[TenTec] 1,327 REASONS* WHY I LOVE MY EAGLE:

[Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP]

Results: CQWW DX CW Contest (DM5P)

30 hrs. On the Air:
 - 1,327* QSOs  
 - 1,044,012 points

Over one million points running 600w and wire antennas.
 - Old Heathkit SB-1000
 - 80m Off-Center-Fed Dipole (80 thru 10)
 - 160m Inverted-L (just one elevated radial)

As a result of our recent discussion around contest operating procedures, I
paid extra attention to which knobs I touched during the contest.

KNOBS:
 - I ran the Bandwidth at 100 Hz for the entire contest.
 - NEVER touched the Bandwidth or Bandpass controls a single time.
 - Band change was driven by the logging software
 - Besides the VFO knob which I constantly turned . . .  
 - I ONLY ever touched the RF Gain (usually only once per band change).

BUTTONS:
 - I tried the NR button 2 or 3 times just to see how it is performing after
the latest firmware updates: it's much better, but I didn't really need it;
just adjusted the RF Gain.
 - I hit the TUNE button a couple times with each band change, to enable
tuning the Model 238B and the Amplifier.
 - I also occasionally hit the Preamplifier or the Attenuation buttons.

Let's go back and count this:  
 - I twisted a total of 2 knobs (VFO and RF Gain)
 - I pushed the tune button dozens of times.
 - I pushed a couple other buttons, but only once per band change (if at
all)

Once again I have to ask you people who are turning knobs all the time:
 - WHAT ON EARTH FOR?
 - WHICH ONES ARE YOU TURNING?

IMO, that is probably one of the main reasons your score is not as high as
it could (should) be.

This year I never even switched the RIT on.  
The 2 or 3 times it might have been helpful, I just worked the QSO without
it, listening to a weird CW tone; after all, all you need to copy is the
call sign and the zone.  That's done in 3 or 4 seconds, so why even bother
with the RIT?

Thank you TEN-TEC for giving us the most enjoyable radio I have ever
operated.
It's not a toy, it's not a TV, it's just a simple-to-operate, darn good
radio!

73
Rick, DJ0IP (DM5P in contests)