[TenTec] Re: Scout instability, revisionism, please stop

[robert k stephens]

Well this is getting interesting

I'm beginning to think that some Scouts do indeed have a real frequency
instability problem but I think it may might have more to do with
*mechanical stability that with the basic electronic design.

First a quick review

Stuart likes his Scout and does not experience drift problems or frequency
jumping

Perry has used a Scout 7 years cm/mobile with internal keyer 30 to 40 wpm
and does not experience drift or frequency jumping problems.

Ron likes his Scout but does notice a small problem with mechanical
stability on rough roads

Steve has had the experience of hearing many jumpy Scouts on the air.

Larry says W4SON's Scout did not jump

Steve says W4SON's Scout did jump

I think that Jerry is on to something when he comments that mobile rigs get
more shock and vibration and therefore need to be solidly soldered and be
put in a stiff case. He also mentions cleaning:

My experience:

When I first got my Scout I had no problems with drift (I had some RF
problems apparently due to installation). As I remember it I had no
problems with drift. I don't think the microprocessor corrected for drift
more than once or twice per hour when I operated the Scout indoors. I
checked in to local cw and ssb nets as well as other types of operating.
One of the local guys hates Ten Tec and would have  given me a bad report
if he could have, but everyone said the rig sounded grest and plently
stable. I repeat -"no reports of frequency jumping"

However, after a while I started having intermittent problems. Now and then
I could watch my frequency fluctuate and then go back to being stable.  I
began getting occaisional reports of intermittent fm-ing.This became worse
over time and the rig is now at the factory.

My experience is that a properly working Scout does not have frquency
stability problems. I assumed that the problems that later developed in
mine were unique but I'm begining to suspect they are fairly common and
possibly releated to  construction rather than design.

My Scout often rode on the floor of my sub compact car while driving over
roads consisting mostly of pot holes. I suspect that I am having problems
because my Scout connections have been shaken loose. I've talkd with
several Scout owners who experienced problems with the modules becomeing
loose and connections becoming poor. I also suspect that many Scouts are
operated in dirty conditions and the connections need to be clean often.

I'm just wondering how many of the jumpy Scouts that Steve hears need to be
cleaned, or resoldered.

I'm guessing that W4SON's rig may have worked fine when new but developed
problems as it aged ?

I realize I'm doing too much speculating. When I get my rig back from the
factory I'll test it out and post the results until then I'll try to stop
speculating and wait patiently ;-)
73
Bob KB1CIW 





 At 10:08 PM 3/2/02 -0500, Steve Ellington wrote:
>Larry. Are you saying that Jack W4SON's Scout didn't jump or he at one time
>had a prototype that didn't jump? I remember his Scout as a real jumper. It
>finally went up in flames along with his amplifier and screwdriver antenna
>when his catalytic converter burnt his VW Jetta to a crisp. He now runs an
>IC-706. I think most die hard cw Scout users have since switched  to other
>rigs out of despiratation.
>
>Steve Ellington
>N4LQ
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Larry Kayser" <kayser@sympatico.ca>
>To: <tentec@contesting.com>
>Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 9:04 PM
>Subject: [TenTec] Re: Scout instability, revisionism, please stop
>
>
>> Gentlemen:
>>
>> Let us please remember that the Scout that Jack, W4SON/2/M was using in
>the
>> Scout prototype days (and the one that Jack Burchill was using mobile at
>> the same time) for the Scout had NO frequency jumping problems and the
>> manual of the early Scouts said nothing about frequency jumping at all.
>>
>> This revisionism has to stop, the simple fact is that in hind sight a
>lousy
>> design decision was taken.  The explanations later have nothing to do with
>> the decision process in Ten Tec that made the Scout the way it is.
>>
>> Larry
>> VA3LK
>>
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>
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