Kenwood TS-811 (1984–19xx)

A 70cm all-mode desk rig that does something almost nothing else in the hobby bothered to do.

Overview

The TS-811 is one of the very few all-mode 440 MHz radios ever put into a box the size of a proper base station. Kenwood built it in Japan starting in 1984. The exact end of production isn't documented anywhere the archive could confirm - the record simply reads "1984-19xx (Discontinued)." Collectors describe it as desk sized, a great base, and very satisfying to operate. Most 70cm gear of the era was a handheld, a mobile brick, or a multimode rig that treated 440 as an afterthought bolted onto a 2m chassis. The TS-811 was none of those things.

The unit measures 279 × 108 × 327 mm and weighs 6.5 kg (14.33 lb). That's a footprint you commit to. It wants a shelf, not a cupholder. The front panel covers FM, SSB, and CW, which in 1984 on the 70cm band was close to unheard of. FM was the default for repeater work. SSB and CW on 440 meant weak-signal operators, satellite chasers, and contesters working the band's long-haul potential. Kenwood built one chassis that served all of them.

Tuning coverage is where the variants split. The Japanese domestic market version tunes 430-440 MHz on both transmit and receive. The TS-811E, the European version, covers 432-438 MHz. One source describes the A/B/E family as operating between 430.000 and 449.995 MHz, so the coverage depends on which market the radio was built for. Tuning steps run 10 and 100 Hz for fine work, plus 5, 10, and 20 kHz for faster tuning. That spread makes sense for a rig that has to handle both narrowband SSB and FM channel-hopping.

Frequency stability is quoted at ±1.2 kHz from one to sixty minutes after power-on, tightening to within 50 Hz every thirty minutes thereafter. That first hour of drift is the thermal reality of the era's crystal ovens, and the spec sheet says so plainly. Repeater shift is the standard ±5 MHz (RigPix) or ±5 kHz per the manufacturer document, with the TS-811E offering a 1.6 MHz split as well as custom split options.

Key Features

Double Conversion Superheterodyne Receiver

The receiver is a double conversion superheterodyne with a 30.265 MHz first IF (RigPix) or 30.625 MHz per the manufacturer document. The second IF is 10.695 MHz for SSB and CW, dropping to 455 kHz for FM. Sensitivity is quoted at 0.2 µV for FM at 12 dB SINAD, and 0.13 µV for SSB/CW at 10 dB signal-plus-noise to noise. Those are serious numbers for a 1984 UHF rig, and they explain why the TS-811 earned a reputation as a capable weak-signal machine rather than just a repeater box. Selectivity follows the mode. FM gets 12 kHz at −6 dB and 24 kHz at −60 dB, while SSB/CW narrows to 2.2 kHz at −6 dB and 4.8 kHz at −60 dB.

All-Mode Transmitter with 1–10 W Output

RF output is 1-10 W across FM, SSB (PEP), and CW, all variable from roughly 2 W up to maximum. That 10 W ceiling is modest by HF standards but normal for 70cm, where antenna gain and low-loss feedline matter far more than raw wattage. Some listings for the TS-811D quote 25 W, and at least one source suggests some versions only put out 15 W. The variants clearly differ, and the base TS-811/A/B figure sits at 10 W. FM modulation is reactance type. SSB uses balanced modulation. Maximum FM deviation is factory set at ±5 kHz, and spurious emissions are rated better than −60 dB. The microphone input wants 500-600 ohms through an 8-pin metal locking ring connector, a sturdy, professional-style connector rather than a plastic clip-in jack.

35 Memories with Lithium Battery Backup

Memory covers 35 regular channels, 3 odd split, 2 scan edge, and 1 Call (Com) channel. Storage is RAM with lithium battery backup, so every TS-811 still in service is running on a coin cell that is decades past its design life. That's the most predictable maintenance item on the radio, and any buyer should assume the backup battery needs replacing before the memories will hold. Kenwood also shipped a DCS feature and a CTCSS/PL encoder option (the TU-5) for repeater access, plus a VS-1 voice synthesizer for operators who wanted audible frequency readout.

Mains or 12 VDC Operation

Power comes from either mains 100 VAC through a 3-pin IEC C14 connector or 12-16 VDC. The TS-811E runs on 240 VAC. Current drain is a maximum of 1.2 A on receive and 8.5 A on transmit. The dual-power design means the radio works as a base station or, with the MB-430 mobile mount kit, in a vehicle. At 6.5 kg and that footprint, most owners kept it on a desk. Antenna connection is a 50 ohm SO-239, the standard M-jack that every ham shack has a cable for.

AF Output and Speaker Options

Audio output is 2 W at 5% distortion into 8 ohms, with a 3.5 mm external speaker jack. That's enough to fill a small room, but Kenwood offered the SP-430 for operators who wanted more. The headphone options were the HS-5 and HS-6, and the mic lineup ran from the MC-42S hand mic with up/down buttons up to the MC-85 deluxe electret desk microphone.

Historical Context

The TS-811 is, more or less, the 70cm twin of the TS-711, the 144 MHz transceiver Kenwood built on the same platform. Both are styled after the TS-440, sharing its features and identical styling. The service manual covers both radios in one document, which confirms the shared chassis and circuit lineage. The TS-811 appears in Kenwood documentation alongside the TS-440, TS-450, TS-690, TS-850, TS-940, and TS-950, which places it in the company's serious HF-and-up lineup rather than the budget tier.

Production began in 1984, but the end year isn't documented. No original retail price survives in the sources the archive could verify, and no market context or named competitors are recorded. The TS-811 occupied a narrow niche: all-mode 70cm operation in a desk-sized chassis.

Collectibility & Value

Used examples typically ask somewhere between $343.04 and $439.99. Those are active asking prices rather than confirmed sold prices, and the archive found no completed-sale data. Condition notes from listings describe operation as confirmed with power cords included, and cosmetic wear in the form of stains and scratches that don't affect function. One seller noted the radio had been tested for operation with no problems sending or receiving.

Accessories still circulate. The PG-2J power cable pin connector shows up as NOS, and third-party microphones listed for the TS-811 also fit the 850, 870, 930, and 940. A modification resource exists for converting the TS-811E to a 1.6 MHz offset. Five manuals are available for free download, including the full 32-page TS-811A instruction manual. No common failure modes or repair procedures are documented beyond the existence of the service manual's troubleshooting section, and no spare parts availability information was found. Buyers should budget for a memory backup battery replacement and inspect the IEC power connector for wear.