[TenTec] TT FD setups

[w8au@sssnet.com]

At 10:01 AM 6/30/99 -0700, you wrote:
>
>Not sure how long you've been a ham, but I can recall the days of 
>transmitters and transceivers that had to be tuned.  The one bonus of
>rigs of that era was that they pretty much had controls with "standard"
>names, and most frequently-used controls were on the front panel.
>

Jim:
I hope you didn't miss my point.  It's about "today's operators," most of
which are newcomers, and what is easiest for them to use when operating a
station not their own.
My first FD was 1956 (after being licensed for 1.5 years) and I can
appreciate your statement about "tuning up" the tube rigs, which every ham
knew how to do then... no training required and no confusion.  I think we
both have to admit, "times have changed."
It boggles the mind to think of what we could have done with a Triton 4
Field Day back in the fifties!!



>I have an IC-706 that I use infrequently and, as a result, need to have
>the manual open in front of me when I do so.  This is one reason that
>the Omni VI Plus is appealing.
>
>> We just wanted to give credit to what will have to be looked upon in years
>> to come...as the (last refinement of) the first solid state 100W xcvr ever
>> built, and as one of the all-time classic Ham transceivers.
>
>Was it?  I bought a Heathkit SB-104 in the mid-1970s, and I thought that
>rig had the distinction of being the first completely solid-state XCVR.
>
>73 de Jim - AD6CW
>
>
I recall that TenTec modestly used that claim, and I am sure it was
correct.  The Triton II and I both appeared in October 1973.  Heath's
SB-104 was announced in December 1974.  The chronological order for a few
of the earliest all band SS rigs is: 

TT Argonaut = Nov 71
Heath HW-7 (not all band)= Sept 72
TT Argonaut/405 Linear = Oct 72
TT Triton I and II = Oct 73
Swan MB40/80 singlebanders = May 74
Swan SS-300 all band = Oct 74
Atlas 180 = Oct 74
Heath SB-104 = Dec 74

(source: QST)

Of course, the Japs waited forever to do this, keeping the hybrid rigs for
years.

73,
Perry w8au


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