[TenTec] Any freq. readout/stability

[Dave Kamp, KW0D]

I know this is beyond the scope of T_T, but...

My Hammarlund HQ140X suffers from several problems-  inaccuracy AND
unstability.

Example of the first:  If I want to listen to say... a QSO on 3875LSB, I
hafta turn the tuning to 4658, then adjust the BFO to 9:00.  Mebbie I'll
find 'em there.  Of course, if it's on 3885AM, it won't be so tough.

Example of the second:  If I just turned the rig on, it'll be way off, and
it'll drift either toward, or away (inevitably the opposite of whicever I
anticipated) from where I wanted it to go... and if I attempt to 'touch it
up' somewhat ahead of where I want it to go, it never fails to reverse
direction... of course, once it's been on for three hours, it settles down
nicely.

Of course, if my well kicks on, or the furnace, or the dryer, or the
dishwasher... it starts drifting again, obviously due to fluctuations in
voltage... or if I leave a window open and there's a breeze.  First of
which can be solved by a SOLA, the second, by a window.

Either way, I'm impressed by it's apparent stability and tolerance in
AM!!!!  :-}  

Either way, I still manage to make it work okay...  with deft operating,
it's fine for CW and SSB, wonderful for AM.  It'd be kinda tough for
digi-modes.  I doesn't have a compass, nor do the big backlit dials provide
resolutions down to 1hz... but it's very photogenic, and nicely warms the
office during snowy nights.  Fortunately, Hammarlund had the
presence-of-mind to NOT make it a tranciever, lest I'd be Rettysnitched for
being RF-flotsom-strewn-amidst-the-airwaves.

My tuning procedure for this old goat:

...Hmmm... what band am I on... oh- mebbie I made it to a HAM band... aha-
voice!  Hmmm... fifteen minutes and no ID... high end of 75?  Let's go low
and see if the brass-pounders are on...  c'mon- somebody indicate
frequency...  Oh- there's a familiar call- he always hangs out around...
Herewego... the magic MFJ antenna analyzer... just power it up, and twist
till I hear the Whooop...  oh... that's where I am...

DK  :-}

73's from KW0D Dave in LeClaire, Iowa