[TenTec] New T-Kit for Christmas

[Andy Wallace]

Hello, jkoppi@pclink.com (Joseph Koppi)! 

>Hey, guys:  Santa brought me a new T-Kit--a Model 1330 30 Meter CW
>Transceiver. 

>But before I get started, are there any caveats about which I need to know?

If yours has the new double-sided PC board, you should be fine. Mine
(bought back in March) was the old single-sided one with no solder
mask, and you had to put jumper wires from the front to the back in
places... Chances are excellent that you have the new one. 

However! Take a very good magnifier or loupe and check the runs
carefully for etch shorts before you begin. Mine had two shorts, both
in the AGC section. One was from a pad to the surrounding ground
plane. The other was similar but located UNDER the component
silkscreen!

These were the only faults I found with the kit. I highly recommend it
as the most fun you can have for $95. 

I wound the VFO to cover 10.100-10.140 following the instructions in
the manual, then used hot wax to hold the turns down when I was
finished. As a result the thing is very, very stable. 

I didn't have a frequency counter to adjust the rig, so I just used a
receiver with a digital readout. If you have a counter, it is MUCH
easier. 

Output on mine is about 3W for 12V in. It is a lot of fun. I use a
dinky 30' randomwire outside, fed by a tuner, and I've actually worked
DX with the TT kit. 

I added one of their $12 single-paddle keyer kits inside the case,
mounted to one of the speaker screws. It works fine, and is a nice
little keyer. 

The break-in on this little kit is nice. I like it better than the
Norcal 40A I borrowed from a friend at work (that one seemed to have a
huge POP between segments, and I found that annoying). 

Take your time, do the stage tests as you go, and enjoy the kit!


--Andy wallace@world.std.com
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.  --Groucho Marx

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
Submissions:              tentec@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-tentec@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm