[Premium-Rx] Re: Ten-Tec SP-325: opinions wanted

[Terry O'Laughlin]

I have an SP-325 and I received the same story from Ten-Tec.  It was a 
special one time production run for use as a training radio.  The Ten-Tec 
folks were very nice and steered me toward a source for a manual 
copy.  They don't stock parts and the vacuum fluorescent display driver IC 
is a tough chip to find.

I think it is a nice, small general coverage receiver.  The keypad can be 
atrocious, if you get one that has been used or stored where the foam in 
between the buttons and the PCB has oxidized and hardened or crumbled.  I 
replaced the foam in mine and the keypad works fine.  If it could run off 
12 VDC, it would be nice field rig.

Terry O'
WB9GVB


>I, too had one of these little beasties. I called Ten-Tec looking for 
>advise, and was told the "real story" about the receivers. They were, 
>indeed, built for a Navy contract, back when most of the radio techs were 
>just transitioning from hollow- to solid-state circuits. The receiver was 
>designed purely as a teaching tool, complete with theory manuals and the 
>like. The receiver was never intended to be used as a "real" rig...it 
>merely had to receive well enough to illustrate diagnosis and repair 
>techniques.
>
>Now, you know the rest of the story. :)
>
>Walt Novinger
>Raleigh, NC