[TenTec] Pan Display?

[Dale L. Martin]

>I firmly believe that my Ten Tecs can butt heads with most any of the rice
boxes. One thing I have never heard >about, however (and I think it is probably
the only thing lacking on a T-T rig), is a paoramic display. This would >allow
for genuine competitive operating.

>So, what recommendations can you make for adding some sort of pan display to
my Paragon I or Omni-V?

Hi, Mike.

I'm not sure I agree that a panoramic display is or would be effective for
'genuine competitive operating'.  I believe they are more a nicety than a real
benefit to 'competitive operating.' Beyond seeing any other band activity while
on an essentially 'dead' band, I've found it to be of very little use or
benefit.  In fact, when I'm operating a radio containing one, after a bit, I
don't even notice the display.

In fact, for truly 'competitive operating' (read: contesting), using the
display to guide your operating could well be a big distraction and cause the
operator to become less 'competitive' very quickly.

I've used the IC781/IC4KL and the TS950/TL922 operating positions at our club
station at work (our FT-1000/FL-7000 position doesn't have a panoramic adapter)
in everything from being on the receiving end of pileups to DX'ing and
contesting.  The panoramic displays, in my experience, have never been a factor
in my 'competitive operating.'

It would be interesting if Ten-Tec would/could produce an outboard device to
perform that function with a simple interface to the radio.  If it can be done
without affecting radio performance, especially sensitivity, great.  I'm sure
it would be popular.  I might even do so.  But, if it is at the sacrifice of
some of my radio's performance characteristics, then, no, I'll forgo it.

I'm sure that with some ingenuity and modification, you can physically and
electrically connect an existing pan adapter unit to a Ten-Tec radio's IF--if I
recall correctly, that's where the panadapter signal is derived.  Deriving the
panadapter signal from the audio output won't/can't give you true wideband
display coverage.

The question remains, though:  At what cost?  The difficulty may be to maintain
isolation and reduce loading to the radio's circuits while providing enough
signal for the panadapter to work.  You may have to sacrifice gain/selectivity
for the panadapter.

73,
dale, kg5u







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