[TenTec] Panadapters

Wed May 7 15:59:21 EDT 2014

Well for starters we knew exactly what band we were on.  As to 
frequency.......that was always a best guess.

Even my Collins 75S-3B only had a calibration mark every 1 kHz and we though 
that was marvelous.   However for years I lived with my HQ-170AC which has 
one every 5 kHz.  And you want me to be how close to what frequency?

73
Bob, K4TAX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dalton" <w4wuq at att.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 2:33 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Panadapters

> How did we ever get by with those analog dials in the 1960's and 1970's?
>
> Dalton - W4WUQ
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On May 7, 2014, at 2:29 PM, "Bob McGraw - K4TAX" <RMcGraw at Blomand.net> 
>> wrote:
>>
>> That's exactly why I purchased an amp that uses a single 3-500ZG.
>>
>> Within the past 60 days I've had 10 radios across the bench and from 
>> different brands/models.  Although the frequency display seemed very 
>> precise, none were correct and some were off as much as 200 Hz.  The most 
>> accurate was +2Hz on 75M but progressively got worse as the frequency 
>> increased to 6M.
>>
>> I have one coming in next week that is reported to be 70 Hz high on 75M. 
>> Oh my, what a crisis.
>>
>> 73
>> Bob, K4TAX
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP" <Rick at DJ0IP.de>
>> To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 12:05 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Panadapters
>>
>>
>>> Wade, the problem with your strategy is, you can't get "good" new tubes
>>> anymore.
>>> The last good source for 572B's ceased producing them a while back and
>>> RF-Parts temporarily removed the tube from its sales.
>>>
>>> Apparently they have found a new source now, but each time they have had 
>>> to
>>> do that, the tubes were worse than those from their previous supplier.
>>>
>>> BTW, did you ever solve that 30 Hz problem?  ;-)
>>>
>>> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
>>> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Wade 
>>> Staggs
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 6:10 PM
>>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
>>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Panadapters
>>>
>>> *Please, build that Tube Type Rig!..... I can see the Appliance 
>>> Operators
>>> pulling their hair out as I write this message. I had a young fellow on 
>>> a
>>> State Wide Net, recently tell me that my station was 20 Hz low in 
>>> frequency.
>>> And my understanding was that Net Control is the frequency standard to 
>>> tune
>>> to! Reading my Net Preamble again, pointing out the part that says on or
>>> about 3xxx KHz. We also expressed thanks to him for telling me that, my 
>>> 33
>>> year old Paragon is only 20 Hz out of alignment. Checking further that 
>>> day,
>>> with good test equipment, maybe his KenYaeCom needs some attention. And 
>>> we
>>> know several folks who could never Tune Up any Tube Type rig. I can see 
>>> the
>>> Magical Mushroom Clouds of Smoke .... Screaming towards the Ceiling in 
>>> their
>>> Shacks ..... * *Please, build us some nice radios. I have just enough 
>>> time
>>> left to own another great station before assuming room temperature. We 
>>> can
>>> only wonder what the guy mentioned above, would have said about my ( 
>>> built
>>> by me
>>> ) Heathkit SB-101. Maybe, we will call the Net next time with the SB-101 
>>> and
>>> it turned on cold. Just my Rant for the day. My vote would be for a 
>>> Modular
>>> Approach. What radio will even nail down another SSB rig as 20 Hertz off
>>> frequency? Hey, here is an idea, what about a new Hybrid Rig?
>>> Beats the pants off these badly needed 50 volt Finals in the new rigs. 
>>> My
>>> vote is for a conservatively rated 200 Watt radio with One 572B Tube as 
>>> the
>>> PA. The old Hybrids sure do a Great Job....... hi hi ...........*
>>>
>>> *
>>>  73 from Wade/KJ4WS*
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 7:58 AM, John Henry <jhenry at tentec.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> There are as many wishes for what a panadapter should be and how it
>>>> should be used as there are hams in the market. They fall into a few
>>>> main classes though (and no, I'm not ranking classes, just
>>>> identifying, geesh, don't shoot me. and yes, I'm glad my name is John
>>>> Henry, he he he DJ0IP, lol) Don't cut down the need for something that
>>>> is a tantamount feature for someone else. Just different is all. If
>>>> there was a one size fits all, then would it be a Wyndam antenna or a
>>>> Yagi or something from those Spidery people? Or is it a Begali or one
>>>> of those from Mr. Robbins? Come on, pick one, you can't have anything
>>> else. See, one shoe does not fit all.
>>>>
>>>> There are those that will never use it, because they just want to
>>>> "surf the web", er, uh, "surf the air" to find someone popping out,
>>>> the way it has been done for many many decades. Nothing wrong with
>>>> this, so, let them have their rig, at the cost appropriate for that 
>>>> rig.
>>>>
>>>> There are those that just want something running real time on the rig,
>>>> no real features, maybe a gain adjustment, but they want it on the rig
>>>> so that when they take it with them, it is still there, e.g. Field
>>>> Day. So, maybe it is an option to the rig of the "surf the air" user.
>>>>
>>>> There are those that want a bit more functionality on the rig with the
>>>> sweep, e.g. scrolling to the freq they want to see without moving the
>>>> VFO, then hitting an Enter button, boom, they are there.
>>>>
>>>> There are those that want it as a display option of the rig, like a
>>>> panadapter such as the P3. It works great with the K3, KX3, and the
>>>> frequency readouts track. Works well with others, only drawback is you
>>>> lose the scrolling on the panadapter / click button to control the
>>>> rig. But, that too is sufficient for hams, they see the band, and can
>>>> move there quickly with the rig controls, be it on a PC or on the
>>>> front panel. Again, another option.
>>>>
>>>> There are those that will never give up the SDR to the sound card
>>>> running their favorite HPSDR/PowerSDR-IF/etc. In my mind, that is the
>>>> ultimate integration giving one the flexibility because they can pick
>>>> the $39 SDR or the $5k SDR to give them the performance they want that
>>> makes them happy.
>>>> Just provide the I/Q or IF output, and let this guy enjoy his world.
>>>> To me, IF output should be standard anyway on any rig produced...
>>>> well, maybe not down into the 506 cost range, but heck, 9MHz IF is on
>>>> the 506 anyway, just solder a wire, put in a buffer amp, and boom, you
>>>> have a band sweep from your $200 QRP rig, fun fun fun to some.
>>>>
>>>> YOUR usage pattern is different from others and you may want something
>>>> different than their neighbor or cousin or even XYL.
>>>> So, concentrate on what you like about which one you like the best,
>>>> bring up the reason why you like it best, and be happy that your XYL
>>>> can disconnect your SDR and use it on the front panel as she / he
>>>> wants it when they are on the rig.
>>>>
>>>> TEN-TEC has to find a happy medium, or provide options for all of the
>>>> above.
>>>> If TEN-TEC is to satisfy the guy who wants it built into the Orion
>>>> III, then TEN-TEC has to finish the 588 sweep board to prove the
>>>> concept and then migrate it into the "next big TEN-TEC rig".
>>>>
>>>> For now, get the rig you want that we have, enjoy it, and rest assured
>>>> that over time, maybe next year or the next, who knows what you will
>>>> see on the market from TEN-TEC or our competitors. We all make great
>>>> stuff that fills the shack of amateur operators. For me, the main
>>>> reason for this is still to just have fun, AND to be ready to assist
>>> others in emergency situations.
>>>> I still think there is a market for a totally analog rig, no uP, no
>>>> features other than mode/band/frequency/rfgain/afgain, the backup for
>>>> the EMP, that also means no transistors... hmmm cost, well, probably
>>>> prohibitive, but, I still wish there was a way for that rig to be made
>>>> as it would fill just about every prepper/emergency management hams
>>>> shack and sit in the background covered in dust until everything else
>>>> is non-functional.
>>>>
>>>> TEN-TEC IS working on things that will tread new ground, and lead the
>>>> way in innovation in this market, and those will come out over time
>>>> over this year, next year and beyond. We are also working on things
>>>> customers have asked for, but maybe not in the way they originally
>>>> thought, but, well, better. Plant a seed, and in time it will grow.
>>>> Working on things customers haven't asked for but once we get it out,
>>>> they will wonder, what they ever did without it.... etc.
>>>>
>>>> 'nuff said, lots of code to write, projects to continue, etc.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, and 73,
>>>> John Henry, KI4JPL
>>>> TEN-TEC Engineering
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>>
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