[TenTec] Varied Wishes and ramblings

Wed Apr 9 11:55:06 EDT 2014

Whatever you guys decide, make sure to bring back the remote pod tuning and control capability provided by the 302R tuning pod. That simple feature alone has unexpectedly become a "must-have" for me. 
I'm glad that somebody at TT had the foresight to include such a 
simple, but tremendously  useful feature in the OMNI VII and Orions. However, since it apparently was not included in the Eagle design I will probably not ever consider an Eagle to replace my Orion. 

I like to have the radio sitting a couple of inches above the surface of the desk so I can comfortably get my fat hands and fingers around the bottom row of knobs. But I don't get too far into a contest without aches and pains in the shoulder and arm from holding my hand up to tune the radio. It is so nice to be able to keep my hand resting on the desk and tune the radio with the tuning knob of the 302R.  

When I have mentioned this feature to the other manufacturers at hamfests,  I've gotten everything from the usual head nod to an assurance that their designers know what features "normal" hams want in a radio and that's not one of them! I know there are several third-party solutions out there to add this capability to a station, but as far as I've seen, they all require connection to a computer. Do it the TT way and keep it simple!

73, N4UC

> From: xtraham58 at hotmail.com
> To: tentec at contesting.com
> Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 06:31:25 -0400
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Varied Wishes and ramblings
> 
> Great thoughts John, tnx
> 
> >
> > I hope everyone can see just from these last two threads, that there is a
> > huge variation in what hams expect of their rigs. If I look at this from
> > the outside, looking at TEN-TEC, and what TEN-TEC has made through the
> > years, I believe that TEN-TEC has done a great job in giving the consumers
> > what they want, mostly.
> > Look at the Orion series of rigs. Fantastic performance for contesting,
> > great features on the front panel, a sweep that works fairly good, but of
> > course limited by size and other constraints, and so many things to so many
> > different hams that wanted x and another didn't want x but wanted y
> > instead, well, mostly, it was there on the Orion. The antenna matrix,
> > fantastic, the band data outputs, serial control of a lot of the functions
> > for the PC hounds and the interfaces for the same PC hounds with their
> > SDR's doing "fantastical" PC sweeps/waterfalls/skimming/coffee making. It's
> > there. For the audio enthusiast, binaural, spatial, agc tailoring, ground
> > breaking stuff years ago, that still most don't really comprehend and well,
> > why does everyone have to? they don't, just use it stock, and it
> > outperforms just about anything on the market in just about any condition.
> > The OMNI-VII, only things it's really missing is a second receiver and a
> > functional sweep (plus a few tricks we have up our sleeves in store for it).
> > Of course, some would not consider an OMNI-VII because of something it
> > lacks that the Orion has, or vice versa. Or the competitor rig y has the
> > feature required.  Maybe it is missing band data outputs, antenna matrix,
> > two main VFOs, etc., but, it is a stellar performer, demo's with the
> > Ethernet are going fantastic from new hams trying out the rig in the
> > TEN-TEC sales shack getting audio reports of great audio. Yes, I'm still
> > beta testing one baby step at a time on a new Ethernet set of code, will be
> > out...xxxx
> > Yes, some issues, with all the rigs, but, well, all in all, the rigs have
> > done great, and will continue to do great.
> > 
> > Just look at the differences "REQUIRED" of the one feature, the sweep. Some
> > could care less and want us to quit working on it for the 588 and will
> > never fire it up for the 566. Yet some REALLY NEED it to work on the 588.
> > So, as someone mentioned earlier, that means we need to design interfaces
> > in the hardware for optional add-ons. Not an issue, because if I start with
> > a bare OMNI-VII, almost all of those interfaces already exist (talking
> > about interfaces to additional hardware options, not GUI's). Same for the
> > Eagle, same for the Orion(s).
> > 
> > As I read some people's inputs, the Eagle has EVERYTHING they will ever
> > need. Why? Because it is an absolute top notch performer in receiver
> > quality and sound. For some, it has an absolutely easy to use easy to
> > access feature set that covers every requirement they need. Some use it
> > connected to a PC for getting the things they want out of it.
> > As I read some peoples inputs, the Eagle needs so much more to make it the
> > ultimate rig, well, those are good thoughts, good wishes.
> > 
> > Same for the OMNI-VII.
> > 
> > With all of the above, the variances in customer wishes, required features,
> > etc., we try to design something that can do all for the ultimate
> > configuration users like the super serious PC driving
> > contesters/dxers/etc.ers, at the same time of hitting the requirements of
> > the front panel only user who wants to dominate the same contests, at the
> > same time of hitting the requirements of a rag chewer who gets on from time
> > to time and wants to drive it from the PC or the front panel or a
> > combination of both.
> > 
> > When these threads started, my inbox must have had an increase of about
> > 50-100 more emails a day, just on the wishes for an Orion III and it's
> > "required" features. That also lead to requests for the sweep for the
> > OMNI-VII, Vox for the Argonaut VI, etc., etc.
> > It just takes time to get those things out.
> > Doing what we can.
> > No, I'm not complaining, don't take this post this way, I do really
> > appreciate the inputs, it helps confirm the direction we are going, and
> > also brings to light things we had forgotten that others thought were
> > really important, that in our way of operating or thinking, well, they
> > weren't thought of as needed, so we can rethink them again, and why.
> > heck, even inside TEN-TEC there is a great disparity on some features, what
> > is included, why, who would ever use this, etc.
> > Somewhere, in the end, we hope to find the happy middle ground, medium.
> > 
> > Now, sometimes, we will make things that people have no idea why, e.g. the
> > 506 is one of them. I have had MANY emails and calls about that was the
> > worst way and thing TEN-TEC could ever have made, not an Orion or Eagle or
> > even a traditional Corsair or Tritan... well, true, but, it helps others
> > get into the hobby, brings joy back to hams that had gotten out of the
> > hobby because they were disheartened, and the 506 brought them back, and
> > they are having fun again.
> > 
> > Of course, when threads like this occur, I do get emails from hams saying
> > they will wait on their purchase now for the hope of the ultimate x
> > transceiver. Well, my input to that is... Why wait, I mean, you have the
> > opportunity now, the rig you are looking at really does fit your
> > requirements today, and besides, you may get hit by a bus in a month and
> > would not have enjoyed the rig. TEN-TEC could get hit by a bus itself, and
> > the future ultimate x transceiver won't see the light of day and you would
> > have missed out on the rig we have now. Go ahead and get that OMNI-VII, or
> > get that Eagle, or Argonaut VI, or 506, you can always trade it in next
> > year or the year after for the ultimate x transceiver, if/when it comes
> > out. Heck, if everyone waits for the next big TEN-TEC rig, there won't be a
> > "next big TEN-TEC rig" because everyone waiting will tank the company due
> > to lack of sales.
> > I know a lot that have waited on buying their next transceiver, waiting for
> > the new ultimate xxx that is now on the market, well, it ain't filling
> > their bill, ain't performing near what their other two rigs were that they
> > traded in to be able to afford it. ain't living up to expectations, etc.
> > etc. No, this isn't a knock on a specific one, but sometimes the kool-aid
> > makes one think it is best to get the one thing, when what they had in the
> > TEN-TEC rigs did actually fulfill all they needed.
> > So, go get your OMNI-VII now, ....
> > 
> > 'nuff said, time for me to get some shut eye
> > 
> > Thanks, and 73,
> > John Henry, KI4JPL
> > TEN-TEC Engineering
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> > TenTec at contesting.com
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