[TenTec] front panel sockets

[Rick Denney]

Charles Harpole writes...

> Why oh why are mfgs. still putting the mic and key socket on the front of
> ham rigs???

Three reasons:

1. Heil headset adaptors require both a microphone and headphone
connection. Having them at opposite ends of the rig would be messy.

2. Hand-held microphones usually have coiled cords, which don't wrap
around to the back of rigs easily. No, I don't use them, but maybe
some do, especially in portable operations.

3. Many build their digital interfaces to go through the microphone
plug, and that stuff gets plugged and unplugged a lot, it seems to me.
I wired mine to the line in and line out audio connections, but many
rigs don't have those.

Frankly, I wish all the plugs were on the front. I pull my rig out of
my station for field day-type events and for experimentation with my
station setup, and gaining access to the back of the rig is always a
pain.

Translation: Everyone has different requirements. Designing one radio
to fulfill them all is probably impossible.

Rick, KR9D