Joe,
As an "old head" I do know what you're saying. I have an FT-102, which
was my main HF radio from 1984 to 2005. (It's now "retired," on the shelf.)
Its receiver was "famous" in its day, especially with the two 250 Hz Inrad
filters I put in, but it's well below the better modern rigs. Rob
Sherwood doesn't list the FT-102 in his table, but look at his figures for the
FT-1000D, whose receiver is similar. BTW, you're right about sensitivity.
When I needed more than the FT-102 could provide, I brought my 75S-1 on line.
I've still got that too.
73 Ray W2RS
In a message dated 9/27/2010 6:43:18 P.M. GMT Standard Time,
jroberts@io.com writes:
On 9/27/2010 11:52 AM, mike bryce wrote:
> I haven't looked it up but in 1978 the triton was someplace around $700
stripped with no noise blanker or cw filters, analog version.
>
> today that's about over two grand.
Yeah, I wouldn't call the Triton a cheap rig...even though it is only
$200 +/- now. It was a top of the line set in its day.
I remember reading Triton ads as a kid, totally amazed at DIGITAL
READOUT! WOW!! Pretty impressive when you are used to bandspread dial.
I have been a student and junk collector for almost 40 years, tried
everything from 1930 to recent in radios and audio gear. I have had 100
high end radios from decades gone by.
My feeling is that it takes 10 or 20 years to begin to try to figure out
what the standout rigs of a generation really are. I can understand the
idea of playing with the latest and greatest for big fun, but I'll
withhold judgment on what is the "good stuff" for the historical record.
A few weeks ago I was listening to a Triton 544 on 20m at midnight on a
very quiet band and heard a dozen very light, almost imaginary but
copyable, Russian SSB stations. I switched to a well maintained and
tweaked up FT-102, the famous receiver FT-102, and heard nothing except
a fine hiss.
The reason I am on this list and use miscellaneous (mostly older) Ten
Tecs is that they proved their worth and practical prowess to me. This
is "the good stuff," within the constraints of then-available
technology--which was quite respectable in terms of basic radio
performance, if not digital add-ons.
You "old heads" know what I'm saying...
I'm in grad school again and not in a position to blow $2k on a rig but
when I can I will look at Ten-Tec first. And while I'm in self-imposed
academic poverty, I'm looking at "legacy" Ten-Tec first.
I work with a luxury tube audio electronics manufacturer in Korea when
not studying archaeology books. We have spent $6000 apiece on chassis,
real nice chassis, but even simple aspects of manufacturing add up fast.
$300 per unit evaporates in an instant. To me, most ham gear looks very
reasonably priced, even if I can't afford it right now!
I can't imagine putting out a $600 rig beyond simplistic QRP-style gear
made in TN worthy of the Ten Tec logo. Maybe they could do it for $1000,
but it would take a very sophisticated buying public to recognize the
value in a barebones but super high performance TRX, and then actually
buy it rather than a loaded-up import for the same price. I don't think
we're there yet but some are moving in that direction, e.g. Elecraft.
The Eagle also looks like it is aimed toward this "sophisticated" user
group...simple, with just enough options and functionality to make sense
in today's world.
I think Mike is right. Many would laugh at a $1000 modern Triton with
six knobs even if it was the best basic radio ever produced. Some of us
wouldn't though.
Joe N5KAT
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