I have not played with mine in a long time. The little 9 volt internal
battery must still be good as the memories are still there. YOU do need a 12
foot piece of coax before you connect to an antenna because it hears it's
own microprocessor loud and clear otherwise! I started at around 15,000 kc
and tuned UP! Found RCI ( radio canida international ) at 15, 365 and was
using my ringo ranger on the chimney for an antenna and it sounded pretty
good but I moved over to my 40 meter dipole and they sounded a whole lot
better. The audio is clear and if I remember an external speaker is very
nice with it and there is plenty of umph in the little IC to drive it. It
tunes up in 5 kc increments and most of the stations I heard were on those
intervals. Lots of bible thumpers! It does have a fast button and you can
move in 1 meg leaps so the lack of a key pad is not too bad. Heard my first
ham at 18,160 so had to change to SSB and that jumps in 2.5 kc steps so the
clarafier comes into play. Yes, you need to rough tune and then fine tune, a
pain in the rump! There was nobody near for interference but there are
really NO interference fighting tools in the little box! Finally I hit the
CB band 27,085 AM , but they speak a different language, if you know what I
mean. :-) finally 27,365 I hit a CB SSBer and he tuned in ok. at 28,255 I
tuned in a ham, well, he wasn't there it kept sending K8HWW/B michigan !
>From there I went to the 20 meter band and found a few SSB stations but they
are hard to tune but doo able ! YOU need to use the CLARIFIER on each and
every one unless they fall on an even 2.5 main tuning spot.
Building it I remember was a pretty big problem and I delt with TT a lot but
they sent parts and talked me through the weird parts of the manual. It
really sandwitches into that small case but it all fits. Would you be better
off with a Yaesu FT-450 or a second hand Argonaut V, probably, but if you
want it on the night stand in your bedroom get a Grundig Yaght Boy 400 or
something in that class from
<http://www.Universal-radio.com>
for $99 dollars and be happy ever after!
Now where is that EAGLE manual? What, only 2 vacant roofing filter holes,
DARN !
Walt K8CV Royal Oak, MI.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richards" <jruing@ameritech.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 12:25 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] TenTec 1254 Superhet Receiver
>I am in the middle of building that same kit. Yeah.... a couple of the
> reviews might put you off, but then one guy who panned complains the
> shipping box can not be used to mail something else someday. Another
> guy panned the rig - but he had not even built it yet. I hate it when
> guys say they will post a revised review after they use it awhile,...
> and then don't. I also hate it when they review it after only a couple
> of hours use, and say they will post an updated report after using it
> more... and then don't.
>
> The comments about the manual being hard to read are true. It IS a
> lousy photocopy and some of the parts ARE hard to identify (e.g.,
> diodes) - but I do not think this is a deal breaker. I am about half
> way through the process, and my only complaint is the manual is printed
> on oddly cut pages - i.e., the pages are printed two to a 8x11" sheet,
> but not all uniformly printed and cut, so that the edges of the pages do
> not all meet (this is hard to describe in words) but you cannot fan
> the pages like you can a book's pages because they are of non-uniform
> size. Not a big deal, but it does make using the manual more difficult
> and awkward. I agree with the reviewer who said they should print it on
> large paper like their other manuals (I am sure the idea is to print a
> smaller handbook - half size - to take up less space on your workspace.
>
> The kit definitely requires intermediate skills - and requires some
> patience and attention to detail. The review that said it could be
> more logical must have missed the notion that you build the different
> functional components at a time, e.g., audio state, IF stage, power
> supply, etc. It is logically set out as you will place x resistors,
> then y capacitors, then w diodes, and so forth until that part of the
> rig is assembled - and then you test it so far.
>
> I cannot test any of my stages because I mishandled and zorched a
> delicate coil assembly - my fault entirely - but until I get a
> replacement on the board, the circuit section it work in is incomplete.
> TT said they would replace the part - but I am waiting until I am
> nearly finished to ask them for any parts.
>
> I am not expected the radio to perform like my full-sized Kenwood
> receivers (R5000, R2000) but I do expect it will play a little better
> than the average portable SW receiver. I plan to use it for casual
> listening at home, other than in the shack, maybe put it on the night
> stand for those occasional sleepless nights when I want a diversion.
>
> So, outside of the lousy printing of the instruction manual - it has
> been an OK kit experience.
>
> Want a scan of a page or two and you can judge for yourself ?
>
> Happy days. I hope I said something helpful to you...
>
> ==================== James -K8JHR =======================
>
>
>
> On 12/21/2010 10:43 AM, ARDUJENSKI@aol.com wrote:
>> I was looking for a quality General Coverage receiver which could go
>> portable and also use during emergencies (battery power)
>>
>> The TenTec 1254 came to mind but I was a bit concerned after reading the
>> reviews on eham (which I normally take with a grain of salt).
>>
>> _http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1662_
>> (http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1662)
>>
>> I would appreciate some constructive feedback regarding TT-1254 from
>> those
>> who have built/used the radio
>>
>> Thanks (and Merry Christmas)
>>
>> Alan KB7MBI
>> _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|