[TenTec] Requirements for a top tier DXing rig

Fri Oct 18 15:04:03 EDT 2013

The form factor of the K3 means a lot more space on the desk but a lot less
space on the display - no full time display of important parameters like
bandwidth, shift, power, mic gain/compression, monitor level, etc etc.  You
have to push a knob to see each value.  And no parameters at all are
visible about the subreceiver unless you switch the display from main to
sub.  There's plenty to like about the K3 and contesters have adopted it in
droves, but the form factor doesn't work for me.

Barry N1EU

On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 6:09 PM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP <Rick at dj0ip.de> wrote:

> As you have seen, there are all kinds of ways to enjoy contesting.
> Just get in there and work however you want to.
>
> I don't contest much anymore, except for the big ones.
> Still contemplating whether I'll run CQWW SSB this year or not.
> Don't really like SSB contests but the club kind of pressures us to at
> least
> turn in a few points.
>
> During contests, I run my contest call sign "DM5P".
> Hope to work you in CQWW CW.
>
> BTW, I'm looking for volunteers to come over here and help me pull my 160m
> Inv.-L out of the stinger weeds and hang it back in the trees.  Contest
> season is rapidly approaching!
>
> 73
> Rick, DJ0IP / DM5P
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve
> Mercure
> Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 7:48 PM
> To: Ten Tec List
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Requirements for a top tier DXing rig
>
> Casual contester and DXer here and I must say this thread is one of the
> most
> interesting reads on any of my subscribed threads in a long time.  I've
> read
> each post and learned a bunch about contest and DX operating!  Thank you
> everyone for posting!
>
> 73 de W5EN Steve
>
> > From: chacuff at cableone.net
> > To: tentec at contesting.com
> > Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 16:23:16 +0000
> > Subject: [TenTec] Requirements for a top tier DXing rig
> >
> > I kind of Hijacked an earlier thread thinking it would be a great point
> for discussion and maybe result in helpful feedback to all involved.
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ------
> >
> >
> >
> > JIm said:
> >
> >
> >
> > We can thank the three major US manufacturers, Ten Tec, Elecraft, and
> > Flex Radio for top quality radios at affordable prices, many of them
> > "best in class."
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ------
> >
> >
> >
> > And I agree completely but would carry things a bit further.  I think at
> some point in every DXers life you reach a point where there are some
> personal minimum requirements for a so called Top Tier DXers radio.
> >
> >
> >
> > I know I certainly have reached that point with the following that I
> refuse to do without:
> >
> >
> >
> > Dual receivers.  Not just dual-watch type of multiplex receive...which
> gets the job done but doesn't provide split headphone outputs so one can
> monitor the DX in one ear and the pileup in the other. It's nice that the
> two receivers have the same specs but not completely necessary for me.
> >
> >
> >
> > Split RX audio. Actually an extension of Dual Receivers.  I DX under
> headphones 90% of the time and the split receive is a must on split
> frequency operations.  I think it makes full use of the processing power
> our
> brains have to offer as a DSP filter of sorts...
> >
> >
> >
> > Dual VFO knobs.  I can do the toggle thing but why. The Orion system is
> ideal and even better is having the remote VFO/Keypad set to the sub
> receiver and next to the CW key.  The remote VFO/Keypad is really a nice
> touch and seems to be catching on as Icom has just introduced one.  Again
> Ten-Tec leading the industry. Not one of my minimums but again a nice
> touch.
> >
> >
> >
> > Up to this point I have managed to eliminate Icom and probably Kenwood.
> The IC7800 and the TS-990 are the only current rigs that meets the above
> spec and Icom is way out of my price range...the Kenwood is on the high
> side
> for me as far as pricing.   (more on that later)
> >
> >
> >
> > Knobs.  I just can't get excited about my radio being a mouse and a
> keyboard and a computer screen.  Now I don't have issue with computer
> control of my conventional rig but that is a bit different in that I use it
> to tune the rig to spots and to collect data from the rig for population of
> fields in my logging program. I still drive with the knobs.
> >
> >
> >
> > Sorry Flex...
> >
> >
> >
> > BIG Knobs.  As we age it gets harder to see and sometimes dexterity
> suffers making it difficult to manage tiny knobs placed so close together.
> Ten-Tec has done a great job on this with the Orion.
> >
> >
> >
> > BIG Radio's.  Front panel real estate is a must to keep from ending up
> with tiny knobs, concentric knobs and multi layer menus resulting in many
> multi function buttons and knobs.  It's too difficult to wade through all
> that in the middle of a pileup or running in a contest.  Besides this is a
> base station rig that never leaves the shack. There is no good reason it
> shouldn't be sizable.
> >
> >
> >
> > Elecraft is a bit small for me but...
> >
> >
> >
> > Support. Well what can I say here...the best support is coming from the
> US
> manufacturers.  I've experienced the Japanese level of support and it
> wasn't
> fun so I don't really want to go there again.  I can get decent support on
> Icom because i'm friends with the local Icom dealer and he National sales
> manager but again I can't justify $13K for a 7800.  That pretty much leaves
> Elecraft and Ten-Tec and the Elecraft is a bit on the small side for a base
> radio to my likings but it does perform and is supported well.
> >
> >
> >
> > All this and affordable:  Well what about price....  Needs to be under 5
> to 6K for a top tier rig for me to begin to justify it with the features
> mentioned.  The sad part is that pretty much eliminates all the current top
> tier radio's but probably the Yaesu FT-5000 and Elecraft that meet my
> personal minimums but I've not been happy with Yaesu support and their
> current product line and direction so I won't buy their products.  Were
> back
> to Elecraft and Ten-Tec.  I already own an Orion II...the decision based on
> the above clearly but the Orion has been discontinued.  So if I didn't own
> the Orion and was having to make a purchase decision....  Things would be
> pretty much the same...I would search out a nice used example of the Orion
> II.  There is really no other choice for the way I operate and the features
> I've deemed a personal minimum.
> >
> >
> >
> > The question is what does the future hold for guys like us?
> >
> >
> >
> > Who knows but I am glad I have the Orion II...it should serve for many
> years along with the Centurion it's paired with...till we get a glimpse of
> what's to come.
> >
> >
> >
> > Of course this is subjective and YMMV so don't beat me up too bad....
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Cecil Acuff
> > Gulfport MS
> > K5DL
> > _______________________________________________
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> > TenTec at contesting.com
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>
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