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[TenTec] Re: Argosy (analogue) vs. Argosy Two (digital)

To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: [TenTec] Re: Argosy (analogue) vs. Argosy Two (digital)
From: N4NT@chartertn.net (Mike Hyder)
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 14:30:40 -0400
I'm not sure how knowledgeable I am but I will relate my findings as best I
remember them.

The analog Argosy does use the dial cord with an elastic bungee cord section
to pull the 100 kHz pointer to the left as the dial is turned down
frequency.  Over the years, that bungee cord loses elasticity.  My best
estimate is that you would probably need to replace it every 15 years or so.
Doing that does not require replacing or even re-stringing the dial cord,
just replacing that little section.

My analog Argosy was a really nice radio.  One thing I liked about it better
than the digital Argosy II (525D) was that the AGC sampling was done after
the audio CW filter whereas on my Argosy II the sampling was done before the
audio filter.  This was significant because with the Argosy II, signals out
of the audio passband of the filter would still pump up the AGC.  This did
not happen nearly as much with the Argosy.  I tried unsuccessfully to rework
the circuitry of my Argosy II to accomplish the same thing but was
unsuccessful.  It appears that someone in Ten-Tec's design department
decided they could save a dollar by doing it the bad way and that's what
they did.

The reason I preferred the digital version was that often I will want to get
on a particular frequency.  The dial accuracy of the analog Argosy is
probably plus or minus 1 kHz.  That is not close enough if you are wanting
to call a person with narrow filters or DSP who is monitoring a particular
frequency.  With the digital model there is a front-panel switch which turns
the digital circuitry off.  Before doing that, you can set the dial skirt
just as on the analog model and wind up with the same thing.  That switch
has an extra set of contacts which can be used to switch the meter lamp off,
too, and reduce the current drain of the rig even further.

If I didn't care about being able to sit on a frequency to an accuracy of
about plus or minus 50 Hz, then I'd get the analog model.

Mike N4NT@chartertn.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sherrill WATKINS" <SEWATKINS@dgs.state.va.us>
To: <N4NT@chartertn.net>; <wr4i@mindspring.com>; <prvalko@oakland.edu>
Cc: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 9:23 AM
Subject: Argosy (analogue) vs. Argosy Two (digital)


I realize that the Argosy (original) uses an analog display and the Argosy
Two uses a digital display.  However, I will appreciate receiving comments
from knowledgeable individuals regarding other differences and similarities
between these two Argosy units.  What are the  pro's or con's to the two
different type displays?  Are there dial cords that wear out in the analog
display?  Do the digital number segments burn out?  Other than the display,
do the two radios perform the same?  Which is easier to repair?  Which one
did Ten Tec manufacturer in greater numbers?  Which is most popular? Thank's
in advance for all comments! - Corn- k4own.

>>> "Mike Hyder  -N4NT-" <N4NT@chartertn.net> 06/25/01 07:16PM >>>

Actually the only WARC band on my Argosy II is the 30 meter band -- that was
the same on my Argosy analog model.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul R. Valko <prvalko@oakland.edu>
To: Dennis Terribile/WR4i <wr4i@mindspring.com>
Cc: tentec@contesting.com <tentec@contesting.com>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Monday, June 25, 2001 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Argosy I vs Century 22 stats?


>
>
>The Century 22 was available before the Argosy I.  They both went out of
>production about the same time, too.  The Argosy was replaced by the
>Argosy II which had the WARC bands.
>
>Century 22 was a CW only rig and the Argos ran 50W CW/SSB.  The C22 was
>also a DC receiver and the Argosy was a superhet.  They did LOOK alike!
>
>73! =paul= W8KC
>Collector of Ten*Tecs and other fine plastics.
>  Visit the Virtual Ten*Tec Museum at:
>  <http://www.acs.oakland.edu/~prvalko>
>
>
>On Mon, 25 Jun 2001, Dennis Terribile/WR4i wrote:
>
>> Would anyone on this list happen to know how the Argosy I   and the
Century
>> 22 compare and which came first? (Paul probably has that on his Web



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