[TenTec] My First Ten-Tec

[Gene Story - Earthlink]

A few years ago I got back into ham radio after a long time away.  My old KENWOOD TS-520 worked fine after cleaning a couple of Pots but it seemed there was more close-in signals to deal with than I remembered.  While the 520 still did well, decided to look for a new rig.  A trip to HAM RADIO OUTLET approximately 90 miles away was in order.

I sat in front of a few new rigs and was quite impressed with a few select models.  I was amazed what could be done with a legacy design within the TS-480 but still not what I felt was any significant improvement.  I tinkered with the ICOM's but they still stunned me with what I felt was a higher price. Very good radios and probably the best match to quality controls of the better stereo systems but I was not allowing myself to get hooked on the eye candy.  Then I started tinkering with an FT-2000.  While it had some ringing with tight filtering, it was pretty good.  Excellent VFO knobs and razor sharp display. And some of that eye candy started drawing me in again. 

I managed to exit the store without buying a new radio.  Good thing really.  I continued to do research and the following weekend at a Ham show, got some time with an ELECRAFT K3 and talked to one of the founders.  Impressive rig but the kit-looking facia and multi-purpose controls stalled me from making a purchase.  Tempting, and I was getting very impressed with what people were saying about the K3.  And then I came across a ham on the air named Jim McLaughlin/WA2EWE  using an Omni VII.  Turns out he lived not too far away so we got together one day while he was in-between trips from Afghanistan at his place where I got the opportunity to use his Omni VII.    I was sold.  Unlike the ICOM's, YAESU's and the K3 I had been testing at HRO and (K3) ham show, I instantly felt this T-T rig was exactly right for me.  Easy to use and oh what a receiver.  The time I spent at Jim's place was different than a store or show; it was quiet time without other customers wanting to tinker with the rigs too.  I was getting quality time on the air without shall we say, localized distractions. 

I held off making an O VII purchase, waiting for T-T to release the full time sweep board that had been talked about so much.  And then I got a chance to tinker with an Orion.  WOW.  But a new one while I was between jobs was to much of a stretch for the pocket book.  As it happened, I came across a gentleman selling a used Orion 565 in excellent condition.  I bought it, and purchased new from T-T some filters, external speaker, POD and a USB interface.  And a few other items also purchased from T-T since then.

Best radio I have ever owned and the 2nd receiver has been really helpful.  The Orion takes more thinking to use it correctly than the Omni VII but if you let your mind "become one" with the schematic of this rig, you can do some amazing things to pull a signal you want to hear out of situations that was impossible for my old TS-520. 

I have Jim McLaughlin to thank for being an ambassador for T-T radios. Jim unfortunately was shot and killed in Afghanistan along with some other guys in a non-combat situation.  I am proud to have made his acquaintance and friendship as fellow operators but saddened terribly for what happened.  Back to the subject, I would not have been exposed to the "TEN-TEC way" without someone like him.  It would have been very easy to walk out the door of the HRO store with something else or an easy PayPal transfer to the good folks in California for a K3.  

The 565 Orion IS my daily, and positively preferred HF rig.  A KNWD TS-2000x for local VHF/UHF/1.2 Ghz work and a DRAKE TR-4 like the one I used in the late '60's to run phone patches for servicemen in Vietnam when conditions permitted.   If I should ever replace the Orion, there is no doubt in my mind that another T-T rig, probably a new one will take its place.  I will be forever grateful that Jim/WA2EWE allowed me to visit his shack to experience the TEN-TEC way.  

Gene  /  K7TXO