Kip, Bill already hit on many of the important points.
In my opinion it is kind of apples to oranges.
The K1 only covers a max of 4 bands, and is CW-only. It also is QRP-only.
These are potential negatives. If your focus is heavily weighted towards
small size and portability, then you'll enjoy its size and built in keyer.
The Argosy II has more bands, SSB capability, and if you should ever need or
want to, you can switch it to 50w output power. This was a great feature
for me. I used to do a lot of motorbike expeditions (e.g., Isle of Mann,
Corsica, Elba, etc.) to run QRP in field day contests. Sometimes, while at
the destination, I had a sked with guys back home and I found it beneficial
to be able to turn up the power temporarily (when needed) to keep my sked.
It doesn't have a built-in keyer so you need to take one more box with you
on trips. I have a keyer built into my paddle so that wasn't a big issue
for me.
I think the performance of the two radios will be close, but from an
ergonomics standpoint, the Argosy is a really nice rig to use. It's one of
my all-time favorites. The one you are considering seems to have all of the
options and the price is fair. I find all elecrafts too small for my tastes,
but now use a K2 as my preferred portable station, where I'm willing to
compromise ergonomics for size and performance. In fact, I replaced my
Argosy with the K2. For pure QRP I use an Argonaut 515 (for its lovely
ergonomics).
It all boils down to whether you want better ergonomics or smaller
footprint.
73
Rick
-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]
On Behalf Of Kip Williams N6NVP
Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 12:23 PM
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] ARGOSY II as a 'new' QRP rig
I'm trying to decide between an Elecraft K-1 and an Argosy II 525D. (I think
I've got the model number right on that?) The Argosy has the #220 2.4 khz
crystal, the #217 500 hz crystal, the #224 audio cw filter and a noise
blanker installed. All that for $275.00, which seems like a fair price to
me.
I currently operate QRP cw only (with a filter-less Yaesu FT-7) and am
looking for a radio that will: 1.)Keep me happy on QRP ops, 2.) provide a
selective, sensitive receiver and 3.)stay with me as I gain skill. (I plan
to start chasing QRP DX.) My budget is very limited and I'm hoping to stick
with the radio I choose for longer than a couple of months.
I've had a fascination and respect for the Ten Tec rigs since being licensed
in 1980 - but have never owned one. Their sound on the air is always
distinct and a pleasure to work. Their owners are always devoted.
Does anyone here have experience with the Argosy and the Elecraft K1 so they
could make a comparison? I know we're talking a hundred bucks or more
difference, but what beyond that am I missing? Am I comparing apples to
oranges? Am I asking too much of a 20+ year old radio if I want it to stack
up against one designed in the past 4 years? Any comments or suggestions
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everybody and happy holidays.
Kip N6NVP
#-#-#-#
Kip Williams N6NVP | San Diego, CA | San Diego County | DM12ks
#-#-#-#
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of tentec-request@contesting.com
> Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 9:00 AM
> To: tentec@contesting.com
> Subject: TenTec Digest, Vol 24, Issue 95
>
> Send TenTec mailing list submissions to
> tentec@contesting.com
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> tentec-request@contesting.com
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> tentec-owner@contesting.com
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of TenTec digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Decision Made (KD7EFQ@aol.com)
> 2. Re: ts570? (Steve N4LQ)
> 3. Re: Good news... (llewis172@comcast.net)
> 4. Re: Good news... (Steve N4LQ)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 10:52:59 EST
> From: KD7EFQ@aol.com
> Subject: [TenTec] Decision Made
> To: tentec@contesting.com
> Message-ID: <159.47201ea9.2efee6db@aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Ouote:
>
> "I guess you're mostly a phone operator, otherwise you would surely have
> experienced arbitrary truncation of character elements with your TS570.
> Mine went back to Kenwood for a firmware update to improve the situation
> though alas not to cure it. It would certainly have been nice if I could
> have downloaded that update from the web and nicer still if Kenwood cured
> the problem altogether!"
>
> Happy Christmas.
>
> Bob, 5B4AGN
>
>
> You're absolutely right, I'm a SSB op. I studied CW enough to get my 13
> WPM
> for General, as it was a necessary evil then. Once I passsed the test,
> well,
> the key sits on my desk for decoration. I just never got bit by the CW
bug.
> Why
> work so hard when you can just hit the PTT button and say what you mean.
> No
> insult to CW ops intended. it's just not my cup o' tea. Happy Holidays to
> you
> as well.
>
>
> 73, Todd - KT0DD - kd7efq@aol.com
> "The race is over...THE RATS WON !"
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 10:57:01 -0500
> From: "Steve N4LQ" <n4lq@iglou.com>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] ts570?
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Message-ID: <004e01c4ea9a$5f411360$6401a8c0@Steve>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Didn't Fix that problem with the 570DG version?
> Steve N4LQ
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <KD7EFQ@aol.com>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 10:52 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Decision Made
>
>
> > Ouote:
> >
> > "I guess you're mostly a phone operator, otherwise you would surely have
> > experienced arbitrary truncation of character elements with your TS570.
> > Mine went back to Kenwood for a firmware update to improve the situation
> > though alas not to cure it. It would certainly have been nice if I
> could
> > have downloaded that update from the web and nicer still if Kenwood
> cured
> > the problem altogether!"
> >
> > Happy Christmas.
> >
> > Bob, 5B4AGN
> >
> >
> > You're absolutely right, I'm a SSB op. I studied CW enough to get my 13
> > WPM
> > for General, as it was a necessary evil then. Once I passsed the test,
> > well,
> > the key sits on my desk for decoration. I just never got bit by the CW
> > bug. Why
> > work so hard when you can just hit the PTT button and say what you mean.
> > No
> > insult to CW ops intended. it's just not my cup o' tea. Happy Holidays
> to
> > you
> > as well.
> >
> >
> > 73, Todd - KT0DD - kd7efq@aol.com
> > "The race is over...THE RATS WON !"
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 11:08:35 -0500
> From: <llewis172@comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Good news...
> To: <eric.sensi@skynet.be>, <tentec@contesting.com>
> Message-ID: <000f01c4ea9b$fd3117e0$6400a8c0@lenzy2400>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> How do you unsubscribe... would like to do the same
>
> Thanks
>
> Lenzy, N8bad
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eric SENSI" <eric.sensi@skynet.be>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 7:57 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Good news...
>
>
> > Good news Gentlemen...
> >
> > As a 2005 new year's resolution :
> >
> > - I will unsubscribe from this reflector (this must be a very good
> > announcement for the reflector !) :-)
> >
> > By the way, I will not post any messages here regarding my experience
> with
> > those 2 Orion's.
> >
> > I just wanted to conclude by these points :
> >
> > - The Orion is a wonderful dream machine and it'll stay a dream for me;
> > - I NEVER said that the Orion is a garbage, I just said it needs some
> > improvements for the "average" operator like me;
> > - I NEVER said that my environment is perfect nor free of RF, my radio
> > shack
> > needs improvement too and I'm working on it;
> > - I NEVER said that my new Mark V is better than any of your Tentec
rigs,
> > the Mark V is just more "compatible" with my working conditions and
> that's
> > all;
> > - I NEVER said that there will be no Tentec radios in the shack in the
> > next
> > few months/years (dreaming of an OmniVI+);
> > - If I had enough money, I'll certainly have the Orion AND the Mark V
> side
> > by side just for extreme fun;
> > - I consider the Orion as a laboratory experimental device that could be
> > fun
> > to play with;
> > - I consider the Mark V a good radio that's working out from the box
> with
> > minimal investment in time, as I'm a poor ham radio operator, this Mark
> V
> > is
> > the perfect match for my operating style.
> > - The Orion is perfect for great experimentations, the Mark V is perfect
> > when you just wanna push the PTT switch.
> >
> > Merry xmas again to all, have fun with your TT rigs and don't forget
> your
> > families too ! The most important thing maybe.
> >
> > Eric, ON6CV
> >
> > ... -.-
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 11:12:34 -0500
> From: "Steve N4LQ" <n4lq@iglou.com>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Good news...
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Message-ID: <005d01c4ea9c$8b5667f0$6401a8c0@Steve>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=response
>
> Look down at the bottom of any email from the list, click on the link and
> follow the instructions.
>
> Steve N4LQ
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <llewis172@comcast.net>
> To: <eric.sensi@skynet.be>; <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 11:08 AM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Good news...
>
>
> > How do you unsubscribe... would like to do the same
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Lenzy, N8bad
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Eric SENSI" <eric.sensi@skynet.be>
> > To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 7:57 AM
> > Subject: [TenTec] Good news...
> >
> >
> >> Good news Gentlemen...
> >>
> >> As a 2005 new year's resolution :
> >>
> >> - I will unsubscribe from this reflector (this must be a very good
> >> announcement for the reflector !) :-)
> >>
> >> By the way, I will not post any messages here regarding my experience
> >> with
> >> those 2 Orion's.
> >>
> >> I just wanted to conclude by these points :
> >>
> >> - The Orion is a wonderful dream machine and it'll stay a dream for me;
> >> - I NEVER said that the Orion is a garbage, I just said it needs some
> >> improvements for the "average" operator like me;
> >> - I NEVER said that my environment is perfect nor free of RF, my radio
> >> shack
> >> needs improvement too and I'm working on it;
> >> - I NEVER said that my new Mark V is better than any of your Tentec
> rigs,
> >> the Mark V is just more "compatible" with my working conditions and
> >> that's
> >> all;
> >> - I NEVER said that there will be no Tentec radios in the shack in the
> >> next
> >> few months/years (dreaming of an OmniVI+);
> >> - If I had enough money, I'll certainly have the Orion AND the Mark V
> >> side
> >> by side just for extreme fun;
> >> - I consider the Orion as a laboratory experimental device that could
> be
> >> fun
> >> to play with;
> >> - I consider the Mark V a good radio that's working out from the box
> with
> >> minimal investment in time, as I'm a poor ham radio operator, this Mark
> V
> >> is
> >> the perfect match for my operating style.
> >> - The Orion is perfect for great experimentations, the Mark V is
> perfect
> >> when you just wanna push the PTT switch.
> >>
> >> Merry xmas again to all, have fun with your TT rigs and don't forget
> your
> >> families too ! The most important thing maybe.
> >>
> >> Eric, ON6CV
> >>
> >> ... -.-
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TenTec mailing list
> >> TenTec@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >>
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
>
> End of TenTec Digest, Vol 24, Issue 95
> **************************************
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