[TenTec] The Next Flagship

[Jim Dunbar]

RF concepts and Ten Tec business decisions are Totally out of the control of Amateurs........

So I would not waste much time on recommendations.........

k4PV

Sent from my iPad

> On May 21, 2014, at 3:02 AM, "Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP" <Rick at DJ0IP.de> wrote:
> 
> I understand the desire of many of you for a new flagship radio, but in the
> interest of survival of the TT brand, I hope they do not do it.
> 
> Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, - ALL are daughter companies of large enterprises in
> many other business areas.  
> They won't go out of business if a particular ham radio flops.
> 
> I don't know anything about RF-Concepts, but Ten-Tec was owned mainly by two
> families, neither of which currently have a family member actively
> participating in the business.  Up till now, TT has survived on its own
> accomplishments. There was no mother company to bail them out. 
> 
> Let's learn from the recent past.
> In 2006, the rumor at the Friedrichshafen Ham Fest was that Kenwood was
> going to exit the hf market space.
> Their two old mares in the race (TS-2000 and TS-480), though decent radios,
> were long in the teeth.
> In 2010 there were new rumors that Kenwood would return; 2011 they did, with
> the TS-590.
> 
> IMO, the TS-480 had been the best buy (most bangs for the bucks) on the
> market for many years.
> Perhaps it still is.  If anything has replaced it, it is the TS-590.
> You can currently get a 590 for about $1500/$1600.  Despite its known
> shortcomings, that's a lot of radio for that price!
> 
> The 590 radio gave Kenwood a great come-back into the hf market.
> The TS-990S followed later.  IMO, they chose the right strategy.  
> Show the mother company that there is still demand for Kenwood hf products
> in order to get more resources for the development of the Flagship.
> 
> The Flagship market is too small, the Japanese currently own the low end
> market, and the Chinese soon will (next 5 years).
> The focus of Ten-Tec's engineering should be on the mid range.  
> The target price has got to be $200 more than that of a TS-590.
> People will pay more for made in America, but not a lot more.
> 
> The Argo VI has shown us that the RX quality can be maintained, even in a
> transceiver costing just 60% of the entry level Eagle, and even with cheaper
> roofing filters.
> Now what's needed is a box in the middle, merging the two.
> It should be somewhat larger than the Eagle and priced such that Wade and
> Rick can afford it.
> I'll bet there are a lot more people out there, recently retired or coming
> up on retirement are or soon will be in this category.
> 
> The K3 has shown us how to do it. modularity.
> In its basic entry level version, it is affordable for most people, though
> that price needs to come down by $600.
> In its full blown version it can compete (on performance) with most
> Flagships.
> Fancy stuff like the scope is an external box, not built-in, but perfectly
> matched.
> 
> IMO, this AND the innovation Ten-Tec has already shown in the area of open
> source, coupled with matching products from Alpha, is how Ten-Tec will have
> a bright future.
> 
> Alpha should have a low end amp, sold under the TT brand, matching the rig
> above.
> 
> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
> 
> 
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