[TenTec] My rare Ten Tec microphone

[Peter Connors]

Hi Scott,

It says uni-directional in the website text both for the 708 and 709 as 
well as the picture of the base. This informed my buying decision.
My 'informal test' consisted of inverting the mic through 180 degrees 
while monitoring the speech quality (with SP off).  Off the side. levels 
are similar to the front but off the back, room reflections apppear to 
predominate.
It sounds very different off the back to the front but the masking 
effect of the internal capsule mount and gooseneck end together with 
need for lip contact and 100 MIC gain needed to get ALC to flash may be 
contributing to this impression.
I will contact the UK importer about the mic.

Pete, G4PLZ

Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales wrote:
> Good morning,
> 
> We've made an error in the way the microphone was designated on our 
> website and literature - the 708 and 709 series microphones are 
> omni-directionals.  Everywhere I've looked, it says "uni-directional" 
> except on the base of the production microphone itself, which reads 
> (correctly) "omni-directional".
> 
> The picture that reads uni-directional on the base of the microphone on 
> our website is even wrong - that picture was taken (by me...) of an 
> earlier prototype version of the 708 with a different element installed. 
>   We did not use a uni-directional in the 708.
> 
> I'm going to fix the website later this morning.  I'm not sure where the 
> blame lies, but since I proofread both the website copy and the 
> information sheet enclosed in the product box and took the picture on 
> the website I suppose I get my share :-)
> 
> Scott Robbins W4PA
> 
> Peter Connors wrote:
>> Together with my excellent O2 I purchased an excellent Ten Tec 708A 
>> unidirectional microphone which an informal test shows as indeed being a 
>> cardioid or 'uni-directional' microphone. The Ten Tec website includes a 
>> graphic at http://images.tentec.com/radio/products/708/708Base.png which 
>> shows 'UNI-DIRECTIONAL' on the base yet *my* 708A contradicts this, 
>> having 'OMNI-DIRECTIONAL' printed on it.
>>
>> I am awaiting Ten Tec's verdict on this anomaly but I hope this proves 
>> to be incredibly rare, like a postage stamp printed upside down and will 
>> eventually be worth millions. Once a provisional valuation has been 
>> established I will eventually consider bids which recognise the extreme 
>> rarity of this article (dollars, pounds or euros accepted provided there 
>> are enough 0s in the figure).
>> :-)
>>
>> Pete, G4PLZ
>> Or I might just use it...
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