[TenTec] Argo 505 QSO

[JAMES HANLON]

Rick and Jim,

I have a 505 that I acquired several years ago.  I used it in the CW Classic Exchange this January and worked Idaho, New Jersey, Nevada, and California from here in New Mexico.  It's a blast!  Now I just have to get my 208 audio filter connected up so it doesn't sound like an S-38 on the old, 80 meter novice band.

73,

Jim Hanlon, W8KGI.

________________________________
From: Rick at dj0ip.de <Rick at dj0ip.de>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2020 11:08 PM
To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Argo 505 QSO

Nice story, Jim,

My 505 story has a similar finding.

I moved to Germany in 1972 and joined a radio club that ran a drake 4B line
at Field Day.
I got my 505 for Christmas in 1975.

At Field Day 1976, we had a terrible thunder storm.
The heavy rain eventually drowned out our generator and we had no more
power.
So I pulled my car up next to the tent and connected its battery to my 505.

The first thing everyone noticed was that it was so much quieter than the
Drake R4B, and didn't seem to be troubled nearly as bad by the static
crashes from the storm.  And we continued to make one QSO after another
running just 5 Watts instead of 100 Watts.

After that experience, my club always entered the QRP class and ran my
Argonaut from battery.
Much less effort required than hauling along a heavy tube rig and generator!

I later upgraded to a 509 and eventually to a 515.

73,
Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
May the Sunspots be with us!

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec <tentec-bounces+rick=dj0ip.de at contesting.com> On Behalf Of
1291jim at gmail.com
Sent: 25 February 2020 00:38
To: tentec at contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Argo 505 QSO

I bought a "tech-special" 505 from eBay a few months ago that was beautiful
but would not transmit.



Gary, W0DVN, fixed it up for me and I got it on the air for the first time
Saturday night, 16 Feb, during the ARRL CW DX Contest.



The rig was so quiet that at first I thought Gary broke something!  Then as
I turned down near 7.030 a station came in loud and clear.  I sent my call
and was asked to repeat two more times, and made the exchange.



When I logged the station I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that my
4-watts into a dipole up 35' made a contact with RT0C in Asiatic Russia,
5382 miles away!



Thank you Gary, you did a bang-up job!



This Ten-Tec 505 is doing FB!



73 DE W6JIM











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