[Elecraft] Elecraft and Ten-Tec

[Dyarnes]

Hi All,

I like Jim Brown's comments best.  He gets right to the heart of a lot of 
it.

Seriously though, we see this kind of question a lot, and it's really 
difficult to give definitive answers, especially when we are talking about 
equipment from two highly regarded companies known for quality products.  A 
big problem, however, is really knowing exactly what is important, and what 
is not so important, to the person asking the question.  Rarely do we see 
"full disclosure" in this regard.

I will say this--in the past I have owned several Ten-Tec rigs.  They all 
performed well, and I thought Ten-Tec supported them well--exceptionally 
well in fact.  However, I am now pretty much totally equipped with Elecraft 
products.  I have my reasons for that--good reasons I think--but they may 
not be the same reasons someone else might have.  I would also say that 
Elecraft support is as good as it gets!

Here's what I think someone faced with this kind of decision should really 
do.  Download both manuals.  Read them thoroughly to get, not only a feel 
for what the rig can do, but how you make it do it.  See if you really think 
one or the other is too complex or convoluted for your personal pleasure. 
Next I would re-read each manual with a view towards picturing yourself 
operating that particular radio.  Think of the things you do normally when 
operating, and how each radio allows you to perform those tasks.  Do this 
carefully and thoroughly, though, because it is easy to gloss over certain 
things if you don't really give each item your full attention.  I know this 
sounds "painful", but how else are you really going to get some sort of feel 
for the radio, unless you actually have the opportunity to try it our first 
hand--that's obviously always preferable.

Anyway, this may lead to some very specific questions which can be more 
appropriately answered in a forum like this.  There well may be steps or 
procedures that aren't readily understood.  Those are specifics, and not 
necessarily judgmental questions.  Those are the kinds of questions that are 
apt to receive the most accurate response.

Of course, you should also check out the equipment reviews that appear in 
the better magazines.  You tend to get some pretty good performance info 
from these, and in some sort of comparable form.  These tend to be more 
technically oriented, but they often culminate in some subjective 
conclusions that may, or may not be totally useful--it depends on the 
reviewer!

I will say that I fully agree with Jim Brown's conclusion about the Elecraft 
menus.  Yes, they are extensive, and perhaps complex is an appropriate 
description, but they are for the most part what you need to "suffer 
through" in order to set the radio up initially.  Remember, these are very 
sophisticated pieces of gear.  Once you do that part, it's usually a "set it 
and forget it" situation.  The controls you then need most often are right 
there on the front panel.

Ten-Tec is not so easy for day to day operating in my view.  Too many 
adjustment I make normally and often require entry into the menu system, or 
at least excessive button pushing.  That's probably my biggest gripe with 
Ten-Tec these days, but again, that may not be a big deal for others.

Dave W7AQK