[TenTec] Panadapters

Wed May 7 21:06:38 EDT 2014

*Rick,*
*           I hear what you are saying about the 572b tubes. Currently we
have a good looking set of Taylor 572s for the SB-200 and also a nice pair
of Cetrons. The installed tubes are OK. Just wishing for a spare pair of
3-500s for the SB-220. After checking the Master Oscillator and BFO
Frequencies on the old Paragon with my friends $40.000.00 Service Monitor
and such.... and checking the transmit frequency, I came to the conclusion
that we didn't need to do anything except talk on it! Five years ago the
radio came to live with me and had the Dreaded " PLL Out of Lock " problem.
Calling 3 Nets a week for the last 4 years has given me confidence that I
Solder Well..... Great Radio... Rick, we always enjoy your posts here ....
keep up the good work...*
*                                                             73 from
Wade/KJ4WS*

On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 12:05 PM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP <Rick at dj0ip.de> wrote:

> 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
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
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