[TenTec] Ten Tec Tubes sounds great...

[Walter S Delesandri]

The heathkit transmitter ya'll have been referring to was 
the HX-1681.....they did make them, for about 18 months..
It was a decent xmtr, as was the companion HR 1680 RX...
they were little 'twins', introduced at a relatively high 
price when CW activity was down, and with WARC bands 
on the horizon....construction was similar to the "104" 
series, and Heath had a TERRIBLE reputation from those 
rigs....

As a CW operator (70%?), I have to also be a realist....
T-T has long filled a "niche" market....purely and only 
because of the best QSK....aided by superb after-sale 
service.  These attributes, plus patriotism, have kept 
them a significant player with otherwise good, but not 
superlative, rigs.....

However, looking around MY town, only about 10% of hams are 
serious CW operators.  As for more recent licensees, perhaps 
5%....unless you consider computer CW on contest weekends 
to be 'operating'....I don't..

It is truly unfortunate that the self-contained non-qrp
CW optimized gear has disappeared...but with the demise 
of the novice operator in the 80s, would you bet your kids 
inheritance on such gear?....Heck, even in the "good 'ol' days",
Johnson sold ten Rangers and Valiants for every navigator!!!

Walt




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