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[TenTec] Mechanical "birdies" across every band ..

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Mechanical "birdies" across every band ..
From: "Richard H. Aubin" <richa@cox.net>
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 20:24:54 -0400
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Hi all,

I've owned almost every Ten Tec rig since the beginning up to my latest, (the Argonaut II) Some day I'll pop for one of the big jobs .. but QRP has been my haven for years and the Argo II has everything a QRPer could want.

Since I bought this thing several years ago, I've had an annoying problem with a "squeak squeak squeak" as I tune across the band. At first I thought I had some kind of "birdie". But then found out it was a mechanical thing. I talked to Ten Tec at length and they were convinced it was the small felt pads under the know. ( It isn't ) I haven't done anything about it as I almost always use "cans" and don't hear much outside of the melodious CW notes I've come to know and love.

Also, I've been rather inactive over the past few years and am now getting back into things. Hence my re-visit to the mechanical birdies. Here's what I've found. It seems that the actual metal spinner is slightly out of round. When pushed in and secured in it's proper place the aforementioned pads rub against the bezel to offer resistance. This is okay. BUT when properly adjusted (to get rid of the backlash etc.) the spinner knob is inside (by a few millimeters) of the bezel's recess. And the out of round part rubs against it causing a "squeak". I can eliminate it by pulling out the knob and re-positioning it away from the bezel. No more squeaks .. but then the felt pads don't provide enough friction and the knob just spins wildly. Has anyone had a similar experience. I'm about to order a new knob from the fine folks down in TN, but wonder if I might just get another "out of round". Very strange.

By the way, my first Ten Tec was one of the very early models that had separate receiver and transmitter (and I believe it was a 1 watt transmitter) Then I got an Argonant 505, 509, 515, a couple Tritons, and various Omini's. This little 5 watt Argo II was my "dream machine". It hasn't disappointed me in the least. I just have to keep using "cans" to eliminate the "squeaks" <griin>


73,
       Rich  WA1TRY

mailto: richa@cox.net     or    rich@pcphotovideo.com


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