[TenTec] Triton IV vs the Argonaut V

[Jerry Volpe]

What is the Triton IV quieter than the Argonaut V? I've not owned an 
Argonaut V as yet but I did have a Jupiter and I still have a Pegasus 
and an Orion... all DSP designs. And I had a Triton IV since 1976 and 
still have an Onmi-C, Argosy, and Corsair II.

Why is your Triton IV quieter than.... say the Orion? Orion II? The fact 
is that the earlier Ten-Tec transceivers were some of the quietest, 
easiest to listen to transceivers made (just ask the Ten-Tec engineers). 
Some owners had issues with the audio derived AGC of the earlier designs 
and thought that placing the final selectivity at the audio stage wasn't 
as good as other designs, but beyond those questionable concerns the 
'analog' circuits of those earlier designs were great... and there was a 
lot to be said about having an adjustable preselector. Did the Triton IV 
have weaknesses? Compared to today's rigs.... PTO drift (varies from rig 
to rig but always a bit there), fast tuning ratios, no 30, 17, or 12 
meters, yada... yada... yada... Bottom line from an engineering 
standpoint there are a lot of issues regarding DSP versus analog... ham 
bands only versus general coverage... In the end these issues create 
some of the trade offs we experience.

To this day.... under average operating conditions (not contesting or 
with very nearby transmitters on same band).... I can listen to a Triton 
IV or an Omni-C all day with no listening fatigue. And their QSK is 
phenomenal. From a listening standpoint by comparison my Pegasus is not 
bad, but my Orion.... on long listening sessions... makes me nuts with 
its headpnone 'clicks', weak signal distortion (edginess), and higher 
ambient background noise levels. I imagine the Argonaut V's design is a 
bit closer to the Pegasus but I haven't looked at the engineering data 
so that is only a weak guess.

I have done extensive weak signal listening comparison tests at my shack 
and I have yet found a weak signal on my Orion that I could not also 
hear on my Triton IV, Omni-C, or Corsair II. Then again I keep my old 
rigs well tuned up.... lots doing the 'auction' circuits are not so 
fortunate. My Pegasus is not as sensitive as the other rigs that I use 
but it has its niceties.

73,

Jerry, KG6TT



Perhaps

-- 
Ralph Jerald "Jerry" Volpe
Amateur Radio Operator KG6TT
788 Chestnut Drive
Fairfield, CA 94533

kg6tt at arrl.net

510 325-7724
707 399-8838 FAX