Old german proverb= "We get too soon old, and too late smart!"
At Massillon ARC (OH) (W8NP) we finally found the best FD rig after years
and years of using the latest rigs and technology. We have since purchased
a few (at prices tailored to a club budget!)
Recent times have required the guest operators to either not touch any of
the controls on whatever PLL "bells & whistles" rig is being used, (except
for the tuning knob) or face the embarassment of having to ask someone "how
to adjust this or that, or how to restore it to operation after pushing a
wrong button."
Realizing that most rigs today require a programming course and that most
operators won't own the same rig that's being used.... plus the fact that
the band capabilities of new rigs are far in excess of what is needed in
the "traditional FD bands," (80/40/20/15/10) we, a couple years back, made
the decision to use a "user friendly" set that any operator could use
comfortably with no previous instruction... One that would take the abuse
of FD and not fail.... One that had superb CW and Fone characteristics and
had no unneeded bells and whistles... In other words, a purely functional
radio having everything needed for FD.
Ten Tec will not benefit from this disclosure, unless they decide to
recondition and resell these units. Unfortunately this will not aid new
sales.
The rig? The 25+ year old digital Triton 4 (model 544)...! Stock! No
extra convertors or external VFO's! A little thinking on the part of any
FD operator will confirm our choice.
Our prior PLL "phase-noise" problems that really messed up our multiple
station/close proximity environment have about 90% disappeared. As long as
antenna orientation considerations are kept in mind, our separate stations
can operate even the same band (CW and Fone) despite being 200 feet or less
apart.
The standard Sideband filter plus the two CW audio filters (included in the
AGC loop!) are all that is needed to handle the QRM. We have had no
complaints in three years... nor have we had any rig failures to contend
with during the middle of the contest. (If you are curious about the PLL
rigs that we have HAD to fix during or after FD, just Email me and I will
give the short list)
This is not to suggest going back to 25 year old contesting technology...
by all means use computer aided logging and transmission, programmable
keyers, DVR audio messages and Headset/boom mikes. Our only concession to
the "good old days" is the TT 544. (other than antennas, where there is
nothing new under the sun)
Hated to post this, as we don't need our competition using any ideas that
give US a small advantage.... and we don't want the prices of these old
gems going up to where they are less affordable for good operators and
newcomers, but....
We just wanted to give credit to what will have to be looked upon in years
to come...as the (last refinement of) the first solid state 100W xcvr ever
built, and as one of the all-time classic Ham transceivers.
73,
Perry w8au
P.S. = Oops, we did have ONE failure this year.... the meter lamp in one
of the 544's burnt out!
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