TenTec
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TenTec] Audio improvements on Argonaut VI

To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Audio improvements on Argonaut VI
From: <Rick@dj0ip.de>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2018 08:52:40 +0200
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
GM Reed,

Your evaluation is correct, but...
Still, I maintain that every comparison is fair.

If one rig costs $10K and the other costs only $800, it's interesting to me to 
know what all I get for the extra $9.2K.
Then I can evaluate my options and make a decision based on my personal needs.
And this decision, though perhaps right for me, doesn't mean it's right for 
everyone else.

As for the noise of a true mechanical VFO vs. the digital;  it's fair to point 
that out, but then one must ask the fair question, "so what?"
Do these week pulsing noises really disturb the radio's ability to pull in the 
weak signals?

If not, then it really doesn't matter, as long as there is some other benefit 
from a digital VFO . . . which of course there is, or rather "are", because 
there are lots of benefits to most of us.  And BTW, when tuning for weak 
signals (DX) we tune very slowly and then we don't hear these pulsing noises, 
anyway!

On the other hand, if these benefits don't matter to someone, then that's their 
personal interpretation and they may very well choose the mechanical VFO over 
the digital VFO.   

Without making the comparison, we would not know the differences and not be 
able to make our own personal decisions based on our own discrete needs.
But we must make the decisions when consideration information in its full 
context, not just short data bursts.
My problem is when people take single points out of context and then make a big 
deal out of them!

EXAMPLE:  "It's raining today."
> Mary is disappointed, says that's bad because she wanted to go to the beach.
> John is happy, says that's good because he's a farmer and his crops urgently 
> need the rain.
Without knowing the context, we have no idea whether the rainy day is good or 
bad, or if it even matters.
It's raining today somewhere out over the mid-Atlantic.  So what?  What does 
that matter to me?

Like I said, if we only had some sunspots, we would have better things to talk 
about! (hi)

73,
Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec <tentec-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Reed
Sent: 21 August 2018 07:46
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Audio improvements on Argonaut VI

Rick, the Corsair II has a mechanical VFO where the Argonaut VI does not.  Not 
a fair comparison, in my opinion,  as to which is quieter.  I hear those very 
weak pulsing noises as I turn the encoder on several digital rigs I own with no 
antenna connected & headphones on.  That being said, the Argonaut VI VFO is 
rock solid when first turned on.  I bet the Corsair is not.  I also bet the 
Corsair couldn't work FT8!

I don't know if there is a perfect rig!  At least not under $1500 which I paid 
close to for a fully loaded KX3 in 2012.  And nope the KX3 is not perfect! NB 
is useless on electrical noise as is the Argonaut VI.  36 year old Argosy kills 
it without degrading receiver, but old analog rig doesn't do everything else 
better.

73,

Reed  W4JZ



_______________________________________________
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

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>