[TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs

MadScientist dukeshifi at comcast.net
Thu Aug 9 09:41:19 EDT 2018


I still repair Ten Tec, Collins and Drake radios…

I have piles of Ten Tec parts, a fair amount of Collins parts and a small pile of Drake parts.

I am not fast but generally my repairs work.

I don’t do “complete rebuilds”. I do the work for the intellectual challenge and “rebuilds” are dishwasher work.

Put me in the database, thanks,

Gary

W0DVN

> On Aug 8, 2018, at 3:47 PM, P.C. Anderson <xtraham58 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Have been watching this thread all day. Very interesting comments from well know folks.
> I have a fine working Orion ll and realize that if it goes dumb because of one, 1 part that TT single sourced, it will be a parts radio.
> Manufactures are in the business to make money so they hope that their product fails so that they can sell new products.
> This is the end of this discussion for me.
> 
> Andy,,,W3LI
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> David, you didn't start a firestorm.  To the contrary, you triggered a very
> important twist on the thread of getting old radios repaired.
> Fundamentally:  forget it.
> 
> And the lesson to be learned is, it will only get worse.
> Consider that when making purchase decisions.
> 
> I will conclude my contribution to this thread by saying anyone blaming the
> current Ten-Tec owner for anything in the past, or failure to be able to
> repair radios that he never sold, is . . . not only unfair, but damaging our
> hobby by discouraging others from continuing to invest in the manufacturing
> side of it.
> 
> 73,
> Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec <tentec-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of David J. Ross
> Sent: 08 August 2018 19:17
> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs
> 
> Didn't mean to start a firestorm guys. My comment was based on my own
> personal experience.  I bought the Paragon used...always wanted one but
> never had one and jumped at the opportunity. It arrived  physically damaged
> and with several let's say common ailments. I was dealing with service on
> the problem and in fact service recommended the upgraded knob rubber...I
> agree it is better.  This was late Oct or early Nov. They couldn't have been
> more understanding or accommodating.  At that point there was no indication
> of any supply problems. One week later...all messages phone or emails went
> unanswered.  I started to read threads from others experiencing this...even
> on this page.
> 
>   My comments were not meant to cause a war...rather reflect my sadness
> about the current state of affairs for whatever reason they exist.  I'm
> especially saddened to think it happened one month after I ended my 30 year
> wait to own one. I'm listening to the Paragon right now as typing this.
> It's still a little quirky especially in the PLL department. Maybe someday
> I'll find the problem....short of pull all the components off and clean the
> board with a Dremel tool I've done everything else. But, when it is
> working...it's the best radio I've ever owned.  Long live TenTec.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec <tentec-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Rick at dj0ip.de
> Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 12:13 PM
> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs
> 
> Bob, your email is a great lead into what Rob Sherwood has been preaching
> for about 6 or 7 years now:
> "Consider Cost-of-Ownership (COO) when buying a new radio."
> 
> Potentially, every radio, regardless of cost, can become immediately
> obsolete if for some reason one of its critical components suddenly goes
> End-of-Life.
> 
> That is why I personally have opted to never spend more than $2K for a new
> radio, regardless of how good it is.
> Before retirement, it was not such a big deal, but for most of us,
> retirement means tighten the belt.
> 
> It seems now the destiny for most radios is, keep it as long as possible,
> then sell it broken for parts.
> 
> With that in mind, about the only two radios that I would even look at twice
> are the IC-7300 and TS-590S.
> 
> I fear if Ten-Tec ever does bring out a radio, it will be above my $2K
> limit.
> 
> 73,
> Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec <tentec-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Bob McGraw K4TAX
> Sent: 08 August 2018 17:59
> To: tentec at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs
> 
> In many cases, the original supplier of the parts has discontinued specific
> items.  The new ownership has little to nothing to do with this fact.  Some
> parts were custom made for Tentec while some were made in their own tool and
> die shop or injection molding facility.  Those of course no longer exist.
> Unless someone builds after market items, many parts for older radios {those
> 10 + years} simply won't be available.
> 
> This also is the same for many other brands as well.  I've encountered this
> fact with my attempted repair of Kenwood, ICOM and Yaesu products and is one
> of the reasons I've stopped repairing radios.  No parts available in many
> cases.   In other instances, the supplier has a minimum of 100 piece order.
> If I have to order 100 pieces just to get one or two, this makes the repair
> very expensive.  Certainly is not profitable for me.
> 
> Folks, we must realize that anything older than the Omni VII {now 10+ years
> old}, Eagle {now 8+ years old}  and Argonaut VI {now 6+ years old}  are, in
> many instances, in trouble with regard to parts.    With my former company,
> having been in charge of repair parts for products that are no longer in
> production, we did forecast and purchase inventory to support products for 7
> years. In most cases the supplier or vendor informed us that this was the
> last production run on these items.   This is inventory that takes space on
> the shelves, and must be paid for in advance.  Hence we have to spend
> dollars for parts that may set on the shelf for 7+ years.   The accountants
> do not like this and the facility manager may say "why do we need to use
> this space for obsolete parts"?
> And in many instances our "forecast" was not sufficiently accurate and we
> simply ran out of parts before expected.  In some cases we were forced to
> limit purchase quantities to prevent hoarding.
> 
> With Tentec and other brands, just be thankful you can get any service work
> done and parts being available.   Yea yea yea I know you're saying your 30
> year old radio still works and I can get it repaired.   In general that is
> correct.........until one of those unique parts fail.     The Orion series
> has several unique parts and many to most of the PC board assemblies are no
> long available.    If either fails, look for a "parts only radio" and hope
> the part is good that you need.
> 
> This is no different than looking for a brake controller for anti-lock
> brakes from a junker at the auto junk yard.  Oh, the Dealer has them for
> $650.   That's 1/2 the value of the vehicle.    Radios are much the same
> way.
> 
> 
> 73
> 
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> 
> On 8/8/2018 10:18 AM, David J. Ross wrote:
>> Sorry to hear that. I bought the parts for my Paragon just last Nov.
>> I
> had heard that service parts were drying up under the new ownership.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: TenTec <tentec-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of km4bsham via
>> TenTec
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 11:10 AM
>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Cc: km4bsham <km4bsham at aol.com>
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs
>> 
>> Naturally "out of stock,  try back at a later date ". Thanks
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
>> -------- Original message --------From: "David J. Ross"
> <rossdj at verizon.net> Date: 8/7/18  6:32 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: 'Discussion of
> Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion VFO
> Knobs I purchased one directly from TenTec but there was a $25 minimum
> order. I needed the plastic panel end ears so the ring was a price padder.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: TenTec <tentec-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Dave Beghtel
>> via TenTec
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 6:04 PM
>> To: TenTec at contesting.com
>> Cc: km4bsham at aol.com
>> Subject: [TenTec] Orion VFO Knobs
>> 
>> 
>> Is there any source for the newer vfo knobs with the solid rubber ring?
>> Thanks, Dave KM4BS _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>> 
>> 
>> ---
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> 
> 
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