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Re: [TenTec] Ten Tec Fan Disappointment....

To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Ten Tec Fan Disappointment....
From: "Jim Brown K9YC" <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:53:45 -0800
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:24:26 -0800 (PST), Kimberly Elmore wrote:

>I'm no TT apologist, but don't these companies have different 
>business models? Aren't the Flex5000 and K3 more of an open-source
>sort of environment?

I don't know enough to address the Flex radios, but the K3 is quite 
comparable to the Orion products in concept, superior in 
performance, but comparable to the Omni VII in price. 

I have LONG felt that Ten Tec has failed miserably in the customer 
contact department, while Elecraft has benefitted strongly from the 
excellent customer contact they maintain on the reflector that they 
themselves established. There is a LOT of traffic on that reflector, 
the OWNERS of Elecraft read it, one of them is its moderator, they 
pay a lot of attention to input from customers, and they respond 
directly to relevant questions. One of the owner/founders is the 
chief engineer and major designer, the other is the major 
sales/marketing guy (and technical enough to know what he's talking 
about). 

I bought my first Ten Tec radio, an Omni A, new in 1980, and I still 
own a bunch of Ten Tec gear that I've bought used -- an Omni V.9, 
three Titan 425s, a Herc I, a Herc II, and six 229/238s. I own two 
K3s, and they are the only NEW ham radio products I've purchased new 
since buying that Omni A 28 years ago! In the meantime, I've owned 
TS850's, IC746s, and FT1000MPs. The TS850 is a MUCH better radio 
than the Omni V.9, was introduced about the same time, and was 
comparably priced. 

I am VERY unlikely to buy any NEW Ten Tec gear, simply because 
Elecraft gives me much greater value/performance for the money, and 
they build the products with the features/performance I need. And 
the major reason that they do that is that they have been reading 
their reflector and paying attention to what their customers tell 
them. 

73,

Jim Brown K9YC


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