[TenTec] New TT Amp

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

I think you may be on to something Jeff.
It's pretty clear that there is a market for a QRP radio that can be, in one fashion or another, upgraded to 100 W out. Elecraft is selling quite a few K2/10's & K3/10's that can be upgraded at a later time...a K2/10 with the KPA100, a K3/10 with the KPA3.
Now, if you think the cost of the TT 418 is high, look at the cost to upgrade the brick on the K2 or K3. Factor in as well that the Elecraft bricks are specific to that model radio only, whereas the TT amp will work with almost any appropriately rated rig.
Now personally, for the shekels involved, I'd personally be more likely to buy an Eagle than an Argonaut VI + TT418 combo. But that's me. Clearly there is a market for a brick to update a QRP rig to a "standard" outpput, and clearly there may be a market to take the next step as well.
We shall see.
73, ron w3wn



On 08/13/12, Jeff Davis wrote:

I think their strategy is to offer a QRP transceiver (the new Argo VI)
with a matching optional 100W PA. If the Argo VI comes in at under a
$900 then they can offer a QRP/100W station for around $1600 and be in
the ball game. In addition, since the amp works with other low-powered
equipment, they build a new market for that. I have 14 QRP kits in the
shack here, built over the ages, and a 100W PA that would work with
most any of them is an attractive option for me.

What I don't fully understand, however, is why someone would buy that
combo (Argo VI and amp) from scratch?

For about the same money I can buy a 100W Eagle that can be turned
down to QRP level, and get it with an internal auto-tuner. That would
take up less space on the desk and be a singular package versus the
Argo VI, amplifier, tuner, power supply, etc.

With no auto-tuner option in the Argo VI, either QRP or 100W, the
desktop footprint grows as does the investment - assuming one makes
use of non-resonant antennas...

73, Jeff KE9V

On Mon, Aug 13, 2012 at 1:44 PM, John Molenda <cdistflatfoot at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/13/2012 12:59 PM, ChasW3KC wrote:
>> The new amp seems to meet the same basic need as the neat old TenTec 405
>> amplifier that mates so well with the 509 and other QRP rigs as well.
>>
>> 72 de Chas W3KC
>>
>> Jim Miller K4SQR posted:
>>> I am certain the new 100 amp has been developed due to hundreds, if not
>>> thousands of requests,
>>> from Argonaut 509 and later QRP models needing a little more oomph at
>>> times.
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> Here is a thought , May be Ten Tec is planning to come out with a 1500
> watt solid state amp using the new mosfet parts( sorry I am not very
> knowledgeable in electronics ) now available . Maybe this qrp amp is
> out to test the waters to see the demand and test manufacturing
> procedures ? I can only hope ! John Molenda kb2huk
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