[TenTec] Thank you Ten Tec!

[Vic Klein]

Last week I was traveling to East Tennessee for several days and meeting
with other family members for a short vacation. I had been spending time on
the phone with Garry Green at Ten Tec, who was very patient with me as I
diagnosed the damage incurred with a self-induced fault on my 585 Paragon.
We had talked several times over the previous week and he was quite helpful
in suggesting ways to diagnose the fault, and I had fixed some issues. At
the last minute before leaving town I decided to pack the radio along and
hit TT as they opened their doors on Thursday. Garry took the radio back to
service and my brother-in-law, Bob N4HCI, and I had a chance to chat with
Stan about the amazingly huge success of their summer sale (I am on the list
for an Omni VII). Jim Wharton came out while we were playing with radios in
the demo station and chatted about the organizational philosophy of TT going
forward and why the decision to specialize in radio design and manufacturing
rather than continuing the other non-related businesses. All sound business
decisions and consistent with the trend to farm out the specialty stuff
they've been on since I first visited in the 70's. They are still looking
for their new location, but they have until the end of the year to move out.
 
I had told Garry that I was in the area until the weekend, and they called
late in the day Thursday to say the radio was finished and tested and I
could pick it up Friday! The repair involved identifying and replacing a
failed component on probably the hardest board to access in the radio, so I
was really happy with the result, and the cost was very modest given the
time it took to get to the part. That personal attention and friendliness of
the staff is one reason why I've had Ten Tec radios around since the
mid-70's, thanks guys!
 
=Vic=
WA4THR