I can't hold back any longer!
Jody,
Obviously you speak english!
Having been around this "amateur radio patch" a few times, I can tell
you have received some good advice from the folks on this list!
Here's my view.
First, I like keeping my money at home. This may not matter much to
you, but to me it does matter.
Second, I like to be able to communicate with a real person in a
language I am at least marginally fluent in. My ears are old, and not
accustom to listening to tech with heavy western Pacific accents. Now,
having said this, the folks at Ten Tec do have an accent. I figured out
a long time ago that I liked messing around with the rigs I use, and I
often had a desire to talk to a real person about some little "mod" I
was messing with. At first I had some trouble understanding the TT
experts, but I quickly wised up. I went to Knoxville and found me one
of those "southern bells" and married her. It wasn't long I could
communicate with the crew in Seveirville. Although marring a "southern
bell" has put a bit of a crimp in my radio budget.
The communication problem solved, I moved on to the third reason for
selecting TT products. I bought a ....? new a few years ago. It spent
more time at the ...? repair facility the first year I owned it than it
did here in my shack. This radio was so bad that ....? extended the
warranty an additional year. Eventually after spending hours waiting in
Que. and trying to convince a fellow I could not understand that in fact
I was not a gibbering idiot ....? they managed to get it kind'f
working. Now I only use it on PSK31 on low power since it has some
intermittent problem in the finals that isn't worth messing with.
So, Jody to wrap it all up, do what you will with the advice. You,
being an engineer you, will analyze the advice to no end and eventual
make the right choice for your needs. Enjoy your new rig, and your new
adventure into the service/hobby. Like the folks on this list, you will
meet and get to know many find people with a multitude of opinions.
Take care. Work hard. Prosper.
TNX ... es ... 73S ... de ... WA0BAG
Paul K.
WA0BAG
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