Auto tuner, was Re: Omni V for QRP

[Jim Hollenback]

On Aug 13,  5:37pm, Jim Sheffield wrote:
> Subject: Re: Auto tuner, was Re: Omni V for QRP
> On Aug 13, 1996 09:21:04, '"C. J. Hawley" <c-hawley@uiuc.edu>' wrote:
>
> >I am sympathetic to
> >the difficulty that a 'small' company like TT has trying to make the
> almost
> >prohibitive investment in product development costs. It has to be almost a
>
> >labor of love. The consumer has his/her financial limitations though. It
> seems
> >like the guys who run CW get along with the TT xceivers and the phone guys
> go nuts.
>
> Just HAVE TO put my $ .02-worth in:
>
> Ten-Tec has their "finger on the pulse" of what hams REALLY
> want.  First company in a long time (IMO, since R.L. Drake) to
> truly understand and support hams.  Let's all hope that the bean
> counters and the pressures of marketing in our fiercely capitalistic
> society don't put them out of business.  73, Jim, KB7ET
>-- End of excerpt from Jim Sheffield


It won't be the bean counters that put them out of business, it will be
their engineering and manufacturing.

I pointed out for over a year the need for slower RIT tuning on the OMNI-VI.
"Thanks, we'll think about it".

Pointed out the need for a clear button on the RIT to set it back to zero.
"Thanks for the input"

Pointed out the lock button locks BOTH VFO's, not just the one your on.
"Gee, is that true?"

Pointed out the computer control is brain damaged.
"Really? we haven't seen that problem"

Basically gave up in disgust.

For over a year I know I was calling them with ZERO response. Finally after
a major TT BBQ on cq-contest reflector regarding the OMNI-VI, guess what?
yep, "We made an improvement in the ROM for the OMNI-VI", but the computer
control is still brain damaged. Many of the top ops buy the OMNI and a
couple months later sell it because of the brain damaged micro. Others
complain about the QSK and frequency readouts. Don't hear that about the
rice boxes. Even the ones sold in truck stops.

The pulse they have their finger on is the rag chewing crowd, not the
crowd that pushes things to the limit. And I'm not really convinced they
truely understand the way hams use the equipment.

Support? every time I call about a problem the answer is "You might try
soldering all the connections on the board. I find a lot of cold solder
joints". This is from the TT tech. Man, TT must have really crappy QC in
their manufacturing process. Makes me wonder about the gear I have now.
Starting to really think the next rig will be from the land of the rising
sun.

73, Jim, WA6SDM
jholly@cup.hp.com