[TenTec] Bring back the corsair 2

Steve Ellington steven4lq at gmail.com
Wed Nov 23 13:59:53 EST 2016


I had a loaded K3s then bought an IC-7300 and the noise level was slightly
lower to the point that the K3s started gathering dust.
Recently I picked up a couple of Corsair II's having forgotten what they
were like. After listening to the Corsair II for a while the noise coming
from the IC-7300 sounds like Darth Vader's breathing. Just a few minutes
ago I tried to have a QSO with a guy and I was having a terrible time
trying to copy his CW. I switched to the Corsair II and felt total relief
flood by frazzled brain. I kicked in the 500 hz xtal filter. The noise
actually goes down instead of up as it does in DSP rigs. I then brought in
about 50% audio filtering and he sounded like a CPO...Remember those?

The Corsair II was the last of long like of analog rigs from TenTec. PLL
and DSP started creeping in and up came the noise.

Here's a couple of videos I made to help get the point across. Again let me
say that the 7300 is one of the quietest (modern) radios I've had and boy
does it sound noisy next to the Corsair II!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX8EWUcnvBU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LBbiXXRex8

It's frustrating. I don't want it to be this way. I want a receiver that's
better than the Corsair II. What to do?

steve n4lq

On Wed, Nov 23, 2016 at 1:32 PM, Steve Berg <wa9jml at frontier.com> wrote:

> There is no way that it would be profitable to recreate the Corsair II
> these days.  I really love my Corsair II, and its external VFO.  But, I
> also realize that its days are numbered because many of the parts in it are
> no longer available.  And, while it was an outstanding DX and contest radio
> when it was built, it is not suitable for contesting any more.  Mine has
> done a great job for DXing from my rather poor location.
>
> I like it because after several years I have learned its quirks, and how
> to best use it under varying conditions.  Realizing its age, I bought an
> Omni VII during the fire sale so that I would have a decent and much newer
> radio when the Corsair II finally breathes its last.  After several months,
> I put the Omni VII on the shelf, and went back to the Corsair II.  I
> eventually found a good home for the Omni with a newly minted ham.  I don't
> miss it. It seemed to require a lot of menu usage for simple operations,
> and for which the Corsair II just requires a bit of adjustment of a knob or
> two.  I was very impressed with the Eagle when I used one at the factory
> several years ago.  Would I buy one at $1700 to have a backup for the
> Corsair II?  Most likely yes, especially to help keep Ten Tec afloat.  Most
> of the Japanese radios make extensive use of menus, and I don't like using
> those.  I have two Argonaut VI radios, and the receivers in those are
> simply incredible.  I would like to buy 2 more of them for use as VHF/UHF
> IF radios for transverters.  They are apparently similar to the receiver in
> the Eagle, so that would be yet another reason to buy an Eagle.  Since I
> have little use for contesting, that does not enter into my preferences in
> rigs.
>
> I have also worked in economic development as a city administrator and was
> on the county economic development board out where I last worked in this
> field.  What Mike describes is what we referred to as elephant hunting.
> And, I suspect that his comments about economic development being taken
> over by the local Chambers of Commerce is sadly true.  What these people do
> not understand is that by helping out smaller companies, there is a
> significant increase in a multiplier effect through the local economy.
> And, the local governments also have to provide less in the way of tax
> expenditures and other incentives.  Where I live now local governments give
> too many incentives to retail and warehousing, which do not pay enough to
> support a family.  They are trying to capitalize on the local university
> students, but wind up shooting themselves in the foot rather frequently.  I
> would love to see a federal suit challenging economic incentives on the
> basis of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.  That would
> really start to level the playing field in local economic development.
>
> Your Mileage May Vary...
>
>
> Steve WA9JML
>
>
>
> On 11/23/2016 10:33 AM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:
>
>> Yeah, like that's going to happen...
>>
>> Considering what Dishtronix has dealt with, prior to the Ten Tec
>> acquisition, in regards to overseas manufacturers, I have some serious
>> doubts that Mike would seriously do this.  Even if there is sufficient
>> market for the rig today, which I suspect there isn't.
>>
>> Now if you could design a Corsair III, including a DDS type dual VFO, and
>> could afford to build it domestically and sell it at a small profit for
>> circa US$600, you might have something.  Maybe.  But built in China?  I
>> doubt it.
>>
>> 73, ron w3wn
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of gary
>> mankoff
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2016 10:36 AM
>> To: tentec at contesting.com
>> Subject: [TenTec] Bring back the corsair 2
>>
>> We need a new corsair 2 ,just like the old one with the filters installed
>> ,made in China.
>> This is the only way TT can compete.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
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