Looking back through old QST ads, it appears the PM (Power Mite) series of
QRP rigs came before the RX-10 and TX-100. The PMs came out in late 1969
while the RX-10 and TX-100 seem to be dated around 1972-73.
I think the PM series was geared to QRP operators and not novices. The
RX-10/TX-100 combo was a low-cost station for novices who wanted a little
more power than QRP.
I also had a PM-2A as my only rig for a few years and I remember those fun
contacts.
73, Winston K4CWQ
----- Original Message -----
From: <Wa4aos@aol.com>
To: <n4lq@iglou.com>; <tentec@contesting.com>; <Wa4aos@aol.com>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 11:02 AM
Subject: [TenTec] RAER RX-10 RECEIVER FS
> Hi Steve,
>
> Good question. I don't know if PM preceded the RX-10 or maybe they were
> developed together. Of the three units that I received one was a demo unit
> and not NOS. I did open it and it looks very similar to the PM-1 when they
> used a single board configuration. Possibly, the PM and RX were released
at
> the same time.
>
> I talked to the infamous Paul Clinton at Ten Tec yesterday and asked if
> anyone had given much thought ito writing a real history of Ten Tec. With
TT
> now a very established American Amateur Radio Icon, someone should write
the
> company story. It is interesting that when TT started out, there were
> companies building and selling MUCH better designed and built gear.
HeathKit,
> Drake, Swan, Collins and even Halicrafters. They are now all history
except
> Drake and Rockwell Collins and neither of them are in the Amateur Radio
> Business. Reminds of the stories about the lowly cockroach being almost
the
> only survivor of the last Ice Age. Not that I consider TT to be an insect
or
> other ground dwelling inhabitant but maybe they were at the right place in
> hte market at the right time.
>
> The RX-10 was a cheaply built receiver and was very easily overloaded by
> broadcast stations. During the evening hours, 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters are
> just covered with BC images. One could built an outboard passband network
for
> each band and improve that problem considerably. The neat thing was even
> though it was a cheap, toy looking radio, it allowed those of us with
shallow
> pockets to get on the air. I didn't own a RX-10; instead, I had the
equally
> inferior PM 2A Transceiver. Compared to the Drake B Line at the
University,
> it looked like a Cracker Jack, " toy in the box radio" but the contacts
that
> I made on that little QRP box were some of the most memorable QSO's of my
> life. Kind of like the guy who crossed the English Channel in a peddle
> powered plastic airplane. He did it with less and did it very well while
> enjoying having done it more than anyone had ever thought possible.
>
> The PM-2A rig kept me on the air back when I didn't have squat for cash.
> Trying to go to school and work enough to put a few beans on the table was
a
> tough time. Ten Tec got me through those lean years and I have been buying
> their gear since. It was harder then to convince people that my little rig
> was a real radio and even today, others scoff at my 2) Omni 6+ , 6)
Corsair
> II's and many other Ten Tec boxes I own but that's OK. I don't need a
Radio
> stamped out in Japan to give meaning to my Life. Give me any Ten Tec radio
a
> good set of paddles a roll of wire and a few hours of work and I will be
on
> the air with the best of them. No, cigar chomping, mentally deficient, 75
> meter blow hard has to tell me which YuckComWood radio I should have. I
> already know and it isn't made in Japan...
>
> I also have a TX 100 in my collection as well. I am looking for a mint
> model 200 VFO and I will have the whole set...
>
> 73,
>
> Glenn WA4AOS
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