[TenTec] Lousy eHam review?

Tue Jul 4 19:29:52 EDT 2006

Lee -

Should you decide on an OMNI 6 plus, by all means get a late model that has
the factory installed VCXO and surface mounted components.  The late rigs
have very few birdies unlike the earlier production which has many..

I had an early model that I was very fortunate to sell before I got a late 
model
direct from T-T.   Good luck, OM.

73  Don,  VE1BN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Lee" <n5wrx at stx.rr.com>
To: <kg6tt at arrl.net>; "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" 
<tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Lousy eHam review?

> Jerry, now that was a good objective review of your experiences and 
> opinions
> about Ten Tec radios.
> Well worded and a good read.
> Thanks.
> I am a Ten Tec fan and enjoy my Paragon and Pegasus but have been strongly
> considering the Orion.
> The only thing that has kept me from buying one has been the cost  HI Hi.
> However, I have been hearing more and more good things about the Omni VI+.
>
> Is the VI+ reciever really that much better than the Paragon or is it a
> matter of features and controls?
>
> Perhaps I should find a good VI + (within my curent budget) and wait a 
> year
> or so to see where the Orion will go.
>
> William Lee  N5WRX
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jerry Volpe" <kg6tt at arrl.net>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 12:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Lousy eHam review?
>
>
>> It is too bad that the poster did not bother to try to explain himself.
>> And of course the '0' rating is a dead giveaway of someone who is having
>> a very bad day. :) However I think there is a tendency to 'circle the
>> wagons' whenever someone speaks out against the fold!
>>
>> I don't think that there is anyone who actually knows me that could say
>> that I am not a Ten-Tec fan. I currently have and use twelve different
>> Ten-Tec transceivers and amplifiers in my shack and had my first Ten-Tec
>> well over 30 years ago. And I always enjoy an opportunity to 'share the
>> Ten-Tec' experience with others. It was rather amazing to see two very
>> experienced CW contesters at Field Day who had never seen a Ten-Tec
>> before. They were amazed at how well the Omni-IV+ worked... how
>> intuitive too. Fact is that there are probably hundreds of thousands of
>> hams in the US who have never actually seen a Ten-Tec in person. Shame.
>> Having said that, and getting back on topic, let me add my own
>> observations and experiences regarding the Jupiter and more importantly
>> perhaps some recent shifts in attitudes and abilities at Ten-Tec. Some
>> of my own 'Jupiter' experiences genuinely soured me a bit and have
>> actually kept me from investing in an Orion as yet.
>>
>> 1. I bought a new Jupiter a bit over two years ago and used it as my
>> primary rig for six months. Used it every day. Fought the RF demons et
>> al. There were aspects of the Jupiter that I did appreciate.
>> Nevertheless I had many dissatisfactions. Far too many for a rig that
>> cost me nearly $2000 delivered (ps, speaker, keypad, etc). So when
>> someone volunteered an even trade.... my Jupiter for their Omni-VI+ it
>> didn't take me long to say yes and I have never looked back! I LOVE the
>> Omni-VI+. It nicely fills the need in my shack for a serious DX and
>> contest machine. There is simply no comparison between it and the
>> Jupiter. Now of course Ten-Tec will be the first to say you can't
>> compare Apples and Oranges. Yet I say you can as the same money a ham
>> has to spend for the Jupiter will net them the Omni-VI+ (topic for a
>> different discussion).
>>
>> In fact, of all the Ten-Tec rigs that I have owned then sold or traded
>> only two come to mind as non-regrets.... the Jupiter and its brother the
>> RX-350.  Never-the-less I would not give either a '0' rating, but
>> probably a '3' and feel comfortable doing so. Had Ten-Tec sold these for
>> about $400 less I would probably rate them a '4'. Remember, my opinion.
>>
>> 2. This part bothers me far more than the quirks of the Jupiter.... the
>> subtle but very apparent shift in attitudes at Ten-Tec these last years.
>> Technical support and development appears to be generally strong, yet
>> there is a sense that they are 'over tasked' and I think it shows at
>> times. In addition there appears to be a slow reduction of Ten-Tec
>> offerings as well. Inside information suggests that a key developer
>> responsible for the core of Ten-Tec's DSP technology left the company.
>> This had to have an impact. It did when I worked as an engineer at
>> Heathkit and someone with a unique skillset to a product development
>> left the company. It is also my sense that the Orion project seriously
>> depleted other Ten-Tec enterprises for the past perhaps three years,
>> maybe four.... and to me that is unfortunate. I guess for Orion and
>> Orion II owners though it only seems fair. I have my doubts though as
>> there are far larger markets that could be addressed more effectively.
>>
>> Lastly there is a sense of marketing insincerity taking place at
>> Ten-Tec. Who writes their ad copy??? One only needs to look at the
>> Jupiter (and previous Pegasus) ads and the trumpeted statements like
>> "Never Gets Old...... New Updates"... blah, blah, blah. Yet those of us
>> who bought the RX-350 (which hasn't seen an update since 2002 and has
>> definite 'bugs'.... yes BUGs) only to be told that development ceased on
>> this product some time back yet the 'forward thinking' ads continue....
>> And the Pegasus?... And the Jupiter? Yes there was finally a mild
>> firmware update to the Jupiter earlier this year, but it was rather mild
>> and inconsequential overall. Oh let us not forget the original Orion
>> owners who would still like to finally benefit from the version 2
>> firmware work and have a genuinely stable and reliable Orion (1), but
>> there most certainly hasn't been a lock-step in development between the
>> two transceivers. Maybe this means nothing. Maybe it simply means that
>> there are limited resources and the lion's share goes to the darling of
>> the moment. Maybe it explains why so many Orion owners are dumping a one
>> or two year old transceiver to buy the newer version. My gosh! We have
>> become Icom!
>>
>> Have a great Fourth of July!
>>
>> Jerry, KG6TT
>> Fairfield, CA
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec 