[TenTec] Re: Ten Tec's Story on the 516

[duffyb01@fuse.net]

Dear TenTec,

I did not send a letter of support for you folks to build them and start selling them now, but here is my advanced order for a 516.  E-Mail me as soon as they're ready to ship and I'll call with all the information so you can ship it to me.

I would suggest others do the same thing if you want to buy one.

Regards,

Duffy 

http://www.wb8nut.com

> 
> From: Kenneth Hoglund <hoglund@wfu.edu>
> Date: 2002/03/11 Mon AM 10:18:20 EST
> To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" <qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU>
> Subject: Ten Tec's Story on the 516
> 
> Gang--
> 
> Thanks to a number of you, I printed out 14 emails voicing strong
> support for the Ten Tec 516 if it comes out this Spring. I put them in
> an envelope and on Saturday, found the Ten Tec booth at the Charlotte
> Hamfest, went over to the most distinguished looking factory rep, and
> had a very pleasant exchange of views. I ended up with Dave Rhodes, an
> exec in the Sales division. He thanked me for the messages, and said
> Sales gets "many" emails every day about the 516. They had jury-rigged a
> 'non-working' version of the 516 for the show, and Dave said the boards
> had just arrived at the factory last week. The only working model was in
> the hands of the President, Jerry , who apparently has made several
> qso's with it. Kinda nice to know the Prez is playing with their
> low-power gear!
> 
> Dave said the firm was pretty stretched in manpower and had been working
> simultaneously on both the ORION and 516, shifting back and forth
> between the two projects. While he was making no promises, TT expects to
> be selling the 516 at Dayton. We also talked about the general design
> criteria for the 516, and he said their tests show the 516 to be a
> dynamite digital mode rig while a solid performer on SSB and CW at qrp
> levels. Of course, he did add the proviso "while the receiver's not an
> Elecraft, you don't have to put the rig together."
> 
> The jury rigged version was non-operable, so I can't tell you much
> beyond size and feel. Looks to be a little more compact than the K-2,
> main tuning knob being oversized and with a nice positive feel. Weight
> seemed a little less than the spec'd 5 lbs, but I don't know if the
> 'show' rig had all the ingredients inside. The digital frequency display
> was nicely sized, and easilly readable in the usual high ambient light
> of the showfloor. Controls looked to be workable even with my big
> fingers, and clearly laid-out.
> 
> Yes, the ORION was there. Big...really big! Sort of a Cadillac model
> transceiver. The show rig was also not operable, so I didn't bother, but
> it will dominate the visual plane of any shack that gets one!
> 
> Overall I take TT at its word: they want the 516 out this Spring and
> they know there's a market out there wanting to lay hands on it. The rep
> I talked with showed genuine enthusiasm for the rig and TT's having it
> in their line-up. With luck we should see the rig, operable, at
> Dayton---well, those of you who get to go, that is. I'll be waiting the
> emails on the wonders of this new entrant to qrp!
> 
> 73
> Ken KG4FGC
> 
>