[TenTec] An Update from Ten Tec

[rick@dj0ip.de]

Then somebody in the industry better build a bigger radio for us old farts!

73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)


-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve Ellington
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2016 2:03 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] An Update from Ten Tec

Both

On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 3:05 AM, rick at dj0ip.de <Rick at dj0ip.de> wrote:

> Steve,
>
> Do you think the Bandscope must be built in, or can it be a signal to 
> the back panel to feed a computer and display?
>
> Unless you build a radio with an awfully large display, I don't see it 
> well enough to get much use out of it.
>
> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve 
> Ellington
> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 4:35 PM
> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] An Update from Ten Tec
>
> One thing for sure...If a new rig ain't got a bandscope....forget it.
> People are rapidly getting hooked.
> Steve N4LQ
>
> On Wed, Nov 30, 2016 at 10:23 AM, Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > IMHO, you guys should come out with a $3000 1KW small form factor 
> > solid state linear amp.  You could sell boatloads.  Evidently 
> > Elecraft's $2300 500W KPA500 sells extremely well and the SPE Expert 
> > 1KW and 1.5KW amps have long backorder wait times.  Not much else 
> > out there in terms of solid state amps.
> >
> > 73, Barry N1EU
> >
> > On Tue, Nov 22, 2016 at 1:27 PM, Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks for the update Mike and I wish you every success!
> > >
> > > As far as the Eagle production, I believe it would be a tough sell 
> > > at $1699.  Every indication is that transceiver architecture is 
> > > moving
> > quickly
> > > to direct digital sampling (e.g. IC-7300) and I'd suggest pointing 
> > > your design resources in that direction or risk missing the hf 
> > > xcvr boat entirely.  It is very possible Ten-Tec could leverage 
> > > their previous development in dsp firmware (Orion, Omni7, Eagle) 
> > > to accelerate the
> > design
> > > cycle, which is apparently what Icom did with the IC-7300.
> > >
> > > 73, Barry N1EU
> > >
> > > On Mon, Nov 21, 2016 at 1:36 PM, Mike Dishop via TenTec < 
> > > tentec at contesting.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >>  Greetings Friends and Fellow Ten Tec Enthusiasts,
> > >>
> > >> Iwanted to update you on what is happening in Sevierville.  The 
> > >> SmokeyMountains are literally fogged in with smoke in some places 
> > >> as Tennessee hasmany wild fires burning. I was there two weeks 
> > >> ago and have never experiencedanything like it. Driving down 
> > >> Jellico Mountain on I75
> > it
> > >> became literally IFRconditions with near zero visibility from the
> smoke.
> > >> Assome of you know Ten Tec has been occupying office condominium 
> > >> space behind thesite of the former factory were now a Wal-Mart 
> > >> Express is sitting.  Thissite is not appropriate for our needs.
> > >> Starting last
> > week,
> > >> weare moving out of this location into a more industrial friendly 
> > >> space.Unfortunately this location is not zoned for commercial 
> > >> walk in traffic, so thedays of someone showing up at the factory 
> > >> door
> > unfortunately
> > >> have come toan end. After an entire year of searching for any 
> > >> possible opportunity tomove, this is all we have been able to 
> > >> come up with. Commercial realestate is completely out of control 
> > >> in Sevierville county because of thetourist industry, and unless 
> > >> we have
> > about
> > >> a half million dollars toinvest in the factory location you can 
> > >> just
> > forget
> > >> about it.  Ten Tec is"too small" to receive any incentive, tax 
> > >> breaks or help from the localso called "Economic Development"
> > >> office. My opinion
> > is
> > >> thatthe State and local government of Tennessee is about as 
> > >> economically unfriendlyto a small business or start up business 
> > >> as is possible.  For example, inother counties in TN the standard 
> > >> is to create 10 new jobs to get anyincentive. Sevier County 
> > >> arbitrarily requires 25 jobs.  By mycalculations, 25 jobs would 
> > >> be around a million dollar pay roll if the jobsaveraged 15 
> > >> dollars an hour to the employee with a 25% more
> > overhead to
> > >> theemployer.  Any business having that kind of payroll better 
> > >> have about 10million in gross receipts which would put it at 
> > >> DOUBLE the IRS
> > definition
> > >> of asmall business and QUADRUPLE the IRS definition of a 
> > >> microbusiness,
> > so
> > >> it isobvious that the economic development offices do not have 
> > >> any mandatewhatsoever to support or help ANY small business 
> > >> reason the
> > scale of
> > >> anindividual person's finances.   The fact that Ten Tec must
> > >> havecontributed millions of tax dollars to the local economy over 
> > >> the
> > last
> > >> 50 yearsmeans nothing.  In many states, these economic 
> > >> development
> > offices
> > >> arepartially funded by the local Chamber of Commerce. It is my 
> > >> opinion theseoffices function as intelligence gathering units to 
> > >> forewarn their members ofany possible competitor entering their 
> > >> area. If small
> > business is
> > >> truly theeconomic growth engine of the United States it is 
> > >> apparent to
> > me
> > >> why we havegrowth problems if we depend on these organizations to 
> > >> help
> > us
> > >> as individuals.It seems ironic that the company named TEN TEC for
> > Tennessee
> > >> Technologies can'tget any assistance at all in Tennessee 
> > >> considering
> the
> > >> state's advertising oftheir "Tennessee Technology Initiative".   If
> you
> > are
> > >> wondering why I wrote all thisabove it is to head off the endless
> > string of
> > >> expert recommendation that Icontact TVA and the local economic 
> > >> development. I’ve done it and nobody is going to help Ten Tec in 
> > >> the
> > State
> > >> of Tennessee.
> > >> Toget back on track, I stated above we are moving the remainder 
> > >> of this month.You all know what that means. Service will be slow 
> > >> this
> month.
> > >> Robertdecided not to have you send in radios this month so we 
> > >> wouldn't
> > have
> > >> to movethem.  There is no cause for alarm or speculation.  
> > >> Service willcontinue just as soon as we are moved. I hear and 
> > >> read all kinds of gossip andcomplaints and this and that about 
> > >> our service, and none of it even close toaccurate. We have 
> > >> serviced hundreds of radios this year and have a bunch ofhappy 
> > >> customers.  You will see in the reflector some guy complaining 
> > >> orsaying he is worried and then five people saying
> > everything
> > >> was fine.  I'mso sick of it.  Really it is so frustrating, 
> > >> especially
> > when
> > >> some of youcall or write me up in Ohio about your twenty year old
> > radio.  I
> > >> can'thelp you. I'm not in Tennessee. The people there run things 
> > >> and do their jobessentially under Boyd's supervision. I don't 
> > >> want to sound condescending oraloof or unreasonable or unfriendly 
> > >> but please see this from my perspective.There are thousands of 
> > >> you and one of me.  I am responsible to run thiscompany and pay 
> > >> the people who work here whose families depend on me.  Iam an 
> > >> electrical engineer and my time needs to
> > be
> > >> spent getting the newproducts developed and out the door, not 
> > >> with a
> > dial
> > >> string for your old thingthat I neither sold you or received any
> > benefit of
> > >> selling to you.  Canyou directly call the president of Icom?  
> > >> Does Eric answer the telephonewhen you call Elecraft?  It is just 
> > >> not possible
> > for me
> > >> to answer everyemail and every telephone call about service issues.
> > >> If
> > you
> > >> call me atDishtronix and leave a message asking me to call you 
> > >> about
> > your
> > >> Ten Tec I'm notreturning your call.  If I answer I'm going to 
> > >> tell you
> > we
> > >> have put up theprocedure that you email service at tentec.com.  Yes, 
> > >> I
> > have
> > >> a telephone atTen Tec and no, you can’t have it.  We are short 
> > >> staffed because we do nothave sales volume at this time to 
> > >> support a large overhead.  This way,Robert can go through all of 
> > >> the email and respond
> > at
> > >> one time in the morning,then spend the rest of the day shipping 
> > >> radios
> > and
> > >> parts orders without beinginterrupted. He is there three days a 
> > >> week, so you don't get answers onMonday or Friday. Sure, I know 
> > >> some of you don't like it. There is no needto tell me about it. I 
> > >> don't like it either,
> > but
> > >> until we start having alot more cash flow that is the way it has 
> > >> going
> > to
> > >> have to be. For those thatcomplain about how long it is taking, 
> > >> please understand this is a milliondollar endeavor and money like 
> > >> that just doesn’t grow on trees, at least forme. Of course any of 
> > >> you wealthy gentlemen looking for a good cause to donatesome 
> > >> money too -  I would
> > love
> > >> to have the cash on hand to turn thingsaround tomorrow. Until 
> > >> then I’ll
> > be
> > >> working 16 hours a day seven days a weekwith no days off and 
> > >> scrimp and save and spend carefully and build up slowlyjust like 
> > >> every other hard working guy has to do.
> > >> WhatI am going to try to do next is set up sort of an email 
> > >> hotline for critical caseswith Bob if he will do it. I just 
> > >> thought of this and
> > have to
> > >> talk to him aboutthis.
> > >> OK,enough about that.  Let’s get on to some better stuff. Many of
> > youknow
> > >> that under RFC and RKR Ten Tec quit doing their PCB assembly inhouse.
> > >> Those of you who have known me over the decades at Dishtronix 
> > >> knowmy
> > shop
> > >> suffered heating issues that made it tough for the machinery to 
> > >> run
> > inthe
> > >> end of January to February artic blasts.  Well, I have a new and
> > verynice
> > >> double insulated, heated and cooled free span metal building 
> > >> where I'vemoved my PCB assembly operation and this is something 
> > >> I'm very excitedabout.  The building has a metal skin totally 
> > >> covering the inside withgood overhead fluorescent lighting and 
> > >> conduit encased electrical outletsevery 12 feet around the 
> > >> perimeter.  I have retired the older ContactSystems placement 
> > >> machines in favor of newer MYDATA (Micronics Sweden)placement 
> > >> machines. I installed the first MY9 machine this last
> > June
> > >> and havebeen using it to build boards for the RX340 commercial 
> > >> orders we have beenfulfilling.  Ten Tec did have a MY9 when they 
> > >> were building
> > boards
> > >> inhouse. The MYDATA machines are the choice for high mix medium 
> > >> volumeproduction, especially when equipped with the Agilis quick 
> > >> change feedersystem. Feeders usually cost more than the machines 
> > >> in this
> > business,
> > >> and I'vebeen growing my collection all year.  I am about a third 
> > >> of the
> > way
> > >> tohaving the collection of feeders I would like to have. Earlier 
> > >> this
> > month
> > >> I gotlucky and was able to purchase the bar code software which 
> > >> will
> > allow
> > >> me toload and unload components from the machine by just scanning 
> > >> with
> > the
> > >> barcodereader, and it is done offline.  It will help with 
> > >> inventory
> > control
> > >> andcomponent management which is a real nightmare considering Ten 
> > >> Tec
> > has
> > >> over7000 different line items.
> > >> TheMY9 machine has a capability to hold up to 96 different 
> > >> components
> > and
> > >> has asingle mounting head. As I write this, an air ride big rig 
> > >> is
> > getting
> > >> closerand closer to Ohio hauling a MY19 machine in from San 
> > >> Francisco
> > which
> > >> can hold anadditional 160 different components (total 256 8 mm
> > >> tapes)
> > and
> > >> has 8 mountingheads!  Hopefully this machine will be brought 
> > >> online successfully and notbe damaged or in bad shape as I've 
> > >> bought it sight unseen.  I've alsomoved the 8 zone, lead free 
> > >> capable, pin chain
> > conveyor
> > >> equipped ElectrovertBravo 8105 oven to the new building last weekend.
> > This
> > >> gives us thecapability to process double sided surface mount and 
> > >> the ability to reliablyprocess BGA chips.  I've also purchased 
> > >> this summer
> > but
> > >> not yet installedan X ray machine to do 100% inspection of the 
> > >> BGA
> > reflow
> > >> solderingprocess.  With the existing equipment (stencil printers, 
> > >> board
> > >> washers,etc.) this will give us what I believe is the most well 
> > >> equipped and modern PCBmanufacturing of any amateur radio 
> > >> manufacturer in North America.  Ibelieve the other guys outsource 
> > >> their board assembly.  It
> > may
> > >> be thesmart thing to do, but I personally prefer to buy and house 
> > >> my own componentsin house and to have total control over my 
> > >> assembly
> process.
> > I
> > >> find itrequires more time to outsource and get constant bids for 
> > >> things like this thanto just own the equipment and do it myself. 
> > >> I think you
> > get a
> > >> better product atless cost. Of course the best reason in my 
> > >> opinion for doing it all in house isI can do as small of a 
> > >> production run as I
> > want, IF
> > >> I am willing to spend thetime to set up and do it. Hence the 
> > >> decision
> > for
> > >> the quick change capability ofthe MYDATA system.  So, all in all 
> > >> what
> > this
> > >> means is the Phoenix isrising. I am rebuilding Ten Tec and 
> > >> preparing to
> > do
> > >> some serious manufacturing,which brings me to my next point.
> > >> Mostof you know we have been bogged down and overwhelmed with the 
> > >> commercial sideof our business this last year since I officially 
> > >> assumed the helm in January.With trying to replenish the hard to 
> > >> get /  long
> > lead
> > >> time /  lasttime buy /  obsolete parts, rebuild the PCB assembly 
> > >> operations, moving,and so on we just haven't had the horsepower 
> > >> to build any amateurtransceivers.  Well, the good news is we have 
> > >> caught up on
> > our
> > >> commercialcontracts.  Be glad we did this. You know all the stuff 
> > >> I
> > wrote
> > >> aboutabove?  The commercial contracts paid for that. Without this 
> > >> TEN
> > TEC
> > >> wouldnot exist right now. We are at a very important cross roads 
> > >> right now. What do we do next?
> > >>
> > >> Someof you know we are developing new products.  Those are still 
> > >> off on thehorizon.  What I need to know is how many of you would 
> > >> purchase
> > Eagles
> > >> ifthey were available?  I'd like to do a run of 100 of them next.
> > >> It is agreat radio.  I like mine every bit as well as my Orion II.
> > >> The DSPfunction is superb.
> > >> Wehave to talk a little bit about price.  When the Eagle was 
> > >> launched it wasa $2100 radio with no accessories.  You all know 
> > >> the story of the
> > blow
> > >> outsales and the liquidation as the previous owners sold 
> > >> everything that wasn'tnailed down on their way out.  Some of you 
> > >> got fully loaded radios
> > >> for$1299 or whatever.  You know they didn't even cover their 
> > >> assembly
> > cost
> > >> onthat, right? Some of you got real bargains.  Of course only the 
> > >> last 35radios or something were sold at that price but you get 
> > >> the
> point.
> > >> Youwill never see a price like that again.  If I have to sell and 
> > >> Eagle atthat I will close and lock the doors and be done with it.
> > >> A strip modelneeds to sell at 1699 at least.  The more you are 
> > >> willing to pay
> > for
> > >> aradio the faster the new radios can come out.  We want to build 
> > >> radios andsell them so we can keep the production team in place 
> > >> so we can meet
> > the
> > >> demandwhen the new radios come out. Everything we do tomorrow 
> > >> depends on how much yousupport us today.
> > >> I'mcertain some of you have heard that I and two partners 
> > >> acquired Alpha and thatI've been officially at the Helm since 
> > >> August.  It is a separate companyfrom Dishtronix / TEN TEC.  Of 
> > >> course I will be building the circuitboards for those products as 
> > >> well.  I'm after something business peoplecall economy of scale, 
> > >> essentially having enough product flow
> > through
> > >> the doorsto totally occupy the machines and infrastructure.  I'll 
> > >> be
> > making
> > >> apost on that reflector as well to update those customers also.
> > >> Bythe way, we do have RX340s available to build on short notice now.
> > >> Letme close by wishing you all a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving 
> > >> holiday,
> > one
> > >> of myfavorites and of course the reason I see my dentist in 
> > >> November
> > for my
> > >> prefeast tune up.  The Sevierville team and I appreciate your 
> > >> support
> > for
> > >> TenTec, where we believe we are once again Making America Great - 
> > >> One Radioat a Time.
> > >> VY73 DE MIKE N8WFF
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> TenTec mailing list
> > >> TenTec at contesting.com
> > >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec