[TenTec] RAER RX-10 RECEIVER FS

[Wa4aos@aol.com]

Hi Steve,

Good question. I don't know if PM preceded the RX-10 or maybe they were 
developed together. Of the three units that I received one was a demo unit 
and not NOS. I did open it and it looks very similar to the PM-1 when they 
used a single board configuration. Possibly, the PM and RX were released at 
the same time.

I talked to the infamous Paul Clinton at Ten Tec yesterday and asked if 
anyone had given much thought ito writing a real history of Ten Tec. With TT 
now a very established American Amateur Radio Icon,  someone should write the 
company story. It is interesting that when TT started out,  there were 
companies building and selling MUCH better designed and built gear. HeathKit, 
Drake, Swan, Collins and even Halicrafters. They are now all history except 
Drake and Rockwell Collins and neither of them are in the Amateur Radio 
Business. Reminds of the stories about the lowly cockroach being almost the 
only survivor of the last Ice Age. Not that I consider TT to be an insect or 
other ground dwelling inhabitant but maybe they were at the right place in 
hte market at the right time. 

The RX-10 was a cheaply built receiver and was very easily overloaded by 
broadcast stations. During the evening hours, 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters are 
just covered with BC images. One could built an outboard passband network for 
each band and improve that problem considerably. The neat thing was even 
though it was a cheap, toy looking radio, it allowed those of us with shallow 
pockets to get on the air. I didn't own a RX-10; instead, I had the equally 
inferior PM 2A Transceiver.  Compared to the Drake B Line at the University, 
it looked like a Cracker Jack, " toy in the box radio" but the contacts that 
I made on that little QRP box were some of the most memorable QSO's of my 
life. Kind of like the guy who crossed the English Channel in a peddle 
powered plastic airplane. He did it with less and did it very well while 
enjoying having done it more than anyone had ever thought possible. 

The PM-2A rig kept me on the air back when I didn't have squat for cash. 
Trying to go to school and work enough to put a few beans on the table was a 
tough time. Ten Tec got me through those lean years and I have been buying 
their gear since. It was harder then to convince people that my little rig 
was a real radio and even today, others scoff at my 2) Omni 6+ , 6) Corsair 
II's and many other Ten Tec boxes I own but that's OK. I don't need a Radio 
stamped out in Japan to give meaning to my Life. Give me any Ten Tec radio a 
good set of paddles a roll of wire and a few hours of work and I will be on 
the air with the best of them. No, cigar chomping, mentally deficient, 75 
meter blow hard has to tell me which YuckComWood radio I should have. I 
already know and it isn't made in Japan...

I also have a  TX 100  in my  collection as well. I am looking for a mint 
model 200 VFO and I will have the whole set...

73,

Glenn  WA4AOS