IMHO, it is unrealistic to own/use these 15+ year old Ten-Tec radios
without expecting maintenance issues to crop up. I wouldn't be buying them
today unless I was the kind of person that enjoys opening them up and
fiddling with them.
73, Barry N1EU
On Fri, Oct 31, 2014 at 12:24 PM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX <RMcGraw@blomand.net>
wrote:
> As one that has performed many repairs on the older, less than current,
> Tentec radios and others, the parts inventory required is astounding. I
> have some 250 manuals, most all on CD ROM that I access. I have purchased
> DOA radios just for the parts and PC boards. Unfortunately I find the
> DOA's have faults that are most common to those needing repair, thus the
> DOA does not provide any value in support. Just investment on my part and
> taking up space in the shop.
>
> The issue I've found is the repair costs, shipping, labor and such and the
> requirement to search down parts, frequently approach or exceed the value
> of the radio. Typical, the dollar value, not the intrinsic value, of a
> good working radio may be $400 to $600. Most hams do not want to invest
> $200 to $300 to get a radio repaired. Now if one wishes to do the repair
> themselves, not counting labor, investment in test equipment and parts,
> then it is worth it. But, just how many hams have that ability, knowledge
> and skill and access to parts? Very few. The point being, take a radio
> purchased for $600 add about $200 in total repair costs and one still has a
> $600 radio.
>
> In cleaning out the shop a few weeks ago, I tossed 27 radios of various
> brands and models into the truck and hauled them to the crusher. These had
> been scavenged for parts and were totally non functional, non repairable
> radios. Before doing so, I took them to a local hamfest with a $1 each
> price tag. No takers. I had one fellow asked if I removed the knobs he
> wanted them for $1 but he wouldn't take the carcass with knobs for $1.
> Proves that hams are "cheap" in that my labor to remove the knobs was
> worth less than his. In some cases I had paid $200 to $300 each just for
> the parts radio, as is. I doubt that I recovered anywhere near 100% of my
> investment much less any return for my labor on many of these.
>
> If it is a 20 year old radio and working to your satisfaction then great.
> If It fails well you now have a pretty looking desk ornament with little
> true value. While I have several radios that are cosmetically very good,
> technically very good and working as originally designed and some are
> nearing 50 years old or older. I have repaired and restored these units.
> The estimated labor invested is about 100 hrs for one of the Collins
> receivers. At $25/hr the labor value is $2500 plus parts research time and
> procurement time. Yet the radio on the market today sells for about $1200.
> Sorry but my college ECON class does not justify the efforts. Just the
> love of the radio which has no value to anyone but me.
>
> The only economical solution is best if one finds the parts and repair it
> yourself.
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Al Gulseth" <wb5jnc@centurytel.net>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Cc: "Bwana Bob" <wb2vuf@verizon.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 31, 2014 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] repairs
>
>
>
> It would be interesting if someone had the time to inventory the
>> schematics
>> and parts lists of the older TT rigs to see what is actually there. My
>> guess
>> is that when it comes to the less common devices, careful shopping at
>> surplus
>> electronics suppliers/hamfests, using adapter boards with functional
>> equivalent parts which have a different pinout, and having a "salvage yard
>> mentality" willingness to scavenge parts from non working or obsolete
>> equipment could yield most of what might be needed at a reasonable cost.
>> (The
>> point is that TT generally wasn't the only manufacturer to use these
>> devices.) There are also retrofit digital displays available. The only
>> real
>> sourcing issue might be PA transistors (e.g. Argosy MRF477s.)
>>
>> Then again, these rigs are inexpensive enough that keeping a spare/parts
>> rig
>> around as suggested probably wouldn't be that big of a deal if you have
>> the
>> storage space available.
>>
>> 73, Al
>>
>> On Thu October 30 2014 8:56:53 pm Bwana Bob wrote:
>>
>>> Well, one can't stock every part, except in the case of a vacuum tube
>>> radio, like a Heath transceiver where you can have a set of spare tubes
>>> and a box of resistors and caps. Even with older Ten-Tecs, like the
>>> Triton, Omni, or Corsair, there are plenty of DIP IC's that might not be
>>> commmon. If you are in the boonies and absolutely must have a working
>>> radio at all times (and who wouldn't), the best bet is to have a spare
>>> radio that you can switch to until you are able to repair the primary
>>> radio.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>>
>>> Bob WB2VUF
>>>
>>> On 10/27/2014 4:18 AM, Wade Staggs wrote:
>>> > *The 585 Paragon is New enough to be Dead Bang on Frequency and is very
>>> > easy to repair. Same thing with the Omni 6 Rigs. Although the Older
>>> > production runs are best, where surface mount components are concerned.
>>> > You could always purchase an old Omni D and add one of the DDS kits to
>>> > it. After adding the DDS Kit, they are very stable rigs.*
>>> >
>>> > * 73 >
>>> from
>>> > Wade/KJ4WS*
>>> >
>>> > On Sun, Oct 26, 2014 at 6:17 PM, Spencer <k5gak@powerc.net> wrote:
>>> >> Are there any radios that are user serviceable other than the >>
>>> antiques?
>>> >> If I am in the middle of nowhere and my radio quits
>>> >> then what?
>>> >>
>>> >> Spencer W1GAK
>>> >> _______________________________________________
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>>> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>>
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>>
>
>
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