[TenTec] RE: 516... or why the Orion is more exciting

[John Clifford]

Hello Stuart,

I don't think that the Orion is meant to compete with the 516, or
vice-versa, and I also don't think that one single customer will be faced
with the dilemna of buying one or the other, but not both.  Obviously, there
is a market for both rigs... the point of my post was "how big is the market
for each?" and "does Ten-Tec have sufficient resources to develop both
radios, and if not (as I suspect) which radio will better serve the
company?"  My vote is for the Orion, and I think that despite the price
Ten-Tec will sell many more Orions than it will the 516.

I understand the appeal of QRP also, as a happy owner of a second-hand HW-9
w/all accessories, and an Elecraft K2 with all of the options which I have
built myself.  I nearly always run QRP when I am operating CW... but I like
the option of running more power when it's necessary. I built the K2 not
strictly because I wanted to explore QRP, I built it because I wanted to
build a rig that was as good as the Omni VI+ without spending $3000 for the
VI+, filters, etc. (and I think the K2 has as good a receiver if not a
better one).  I bought the Omni because it was my dream rig for pure
performance, and I have not been dissappointed in it at all.  If I had to
have one rig in the shack and base the decision on pure utility (not
nostalgia), I'd keep the Omni (at least, until the K2's 100w PA is
available!)... thankfully I don't have to make that choice!

My question on the 516 was, how will this radio appeal to the vast majority
of hams when an Icom 718 is $100 cheaper, can run QRP, and has a 100w
transmitter that can be throttled back to QRP?  Or, when the SGC 2020 ADSP
has comparable performance but is better suited for portable operations
(conjecture based upon what I know of the two rigs)?

IMO, the 516 would sell like fireworks on the Fourth of July IF... it could
be sold at $499 by Ten-Tec, or even less.  Asking $695 for this rig will
make too many hams go for a YaeComWood QRO box for the same $$.

I want Ten-Tec to thrive.  I don't think they're gonna thrive on sales of
the 516, but... having an incredible butt-kicking radio that blows away all
comers will generate a lot of sales for the Jupiter/Pegasus, and other
Ten-Tec products from wistful Orion admirers (the "Corvette effect").

Like you, this is just my opinion...

 - jgc

John Clifford KD7KGX

Heathkit HW-9 WARC/HFT-9/HM-9
Elecraft K2 #1678 /KSB2/KIO2/KBT2/KAT2/KNB2/KAF2
                  ...waiting _eagerly_ for KPA2!
Ten-Tec Omni VI/Opt1

email: kd7kgx@arrl.net


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stuart Rohre [mailto:rohre@arlut.utexas.edu]
> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 4:49 PM
> To: johnclif@ix.netcom.com; tentec@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] RE: 516... or why the Orion is more exciting
>
>
> John,
> It is my impression that the Orion and 516 are going to be more than $500
> apart!
>
> Marketing is everything anyway, 516 could appeal to a lot of folks who do
> not want to go the kit route, but want to explore QRP.
> Just my 0.02 cents!
> Stuart K5KVH
>
>