[TenTec] Argonaut 509 - who had one and cares to share experiences?

[W. Keith Hibbert, WB2VUO]

Hi Chris, Keith here in Amherst, NY

I had a couple of 509's, a couple of 505's and a lot of other Ten Tec 
gear, including the Corsair that I run with now.

I purchased my first 505 Argonaut in 1973 and took it with me when I was 
stationed in Diego Garcia with the US Navy.  I was on the air as 
WB2VUO/VQ9 and Thailand was an easy QSO on 20 & 15 with just dipoles on 
my end.

The only difference between the 505 and the 509 is the control 
placement, electrically they are identical so you should have good luck 
getting out with the 509.  The one problem is the PTO, the lubrication 
dries up and gets gummy causing the PTO to stick.  Ten Tec sells a 
rebuilding kit which has the grease and the replacement washers for $35 
USD and still supports their rigs from the early 70's.  You got the rig 
at a fair price, they sold new for $329 USD in 1975.  The last 505 that 
I had went for $125 USD to a Canadian ham (I live only 5 miles from the 
US/CA border), I just had too many rigs at the time.

I tend to still run the older gear, the newest rig I have is a 20-year 
old Kenwood TS-680S for 6 Meters, the Corsair is from 1982 and the 
Kenwood TS-520 is from 1972 as is my Icom IC22 2M  FM rig (Crystal 
controlled, hi!)

Have fun withe the Ten Tec, the mike is not critical but a 
high-impedance mike works better.

73, Keith, WB2VUO
Amherst, NY: Grid FN02ox