[TenTec] Triton IV filter

[Jerry Volpe]

Yes, I also saw all the filter choices for the Triton IV (540) and the 
model 544 so I wrote George at INRAD and about how someone actually uses 
one of these. His reply was he didn't have any specifics... that his 
chart was just reporting what users had told him.

The good news is that folks have modified their Triton IVs in the past. 
Reason why? For anyone who really understands Ten-Tec gear and its 
history they would know that the 540/544 are regarded (especially by 
Ten-Tec themselves) as one of their best achievements. I have a lot of 
Ten-Tec gear here... and no longer have some that I had bought 
previously.... A Jupiter came and went real fast as did a Pegasus... My 
Paragon and my Omni-VI+ have new homes to make room for my Orion (jury 
is still gathering facts on the Orion). Of all my remaining equipment I 
have two favorites by far are my Corsair II and my Triton IV.

I don't agree that there is no point in updating a $200 rig. It is not 
about money... or what value the world attaches to something 'older'.... 
it is about what value you attach to what you have. Regardless of the 
fact that I spent $3000 for the Orion (far too much), $600 for the 
Corsair II, VFO, PS, filters (a great value), and but a mere $225 for 
the darn close to mint, one owner,Triton IV and PS (sweet) my favorite 
for the past two months has been the Triton IV ( I owned one of these 
babies 30 years ago and have always regretted selling it off in 1980 to 
buy a vastly inferior but fancy 'import' rig). I use my Triton IV about 
90 % of the time. Why? Because it sounds that much better! If I am going 
to run a contest or try to break into a hard core DX pileup I'd probably 
choose the Corsair II or the Orion, but for nearly everything else it is 
all about 'hearing comfort' and lack of noise. Errr, should I say signal 
to noise ratio? I have yet to find a 'weak' signal on the Orion or the 
Corsair II that I could not also hear on the Triton IV with less 
background noise and more pleasing overall audio. So if you should find 
a well taken care of 540 or 544 and you are not a do-it-yourself tech 
like I am, then I'd have Ten-Tec bring it back to spec and enjoy a great 
rig....

So can you add another filter? Yes, in fact I have in my notes a 
schematic provided by Ten-Tec that detailed the circuit they recommended 
(basically a lift from the first Omni series). I've collected a Ten-Tec 
500 Hz filter for the job and I am considering, but I haven't done it as 
yet. First of all I haven't encountered an honest need for it and I am 
not fond of filter 'ringing' either (remember what I said about my 
desire for a good sound?). Now I find that the Ten-Tec provided audio CW 
filter does an excellent job (it is within the AGC loop too) with the 
sharpest setting providing quit good single signal reception... but even 
it rings a bit too much for me. My answer was to add an outboard Idom 
Press SCAF-1 audio filter which allows me to tighten the output audio to 
a ridiculous point without ever incurring any ringing. So I use the 
Ten-Tec audio CW filter in position CW-2 for AGC signal peaking and the 
SCAF-1 to tighten the passband when needed. A great combo. If I had only 
one rig and it was the 540 I would add a sharp crystal filter for more 
demanding CW work. However as the 540/544 does not have WARC bands I 
would have a hard time letting the Corsair II go as well so I will 
probably keep the Triton IV as it was designed and enjoy one of the 
quietest, most sensitive, easy on the ears transceiver ever to come out 
of Tennessee.

73,
Jerry, KG6TT