firm-ware to 1.06 and basically said if the problem existed they were not aware of it at this time.
   So at this point I will re-visit the ALC over-shoot...whatever(?), again in the future But for now I am going to leave well enough alone. I think I missed that question on the element IV exam. Never-the-less all of this gets interesting when you enter the world of Ham Radio. But fear not, you can always wait for the next new radio on the market, buy it, and start blogging again...what fun!!!
   Meanwhile the SERVICE MENU details are on this page...so experiment all you want, but don't lose site of your real objective...have fun. If this gets too technical for you...take up Golf.

3/16/12 ~ This is a "blow by blow" description on setting up the Kenwood TS-590S for remote operation over a local network. This is all covered in the KNS setup manual, a PDF file that you can download and print. This 29 page manual is a good reference and it will make things a little easier.
   My first impression of the ARCP is a good one. No, it does not look like a FLEX radio, It looks like an interface screen to a "software controlled radio" (SCR). It is a lot like the 570 ARCP and similar to the 2000 version. The same "simple" tuning knob is in place, but you can use a "Griffin Jog Shuttle control" in place of the main dial, or simply use your thumb wheel on the mouse to change frequency. I have not tried my track ball, but I will soon enough to give you a review. I will get into ARCP details later on, but for now here are the basic steps you must take to setup remote access for your 590.
   To start, you must download all the needed files. They are located HERE on the Kenwood download page. You will download the ARCP-590, Virtual COM-PORT driver, ARUA-10, ARHP and ARVP KNS command system and (for guru operation) you can download the PC CONTROL REFERENCE. Place these files in a folder on your PC and remember where they are. Now you can access the files and open the archives for setup.
   My network is a simple HOME NETWORK using a WORKGROUP. I have (2) Windows 7 machines, (1) XP SP3 machine and (1) on Windows Server 2003. The network is obviously W3EUT and I have file sharing turned on. I have password protection on all machines. So I will need to remember these passwords when setting up the KNS. Before I start all this I must be sure that I can access files to and from each machine which I plan to access for the 590 remote. There is a trick to this and I want to explain, if you are using Windows 7 or Vista for the HOST and the CLIENT is Windows XP or Windows Server, you must setup Windows 7 (or Vista) in a WORKGROUP. Windows 7 defaults to a "homegroup". That is Ok if all machines are Windows 7, but if they are not, the Windows 7 computer must be on a WORKGROUP.

 Note that because this function can also be used over the Internet you should be sure that "remote access" is available on your host computer.

   The "HOST" computer is directly connected to the 590. You may be connected via a serial cable or, like me, I use USB to handle the connection. Note that USB does allow AUDIO to be exchanged from and to another remote computer. If you have chosen the serial cable, you will be required to use the VOiP (voice over IP) function. SERIAL communication can be quite a bit slower than using USB 2.0. There may be a latency issue, especially if your connection is 19,200 or slower baud rate. but a local network hardwired should not be too bad at all. Maybe not great for contesting, but certainly very respectable. This is a "hardware" issue and you should choose your HOST and CLIENT wisely.
   Ok your local setup requires a HOST and a REMOTE, here after known as the CLIENT. You will need local IP addresses on the HOST and the CLIENT. This can be set using Windows setup "network places/properties" select your LOCAL CONNECTION "properties/Internet Protocol TCP-IP/properties". Now, "use the following IP address" You should set the IP address to 192.168.1.150 or higher, up to 255. Do not give the HOST or the CLIENT the same address. Set the "subnet mask" to the default 255.255.255.0. Now set the "default gateway" to your ROUTER ADDRESS (example: 192.168.1.1). Finally set the "preferred DNS" to your ROUTER. If you make a mistake here it the ARHP will send an error message. You can get help HERE if you have never set IP addresses for XP, Vista or 7.
   The 590S is connected to the HOST and the HOST is connected to a "switch or a router". This network distribution device is connected to the CLIENT and the HOST along with options like a MODEM to the Internet or a PRINTER. In the basic setup The HOST runs ARHP, and the ARVP-H. The CLIENT (remote) must be running the ARCP-590 and ARVP-R. The ARVP is optional only if you want to SEND and RECEIVE AUDIO. The ARVP handles the audio for microphone and speaker to and from the TS-590. The Internet connection is similar but there are a few other rules that must be understood to make the Internet connection function properly (port forward rules, porting protocols and Global IP information must be obtained). But, first, let us make our connection over a LOCAL LAN.
   To get started we will configure the audio cable. There is a small bag of DIN plugs that came with your radio. In this bag find the plug for the ACC2 connector. This is a 13 pin DIN plug. You will need two (2) plugs that can interface with your sound card. generally these are 3.5 mm Mini-plug. However you may have some other device that you interface to the PC. This is Ok because you are basically connecting MIC IN and LOW LEVEL AUDIO OUT from the TS-590.
   You will be required to have the DOT NET Framework installed on all computers that will access the ARHP HOST. The ARHP-590 will seek out the app during installation. If the proper version of DOT NET is already on your computer, the installation will take only a few moments, otherwise, it will take some time to do a complete setup...be patient.
   The ARCP and ARVP-10R are installed on the CLIENT (remote PC). The ARHP and ARVP-10H along with your connection to the transceiver are installed on the HOST computer. The CLIENT runs ARCP and does all the command generation for the ARCP functions. These commands are intercepted by the ARHP at the HOST and passed to the TS-590S. The ARVP-10R is a VOiP application that supplies the 590 with audio in and receiver out. The ARVP-10H must be running on the HOST, and ARVP-10R must be executed on the CLIENT in order to pass audio (in/out) to and from the 590.
   Setting up the initial connection is simple, but you must follow a set of steps. Take a few minutes and decide what USER NAME and PASSWORD you will give your CLIENT. The HOST may be "your call" and the CLIENT, "your call_R". The PASSWORD can be anything, but keep it simple to remember. You will need to access both the HOST (via the Windows login) and the KNS. They do not remember credentials so set it up in steps that makes it easier on you.
   There are 29 pages in the KNS manual...read carefully but do not become frustrated. If you follow along here it will happen. Kenwood suggest that you do not run ARHP/ARCP on different "windows versions". That is not true. My setup is an XP-SP3 machine talking to a Windows 7 machine. It can be done and is rather simple to implement as long as the Windows 7 machine is on the same "workgroup" as the XP machine.
   To begin...do not start the 590 at this time. On the HOST computer, run ARHP now. This screen should be the default...

This is simple to understand, the "CONNECT" button will make connection to your TS-590 and the indicator will turn "yellow" the "POWER" button has a "green" indicator. The rest of the screen is blank. The information in these boxes will change as soon as the CLIENT has access to the ARHP application.

The boxes will indicate radio Model...User Name...User Description, IP Address and Session restrictions. This screen
has 4 menu selections across the top. Only the "TOOLS" menu is active for the USER. here you can edit the LOGIN "connect" message, set the LANGUAGE and most importantly edit new users.

Click on the "tools/setup" menu. The next screen will be the
KNS setup screen. Here is where you complete the setup and add new users.

First you must set the COM PORT. Remember that if you are running the radio on USB, you are using the "virtual port driver" and a COM port is assigned for communication. Mine is COM4. That port is available and will be set in the PORT NUMBER dialogue. The BAUD RATE must match the radio as set for the ARCP. The IP address of the machine running the ARHP is posted in the dialogue box with the LAN port number as 50,000. This is default. The session setting defaults to UNLIMITED in the dialogue.
Set the reconnection to automatic. This will insure that the radio will be connected upon a power failure to the computer or radio.
Now we sill setup the USER. The box should be empty if this is your first setup. Click "ADD" now and a small box, shown below, will pop up. This box is where you enter information that allows a user to access the ARHP.

   You will enter a USERNAME and PASSWORD here and a small description of the USER. This information will be displayed on the main page of the ARHP when that user is connected. You may disable the user at anytime so there is no worry if you have several. You can only log on to the system one user at a time, so no worry.

   When the USER setup has been completed, the user name will appear on the USER LIST. You can "double click" on any user and edit USER information required. You can change PASSWORD or user description. You cannot change USER NAME. You will be required to DELETE and ADD again. Once a user has been created, the name cannot be changed using the editor. Note that setting a session time effects all users. If you operate remote and, say a club member operates your radio also, you must set the session to UNLIMITED if you do not want to be shut down during any session of operation. The SESSION timing should be used wisely for " club member" remote operation.

Keep a log of all users you have set for this operation. I have 3 users. Two are local computers and 1 is remote entry over the internet. This is a great application for connection when you are away on business, vacation or even during a stay in the hospital. Most motels, medical centers and business locations have Internet access via WiFi connections. The ARHP does a great job handling the remote operation of your TS-590S.
   Now we will look at the ARCP from a remote standpoint.

4/30/2012 ~ I revisit the "service menu" for a moment. First I want to warn you that you cannot transmit with the "service plug" in the radio. So if you do any service adjustments you will have to remove the "jig" in order to test your findings. I mentioned that I was going to investigate further the issue with the so called "over shoot" issue. Well it seems that DK5TX has already done this. Actually he was working on the issue about the same time I bought my TS-590. He addresses the issue in an article placed on the Internet that you can link to from my Notes at the bottom of this page. This is required reading for TS-590 users.
   The article explains the results of the DK5TX investigation and he explains what is happening on the infamous "over shoot" issue. Well as I expected it is not an "over shoot" at all. It is a "power spike" that is generated by "slow ALC" operation. Slow as in, not fast enough to control a power spike near 2 times that of the radio RF output. This seems to be a software issue and not a time constant issue, but I think Kenwood will address the problem in a "firmware" update. Just when, we cannot say, but keep your eyes to the sky.
   This may come as a shock...but all radios have some level of "RF spike". The ALC circuit cannot function until there is RF at the output. Even if you added an ALC detection device at the coax connector, the damn radio would have "over-shoot" (the dumbest choice of words). This is a problem that simply cannot be eliminated unless the RF output is shut down before transmission. That makes no sense either. The issue is "too fast for conditions". The 590 is a CPU processed radio. These processes are far and away "faster" than any analog circuit on the market. This may be the reason we see a greater level of "spike" from the 590 than say an IC-706 or an FT-950.
   Meanwhile I read the article and made the ALC adjustment as stated there. I did not increase the power out level as many have done. The article explains why you should not make that adjustment and I agree with these engineers completely. The ALC circuit should be triggered faster to eliminate the problem. Power spikes have been an issue for years, but as we increase our use of digital applications in Amateur Radio equipment, we will have to find "faster" ways to control these problems. ALC is the modern electronics  equivalent of AGC or APL used years ago. These circuits were designed to "hold down" the SSB power level and allow the controlled the audio circuit. This control was a break-through that nearly eliminated IMD and FLAT TOP as we remember it in the early 60's. Flat topping was common back then because we had no AGC circuits that could control the exciter output and the use of amplifiers just made matters worse. Today we control this problem with ALC.
   Now according to what I have found is certain amplifier circuits don't lend themselves will to the "power spike" the TS-590 is generating. Let me explain...I own and operate an AL-1500 (8877) by Ameritron. The circuit that controls the shut down of the amplifier was constant with detailed information from Ameritron's technical manual back when I was running the amp using my TS-2000. That same information rings true and to the same level of the TS-590S. Actually I can drive the AL-1500 harder before shut down using the 590 than the 2000. So the spike is not an issue as long as you keep your head and think about controlling the ALC. That is where you should make a "service menu" adjustment. Lower the ALC reference, do not increase it as suggested by the "guru's" of radio. You know the ones I mean, they actually believe the G5RV has gain over a dipole.
   I want you to read the entire article on the DK5TX website. I have placed one of the images from that site for this article. The spike shown is nearly two times higher and last longer when the ALC reference is set above 225. I set mine lower to 115 and it seems to work much better although I see ALC on the meter without voice, and I have not seen that problem since the old hybrid days. This issue will no doubt be resolved, but how soon is a question of interest to us all. If any of this concerns you, please take time to read the article. Perhaps the hard work of the team that did the investigating will save you the costly embarrassment of returning your radio to Kenwood only to have them deny warranty service because you made adjustments that were not documented by them. I also hope that these engineers passed this information on to Kenwood in light of this issue and that Kenwood does in fact find a fix for the problem. Meanwhile, this is not a problem here, so I will continue to enjoy a great receiver with amazing noise reduction and image rejection rivaled only by the FT-1000 with mechanical filters installed. That is a pretty high task to match let alone score above. The FT-1000 set the analog radio benchmark, we can only hope the TS-990 sets the benchmark for digital radio.
   The final results are in, the settings I came up with after much trial and tribulation are posted here and in my user notes. Before I get into this I want you to know I came up with these numbers using a scope and a single tone test driven through the microphone input. The "MIC" setting was 50 and the "PWR" setting was 55. The average output on my wattmeter was 39 watts (using short bursts of tone), the power out with solid tone input was 51 watts. My scope was connected to the AL-1500 output and my first tests (ALC reference set to 115) displayed little spike at all, but it actually looked a little "slow", shaped more like a bullet than the image shown above. The key down seemed to hold back on the power slightly. I set the ALC reference to 185, that shut down the amplifier almost every time. I backed it down to 150 and lowered the "PWR" setting to 45 watts. This seemed controllable and the amp liked it, but not 100% of the time. If I increased the "MIC" to 60 the amp would cycle down 50% of the transmission tests (all into a dummy load for the sake of being politically correct). I lowered the reference to 120 and that seemed to be a very nice position with menu 24 set to 179. I tried that several times and I was about to leave it alone but noticed that "Big Al" was not delivering full power as I expected. So I increased the ALC reference to 130 and left the POC alone at 179 (menu 24). The results were great, but I had to play with that menu 24. I was not about to leave that stone unturned. I started with a setting of 200...that was obviously not going to work. Even when I lowered the "PWR" control to 40 watts, the amplifier would break into shut down 70% of the time. The spike was visible, even on my puny Techtronics 2213 (and my B&W 5100). I did not see the nice tone display I was looking for, the spike looked like a small FLAT TOP edge on the front of the output. Note, I cannot show you any images here because I don't have a digital storage unit. I lowered the POC to 180 and tried again. The results were dramatic. The power output was well into the 1700 range and the amplifier did not shut down. Not once at 50 watts, 55 watts, 60 watts or 65 watts. At 70 watts the amp shut down 2 out of 5 tests (the output was beyond legal at this point), but it did that on a regular basis driven by my TS-2000, TS-180S and a old TS-520. The amp was reacting to "over drive" input and not the ALC reference setting. I will use these settings and I will recommend them to Ameritron technical staff so they can react to complaints. They will get complaints I assure you. There is always someone out there who wants to drive ten pounds of shit into a five pound bag.
  
5/5/2012 ~ This is not going to sit well with the rest of the gang but here goes...I obtained my own FT-1000 recently. This is my benchmark for all radios ever built. There were many classic radios placed on the market over the years and the FT101 was such a radio, it sat well for many years, and it's only competition was the Kenwood Hybrids. The TS-520S and the 530SP (later the 830S). These were out there during the best of times with great American radios' like the Drake TR7 and Collins "S" line. But in the early nineties the radio too own was a battle royal between the FT-1000 and the TS-950SDX. Both were  great radios with amazing receivers, however the FT-1000 was "king of the hill". There was never an Icom that could keep up with these two radios. The early Icom models with bad on/off switches and battery issues that cost a small fortune to fix left a lot of poor taste in users mouths. Icom later re-gained market share simply because it had more "bells and whistles" than the FT-1000 or the Kenwood 950 and 870 radios. While the FT-1000 was still selling well, Kenwood introduced the "all-in-wonder" radio the TS-2000, only after a miserable TS-570 run that was a disaster from the beginning to end. I still don't know which 570 model plays on 6 meters. But the Kenwood 2000 was down right ugly. It did not sit well with the "more knobs wins" gang so it was generally passed by for the Icom series radios. How Icom ever gained as much market share I will never know. But they certainly bring out new radios...damn near every month. Anyway back to the TS-2000. I owned 2 (two) of them and enjoyed using them from my computer. They played well, but they had some receiver problems that did not sit well on crowded bands. They fixed this issue in the 590 by the way. But this segment is all about the FT-1000 and comparisons with the TS-590 and will not be studied till I have more time...so here we go.
   The FT-1000 I have purchased has a problem. The 1ss101 diodes in the SWR clamp circuit have died. This is a common problem and the tell-tale symptom is an SWR that pins the meter to the top on transmit, no matter how low you adjust the power. Most all FT-1000 transmit problems can be traced to the LPF UNIT. As soon as I get the radio running again, I will note the repairs here and continue my comparison for you.

TBC (5/15/12) the FT1000 ALC, SWR issue is still being sorted out. The receiver is working perfectly.

 


   Next  I will continue my quest for the best "remote" operation setup. I have the files installed and the USB audio line works very well now. I feel confident that if I can get some spare time this week, I can set the 590 for remote operation.

TBC (dead in water at this point in time)