[TenTec] "End of an Era"

[Ynkedragon at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/19/2006 01:14:15, lee_crocker at yahoo.com writes:

<< Show me a Top Ten contest result where there isn't at
least one if not more computers in the shack.  If all
it takes is a knob why all those computers?   >>

Why?  Logging, CW keying, voice keying,  packet cluster/telenet 
communications, rotor control, real-time grey-line viewing, passing mults to other bands, 
etc.  With the computer doing all these things, it gives the operator more time 
to turn knobs to find/make contacts.  :-)

My opinion, so far, is that I would need an additional computer, per radio, 
to replace the front panel knob functions.  OR, if I tried to do everything 
with one computer, I'd loose the ability to do several things at once 
(overlapping).  The loss of overlapping would certainly cut my rate and score.

Sometimes, in a casual contest, I'll do it the "old fashioned way" with just 
a radio.  I have to have a radio to operate, I don't have to have a 
computer--unless the radio is"software defined."

YMMV.  73 de k3yd