Hi Ron,
It hurts to admit this, but I believe that in the matter of CW capability we
are up against the ugly realities of the marketplace.
The amateur segment is only a part of the major Japanese radio equipment
manufacturers' overall customer base. They also supply the commercial,
governmental, military/paramilitary, maritime and aviation sectors.
Morse radiotelegraphy is all but extinct in these radio services (except for
some military special forces). There is a very strong possibility that
WRC-2003 will repeal S.25.5 (the Morse code proficiency requirement in the
ARS). Considering all of this, it is easy to understand a manufacturer's
reluctance to devote significant R&D resources to enhanced CW capability in
HF equipment.
Nonetheless, it is regrettable that competing manufacturers do not wish to
expend just a few more R&D person-hours to refine and complete what is
already there, and working pretty well, albeit with a few warts. This is
especially true if a few firmware "tweaks" are all it takes.
If Ten-Tec can carve out a niche for itself as a supplier of CW-optimised HF
transceivers, it will have an assured market as long as there are amateur CW
operators.
Best 73,
Adam, VA7OJ/AB4OJ
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
http://www.qsl.net/ab4oj/
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