The Ten-Tec Model 418 100 Watt Amplifier on display at the 2011 Ten-Tec Hamfest. Click to enlarge.
Today at the 2011 Ten-Tec Hamfest, Ten-Tec announced two new products in development: the Model 539 QRP transceiver and the companion Model 418 100 Watt amplifier.
Being a QRPer, I typically have no use for amplifiers, but this one, I must admit, will make for a perfect in-the-field companion to the (future) Model 539 or any QRP transceiver.
The Model 418 can sense the incoming RF and will automatically switch bands accordingly.
Best of all, though, is that the standby current will be as low as 150mA!
Ten-Tec Model 418 Features:
100 Watts
All HF Bands + 6 Meters
MOSFET Amplifier
Standby current as low as 150mA
DC input voltage 10V – 16V
Selectable input attenuation, Delay
2 selectable antenna connections
Dedicated 6M antenna connection
Band switching
Manual OR Auto – RF Sensed
Seamless connection to PC
Seamless connection to Ten-Tec Model 539 QRP Transceiver
Ten-Tec Model 539 on display at the Ten-Tec Hamfest, September 24, 2011 - Click to enlarge
At the Ten-Tec hamfest today, I just happened to stumble upon the new, as yet un-released Ten-Tec Model 539 QRP transceiver.
It’s a beautiful, simple little unit.
The footprint is very similar to the Elecraft K2, while its height is slightly greater than the Yaesu FT-817. It’s very lightweight and certainly backpackable.
The Ten-Tec folks I spoke with said that the current requirements may be as low as 250 mA on receive–though they’re not yet certain. When I asked John Henry (Eagle and OMNI VII firmware author) about the receiver performance, he mentioned that the receiver board is the same as the Eagle’s, and performance is likely to be somewhere between that of the Eagle and the Jupiter. There is some compromise on a receiver optimized for backpacking and QRP field ops. Nevertheless…wow.
Price: still undetermined.
Ten-Tec hopes to take pre-orders at the 2012 Dayton Hamvention. They also announced a companion 100 watt amp for the new QRP rig (see separate post). The amp, however, will work with any QRP radio on the market.
I honestly believe this may be a transceiver worthy of the Argonaut lineage.
Features include:
10 Watt QRP Transceiver
80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 Meters Ham-Band Only
AM, USB, LSB, CW Modes
Tricolor backlit internally adjustable display
Hardware features in common with the Ten-Tec Eagle Model 599
Noise Reduction
Noise Blanker
AGC – Fast, Medium, Slow
RIT
Pre Amp
100 Memories
Two VFO Displays
Thank you, Ten-Tec; you listened.
Additional photos:
Ten-Tec's John Henry behind prototype of the Ten-Tec Model 539 QRP Transceiver
Back from Dayton, I found this YouTube video of Wayne Burdick demonstrating the KX3 at Four Days In May (FDIM). As you can see, the form factor is perfect for field operations and I believe you would be hard-pressed to find more features on a rig this size.
Don Wilhelm (W3FPR), everyone's favorite Elecrafter, holds one of the three KX3 prototypes.
Wow.
I got a chance to play with one of the two KX3 protoypes Elecraft had on display at the Dayton Hamvention.
I mean, wow!
Don (W3FPR) gave me a tour of this amazing rig. It’s small, feature-packed and as ergonomic as all of the machines that come out of Aptos. It is slightly larger than the KX1 in every dimension. Still very easy to hold (as you can see in the photo to the right). Not pictured are the mini CW paddles (not based on the current KX1–much better) and a small attachable microphone. I’ll try to photo them tomorrow and post.
I spoke with Elecraft owner/founder Wayne Burdick (N6KR) at length as well. He said that the KX3 has been in the works for years. It’s built on the ideas of Elecraft and many of its owners, he said they’ve simply been waiting for technology to catch-up with their vision.
I actually think this could be a major game changer in the ham radio world. Think about it…a portable transceiver with the receive capabilities of the world-class K3, all band, general coverage, firmware upgradable, with many options including a full-fledged automatic antenna tuner, 100 Watt amp and many optional modules. Did I mention it’s ultra portable? Gosh!
Oh yeah, Wayne told me it will be sold for under $800.
Here are some more details I’ve collected on the newly announces Elecraft KX3 ultra-portable transceiver. According to Elecraft, a product brochure will be available soon.
Dimensions: 3.5″H x 7.4″W x 1.7″D — a bit larger in all dimensions than a KX1.
The KX3 will have a mobile-mount bracket–it will be covered in the to-be-product brochure.
RX-mode current drain ~150 mA. Very efficient on TX, with dual-output-impedance 5W/10W PA.
The optional 100W amp is in an external chassis. The internal amplifier is 10W with switchable impedance matching so it can also operate with maximum efficiency at 5W.
PA output impedance switch allows efficient 5-W use from internal batteries, or 10 W from external supply. 100 W+ with new high-performance external amp/ATU that works with most 5W to 10W rigs.
Questions from emails reflectors–answers by Elecraft:
>Same flat layout as the KX-1 – just bigger box I would assume???? Yes, but with new fold-up rear tilt-feet.
>…and a K3-like front panel, including the same LCD. > > And it makes use of EVERY display on that LCD?? Carumba!
Not quite. I think there are a couple annunciators that are not used. But it’s amazing that the design team managed to fit almost all the features of a 10W K3 into a box that is a small fraction of the size and weight. And with space left over for an internal battery pack!
By the time we’re done, we’ll be using every icon. Totally different architecture than the K3, of course. (Wayne N6KR)
> More $$$ or less $$$ that the regular K3? Much less.
> Dual output impedance 5w/10w pa? I don’t understand. The MOSFET 10-W amp stage includes an output transformer with both 1:4 and 1:1 windings. When using low power, or when running from internal batteries, the 1:1 winding is used, which optimizes efficiency at about 5 W, greatly reducing transmit current drain. The 1:4 winding is used when running higher power (using an external supply).
> One email said 10w/100w models. Is that correct? The 1.5-pound radio itself puts out 10 watts+. We’ll also be describing a new, high-performance 100-watt+ companion amplifier/ATU for fixed-station/mobile use. It will work very well with other 5 to 10-W radios besides the KX3.
(Source: from various internet sites but primarily through Elecraft and QRP-L reflectors.)
The Ten-Tec Model R4020 40/20 Meters field-portable QRP transceiver.
When I heard from friends that Ten-Tec had announced two new QRP transceivers at FDiM, I almost fell out of my seat. I’ve heard very little in the way of QRP coming out of Sevierville since the sad news of them dropping the popular/legendary Argonaut series.
Then, this week, when they announced the news on their (new) website, I got even more excited–these transceivers are field portable and small! They very much resemble my Elecraft KX-1.
The new rigs come in two flavors:
The R4030 covers the 40 and 30 Meter ham bands
The R4020 covers the 40 and 20 Meter ham bands
Simple enough.
The news, which started with a gasp, though ended with a sigh as many noted that these rigs closely resembled the HB-1A (Made In China) QRP Radio. Could this be? It was a little hard for me to imagine. Being a serious Ten-Tec fan, I hang my hat on the fact that my TT radios are designed and made locally–within a 2 hour drive of my QTH! I didn’t want to hear any more rumors, I needed to know from the horse’s mouth, so I emailed TT sales–they responded:
Yes, the R4020 and R4030 is based off the HB-1A transceiver with some minor modifications. We are the exclusive dealer for the R4020/4030 and will warranty and sell this item from our office in Sevierville, TN. We will offer a 1 year full replacement warranty.
So, it was true–I was not shocked. Why? The price of the R4020/R4030 is only $249. That’s an incredibly low price for a Ten-Tec item. Too low.
I’m not sure what the “minor” modifications are that Ten-Tec made, but I imagine they had to bring it up to FCC compliance and perhaps tweak the receiver a bit. We’ll soon see.
Moving forward
I realized, this morning, that I simply need to forgive Ten-Tec for doing this. I love their equipment and hold their company and employees in the highest regard. I can’t blame them for outsourcing a radio–why?
This is a tough economy. I’ve been worried about our domestic manufacturers like Ten-Tec and Elecraft (though, surprisingly, Elecraft actually upgraded and moved their production to a larger facility). I’m surprised that they’re able to hang on. I suspect Ten-Tec has had to lean on their other markets (government, enclosures, etc.) to support the amateur radio side of their business.
Ten-Tec could probably not put 2009/2010 resources into developing a radio on their own when they had low-hanging fruit, like the HB-1A, just waiting to be brought to the USA (officially). R&D is not cheap–even if it’s in-house.
They are servicing this radio in Sevierville, TN. That makes me feel a lot better about about buying one of these transceivers. Ten-Tec service is top-shelf!
They really needed to bring QRP back into their non-kit product line.
Bottom line? I’ll probably get one of these and try it (well, after I invest in a nice vintage boat-anchor set up). I’m in no hurry as I have an Elecraft KX1 and it is my favorite QRP radio.
I will post reviews of the new TT radios as they become available (contact me if you have one). In the meantime, I’ve included some useful resource links below.
Over half of the 2N2/XX transceiver kits have been sold. You’ll recall (see previous post) that these kits were first offered at Pacificon and have been sold online since then. If you are interested in building one of these kits, you should not wait to make a purchase. Go to NorCal’s website for details.
UPDATE — 12/01/2008
Please read the update below from Doug Hendricks:
Due to problems with the stability of the VFO in the 2N2 kits, we hav suspended shipping until the problem is resolved and we can figure out which parts to put in the remaining kits, and which parts to send out to those we have already shipped. Please bear with us. We will get it right. Also, please, please, please do not send us emails asking where your order is. Every order is safe, and will be filled, we just need time to take care of the problem that we found. Emails to me won’t help, nor will an email to James or Kathy or Dean or Jim K. Thank you for your understanding. 72, Doug, KI6DS
UPDATE – 12/16/08
Hendricks has started shipments again and fixed the VFO problem. Read message posted to QRP-l below:
Finally there is some good news to report!! James tells me that shipping
has resumed on the 2N2xx kits for those that were held up while Jim Kortge
solved the problems in the VFO. Jim did a tremendous amount of work and
we now have the parts to fix the problem. The kits we are shipping now
have the correct parts in them, and those parts are being mailed to all
who previously purchased the kits. Please, please do not email and ask us
where your kit is or when it will be shipped. We are shipping as fast as
possible, and hope to have all kits shipped before the 1st of the year
that have been ordered. (Don’t you just love my sentence structure?? My
English teacher is rolling over in her grave.)
We will be accepting new orders sometime in January and it will be
announced here. James, Kathy, Jim K., Dean and Ron are working like crazy
to get your kit to you. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Doug, KI6DS
Hendricks QRP Kits has announced that they will have a prototype of a new CW transceiver kit, designed by Steve Weber (KD1JV), at their Pacificon booth this year. Features of this transceiver include:
Dual Band – you get to pick 2 bands (anything from 160M-15M) when you order
Built-in keyer
Digital readout
Tuning knob
DDS VFO
A custom powder coated and punched case with a bright red top and an antique white base
Hendricks has not announced a price yet, but they plan to keep it very competitive. Their goal is to have the kits in production in time for Christmas. What a great stocking stuffer!
I will post more information on QRPer as it becomes available.
QRP radios, product announcements, reviews, news and more. Low power amateur radio fun!
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