[TenTec] More failures

[Caitlyn Martin]

Hi, everyone,

New dipoles go up next week, and an A3S is in my future, but in the
meanwhile I tried to check into the Ten Tec users net with the storm
damaged remains of my dipole.  No good.  Oh, Ron got my callsign...
barely.  The antenna remains just don't work east/west.  I had no
problem working stations up in New England with S7-S9 reports on 20m, as
well as ZP5MAL in Paraguay on 17m, all on SSB, so I know I'm getting out
north/south.  Oh well.  It *should* be better next week.  Thanks to Ron
for trying.

Another failure, IMHO, would be my (up until now) beloved Delta II.  I
picked up a very rare HF rig I had wanted for a long time, an NCG
10/160M, very cheaply.  It's early-mid '80-s technology, and I didn't
expect much, just an oddity.  I did A/B/C/D comparisons of the Delta II,
Argo 556, Kenwood TS-660 (10-15m only), and the NCG.  By far the NCG had
the best receiver.  The 200Hz CW filter is a pleasure.  I just wish it
had the beautiful Ten Tec QSK I'm so used to.  Oh well...  I'd rank the
rigs as follows right now:  1. NCG 10/160M, 2. Kenwood TS-660, 3. Delta
II, 4. Argo 556.  

I also learned that the Delta II is more subject to front end overload
than any of the others, which isn't too good.  I still love the
PBT/Jones filter combo.  Still.. I am seriously considering parting with
the Delta II if I can find a Paragon, Paragon II, or Omni V at a price I
can afford early next year.  We'll see...

73,
Caity
KU4QD