[TenTec] pimp my eagle.

[Carl Moreschi]

The Tmate2, which all my N4PY programs fully support, is exactly the 
knob with buttons you are talking about.  It plugs into a USB port.


Carl Moreschi N4PY
58 Hogwood Rd
Louisburg, NC 27549
www.n4py.com

On 1/7/2016 2:52 PM, John Farler wrote:
> Rick,
> As you can see, I set out some ideas for just a mobile rig.
> Perhaps as a combination of ideas, there could be two
> face plates, or perhaps a simpler one that was just a
> remote control with a few knobs that plugged into
> a port, without a removeable faceplate (N4PY, are
> you listening?)
> KISS, please....
>
> John, K4AVX
>
>> PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD FOCUSED ON THE ?EAGLE.?
>>
>> (feel free to start a new thread on O7+ or O3)
>>
>>
>>
>> I agree with Brian . . . let?s talk about radios again.
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems the current tentative plan is:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) OM7(+) gets a new front plate and face plate, but not a lot of
>> changes
>>
>> 2) (super) Eagle gets new DSP and _ _ _ _ _ _
>>
>> 3) Argonaut 6 will more or less resume production unchanged
>>
>> 4) An O3 is in the making, details unknown
>>
>>
>>
>> I want to make a suggestions about the future Eagle.
>>
>>
>>
>> IMO TEN-TEC made a mistake with the Eagle.
>>
>> They tried to address three market segments with one product.
>>
>> 1) A simple easy to use computer for old folks (including me) who
>> usually prefer not to even turn the computer on, just because we want to
>> get
>> on the radio ? but do want high performance.
>>
>> 2) The mobile hf market
>>
>> 3) The entry level 100w hf transceiver market
>>
>>
>>
>> Result: Jack of all trades, master of none.
>>
>>
>>
>> If you read the wish list in the Eagle group, since the beginning there
>> were
>> clearly representatives of all three groups expressing wishes for
>> improvements. What might benefit one group is often counter-productive
>> for
>> the other.
>>
>>
>>
>> If Ten-Tec is to succeed, they need to identify the market segment for
>> each
>> product and optimize for it.
>>
>>
>>
>> Of the three segments I have listed above, I believe Ten-Tec?s best
>> chance
>> is in no. 1.
>>
>>
>>
>> I don?t think any US based OEM can go big in the entry level segment
>> because
>> it is primarily driven by price.
>>
>>
>>
>> I also believe a mobile rig today MUST have a removable front panel. Sure
>> some people don?t mind having the radio occupy the front passenger space,
>> but I prefer to keep it for my XYL. (In fact I have no choice
>>
>>
>>
>> My wish is for the Super Eagle to focus on number 1 above.
>>
>> As such, I can propose some changes:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) And most important: a bigger box. In all my 15+ years
>> participating in Ten-Tec groups, I can?t recall a single instance of
>> anyone
>> asking for a smaller box. Yet ALL OEMs seem to think that?s what we want.
>> Lots of important things suffer when you reduce the size of the box. You
>> have less knobs, more menu adjustable items, smaller loud speaker,
>> smaller
>> S-Meter, coils are smaller (lower Q), heat sinks are smaller and fans are
>> smaller so you have more noise. Less room for working on the radio, less
>> room for back panel jacks (so we must use plugs with 75 pins!). DON?T
>> NEED
>> ANY OF THIS. I NEED THE FOLLOWING?
>>
>> 2) Larger knobs. Concentric knobs are only ok if they are large
>> enough.
>>
>> 3) Larger S-meter. Prefer a true meter, but if not, then at least a
>> color-coded LED meter.
>>
>> 4) ? inch connections for things like key and headphones;
>>
>> 5) Separate jacks for paddle and straight key
>>
>> 6) PTT and AMP KEY should be RCA Phono (again)
>>
>> 7) Dedicated RIT control (not the multi-knob)
>>
>> 8) Simplified VFO mode (i.e. getting in and out of split)
>>
>> 9) Buttons should have a max of dual function. Push once to enable
>> main function, push twice (quickly) to enable secondary function. I don?t
>> want to push multiple buttons that may be on opposite sides of the front
>> panel.
>>
>> 10) Exception to menu handling is allowed but only for things that really
>> are ?set once and forget?, such as defining filter slots and screen
>> color.
>>
>> 11) Mic gain and CW Speed should be a dedicated knob. I?m OK with it
>> just
>> being one knob, but others might prefer concentric.
>>
>> 12) Band stacking register. Don?t understand why it was left out.
>>
>> 13) [finally] address the keying timing issues when using a non-Ten-Tec
>> linear amplifier. The Pre-dit and Post-dit (hang) time must be
>> adjustable.
>> Pre-dit can be inside the ?set once and forget? menu, but Post-dit is a
>> value I change often. Either make it easy to adjust, OR make it
>> dynamically
>> linked to the keyer speed with user adjustable ratio. There are keyers on
>> the market that have this feature.
>>
>> 14) IF output to the real panel. Can be an option, but just plug one
>> cable.
>>
>> 15) Pre-selector output to the real panel. Can be an option, but just 2
>> cables.
>>
>> 16) AUX-RX ANT connection. It?s to the point now that often the low
>> bands
>> are only usable with some kind of special small receiving antenna, due to
>> all the noise from consumer products.
>>
>> 17) NO BAND SCOPE. (Use the IF connector on the rear panel). Or use an
>> ANT OUT, an external SDR, and Carl?s NP4Y software.
>>
>> 18) Power Out indicator (not just an ALC LED)
>>
>> 19) What else?
>>
>> 20) Bright Red-Orange Dot!
>>
>>
>>
>> I?m sure I have forgotten a few points, but mainly KEEP IT SIMPLE so that
>> old eyes and old fingers can use it.
>>
>>
>>
>> I intentionally began this thread here rather than in the Eagle group
>> because maybe if we get these changes, some of the people here (and not
>> currently in the Eagle group) will join us.
>>
>>
>>
>> PIMP MY EAGLE!
>>
>>
>>
>> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
>>
>> (Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
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