[TenTec] Rigs at WRTC

[K8JHR]

On 7/25/2014 9:45 AM, Carl Moreschi wrote:

> 1) The older Flex 5000 and 3000 suffer from what Rob calls the "Field
> day problem".  This is when very strong signals from very close stations
> cause the front end to collapse.

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Maybe the Eagle is too noisy for a crowded contest or Field day setting. 
  I am still trying to sort this one out.

In a previous thread someone was weighing the choice between getting the 
Kenwood TS-590s or the TT Eagle.  Somebody said the 590 is a poor choice 
because it has an unduly noisy transmitter and does not play well with 
others in a crowded contest or Field Day shack.
	
OF COURSE, THIS IS A VALID CRITICISM ONLY IF THAT TRAIT IS UNIQUE TO THE 
590 and not also suffered by the Eagle.

I suggested the whole argument statistically insignificant, based on 
fewer than 10 out of maybe 15,000 units in service.  To support the 
claim, Rick submitted a couple of slides from one of Rob Sherwood's 
famous presentations - which show the Eagle produces more transmit IMD 
than the 590.  You can see those two slides here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/minirichards/14602437252/

Someone suggested Rob Sherwood could prove it, so I asked him about it, 
and he clearly said he has NO OTHER DATA concerning broadband noise 
concerning these two radios.  He said the slides Rick mentioned show 
transmitter IMD, only, and said this different from broadband 
transmitter noise.   I understand K4TAX actually measured a pair of 
590s, but two out of maybe fifteen thousand units is hardly 
statistically significant and falls short of proving all 590s are 
problematic.  I recall something to the effect that the Eagle is noisier 
in some ways, and the 590 is noisier in other ways.

As the charge is not unique to the 590, it hardly constitutes a basis 
for choosing one rig over another, and (while I hate to knock any team I 
am on)  the evidence is either inconclusive as to either rig, or tends 
to support the claim the Eagle is the noisier of the two.  No one has 
brought forth any other data.

This is why I hesitate to buy an Eagle, even on sale, and one of the 
reasons I sold my TS-590.  But, seeing a couple of 590s used by high 
ranking contestants sorta makes me sorry I did that.  Rick kept telling 
me the 590 causes problems in a contest shack, so I sold it.  But if the 
Eagle is no better, then perhaps I don't want it, either.

----------------------- K8JHR  ---------------------