Tag Archives: QRP

Announcements, News, Product Announcements, QRP Radios

Sneak peek: Ten-Tec Model 539 Argonaut VI and Model 418 Amplifier at FDiM and Hamvention

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Yesterday, I had the opportunity to see the new Argonaut VI and Model 418 100 Watt amplifier up close and even operate them.

Though I’ll keep my comments short–I have a l o n g day at the Hamvention ahead of me–I thought I’d share a few first impressions.

The guys at Ten-Tec were kind enough to allow me to take a few shots of the Argonaut VI and the Model 418 Amp, both in Hara Arena and at Four Days In May yesterday.

Contest conditions

If you’re coming to the Hamvention, you will want to stop by the Ten-Tec booth. Through some sort of feat of engineering (or–as I first thought–dark magic!) they have a recorded chunk of 20M spectrum taken from a recent contest. They’re feeding most of their rigs with this spectrum IQ and you, in turn, hear exactly what each radio will sound like. Not only that, but you can operate the radio as if “live”–tuning, adjusting filters, bandwidth, notch etc. Indeed, you can use any receiver feature on the rig.

Additionally, they have one of the Argonaut VI’s hooked up to a Model 418 Amplifier. With these two linked, you can operate CW into a dummy load. Through this set-up I got a very good idea of how the Argonaut VI sounds and how well the amplifier works in conjunction.

First impressions are very positive.  A few notes about the Model 539 Argonaut VI:

  • Very low noise floor.
  • Excellent audio fidelity.
  • The knobs, buttons and all features are quite easy to operate.
  • The filters (especially as tested in CW) are simply amazing. I think they are comparable to the Ten-Tec Eagle.
  • I like the size–slightly larger than an FT-817, much smaller than the Argonaut V.
  • All of the important controls are right there on the front: AF/RF Gain, Bandwidth/PBT, Power, RIT, Memories, Split, etc.
  • Nice touch: On transmit, the red dot in the Ten Tec Logo lights up on both the Argonaut and ‘418. See photos below.

Not many criticisms yet, but mind you, these are first impressions.

The Model 418 100 Watt Amp

Though the Model 418 was hooked into a dummy load, I was able to get a feel for how well the amp responded while sending CW.  I’m happy to say that the QSK is silky smooth. Ten-Tec has never disappointed me on this point–their QSK is a benchmark.

Tomorrow, I will post the price of the Model 418 Amplifier–as I mentioned before, the Argonaut VI pricing is at least a few months off, most likely.

Many of you asked about the omission of 12 and 60 Meters. I asked Ten-Tec about this and, in short, it was a balance of performance vs. features. Through their research, they found that 12 and 60 would be the least missed, while 160M would be a great addition (initially, they did not plan to add 160M).

In an effort to save time, I’m simply posting a load of photos below in a thumbnail gallery. Simply click on the thumbnail to enlarge each photo. Feel free to comment and ask questions if you can’t make it to the Hamvention.  I will do my best to answer.

 

News, Product Announcements, QRP, QRP Radios

The Ten-Tec Argonaut VI: the Model 539 QRP transceiver follows the legend (while we follow the spec sheet!)

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I well remember first speaking with a Ten-Tec rep at the Ten-Tec Hamfest last year when the company first displayed the concept Model 539 transceiver, which was beginning to generate enormous interest.  After viewing it, I casually asked the representative what the name of the new radio would be–? When he shrugged his response, I came to the point: “Will it be called an Argonaut?” “Time will tell,” he eluded.  But in retrospect, I realized his response was not so much evasive, as it was fair–an honest attempt to protect the original Argonaut line’s name.  Ten-Tec apparently wanted to finish the rig, to vet it thoroughly, and deliver performance that would live up to the legendary Argonaut status.

Now, it appears they’ve done it.  And the name?  Yes, folks–Ten-Tec has officially christened the new rig the Argonaut VI.

Introducing the Ten-Tec Argonaut VI

Ten-Tec, having been made aware of our avid interest in their new product, has been kind enough to provide QRPer with a preliminary spec sheet for the Model 539, and they’re permitting me to post it here, for the first time, today (see link below).  As you can see at the top of the page, it very clearly states that the ‘539 will be called the Argonaut VI.

Ten-Tec also allowed us access to the spec sheet for the new Model 418 Amplifier, which (to keep this post brief) will be featured in this separate post.

Click here to download the Ten-Tec Model 539 preliminary spec sheet

Ten-Tec tells us that the receiver on the Argonaut VI will perform much like the one in their Ten-Tec Eagle (Model 599). But you can hear it for yourself at the Hamvention: There, they’ll have a recorded contest playing over all of their rigs–including over the new Argonaut VI–so that hams can listen to and compare their receiver performance.

Specs

You can download the Argonaut flier that Ten-Tec will hand out at the Dayton Hamvention by clicking here. It covers these vital specs of the radio:

  • Modes: CW, LSB, USB, AM
  • Receiver Type: Double Conversion, ASR
  • RIT: +/- 8.2kHz
  • CW Keyer built in: Curtis Mode B, 5-50wpm
  • Typical receiver sensitivity: < 1 uv
  • DSP Selectivity: 100 built in DSP filters from 100Hz.
  • Dynamic Range: 91db
  • Display: Multicolor back lit LCD
  • Rf Output power: 1 to 10 watts
  • Transmitter Duty cycle: 100% for up to 10 minutes
  • Frequency Coverage: 160 through 10 meters with the exception of 60 and 12 meters.
  • Power Requirements: 9.5-14 Volts DC (550ma on receive, 3 amps at 10 watt TX)
  • VFO: Two independent “VFOs” for single or split operation
  • Speed Sensitive VFO tuning rate
  • Frequency Stability: +/- .5ppm
  • Memories: 100

Availability and Price–?

The Model 539 Argonaut will be available late fall of 2012. Though the software is in final stages and almost ready for Beta testing, Ten-Tec says they are still ironing out the parts list and firming up lead times and prices. They will not, alas, have a price for the Model 539 Argonaut VI at the Hamvention, but say that they will have firm pricing on the Model 418 Amp by then (more on that here, and to come).

Some questions answered…

The Model 539 will only draw 550 mah on receive unsquelched. That’s not as low as an Elecraft rig, but for a Ten-Tec rig (that consumes a little extra juice for audio fidelity) that’s a fairly miniscule number. Especially considering that its predecessor, the Argo V, consumed nearly double that figure on receive.  In fact, I’ll bet it’s the lowest receive current on any digital/DSP transceiver they’ve ever produced. Indeed, this Argo VI is almost as good as the venerable Yaesu FT-817 unsquelched. As a result, I imagine this new-generation Argonaut will be a great radio to take to the air on Field Day, or even to take backpacking/HF-packing.

If the price is competitive, and that’s still an if, this could be a real winner for Ten-Tec, offering high-performance on a QRP budget. If so, this may be an affordable way to get into a top-quality new radio whose performance is benchmark-able.  Couple it with the Model 418 Amplifier to provide 100 watts output as needed…Quite promising!

The Argonaut VI (and Model 418) will be on display at Dayton, and will be fully-functioning.  I’ll be one of the first visitors at their booth in Dayton Friday morning, and plan to post further details (and possibly a few photos) during the Hamvention.  So, check back and follow the tags: Ten-Tec and Dayton.

So, what could the Argonaut name mean for this rig, in terms of performance? Time will tell! 

••••••••••••

Just to be clear, all of this information came from straight from the horse’s mouth at Ten-Tec and is accurate-to-date.

We’re grateful to the folks at Ten-Tec for giving QRPer a preliminary look into these two products prior to the Hamvention, and allowing us to post their sheets so our readers can take a first peek. Thanks, fellas!

Events, Portable, QRP

The ultimate Field Day tent?

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The 2 kW "Power Shade" is the right size to cover a full-size military tent.

Power Film Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of thin, flexible solar modules.  The company designs, manufactures and retails their products in Ames, Iowa–a quality made-in-USA product.

Last year, at the Dayton Hamvention, PFI’s booth was very popular. Why? Their sale of small, rollable and foldable solar panels, absolutely perfect for field use, drew crowds of hams, DXers, campers, and/or frequent travelers.  Needless to say, sales were brisk.

While browsing their website recently (just for fun), I came across their PowerShade™ Solar Field Shelters. They’re available in 1 kilowatt and 2 kilowatt versions at 15.4 V or 30.8 V.  Wow…

This paneled tent is primarily focused at the military market.  Perhaps exclusively.  And I readily admit, it would be overkill for QRPers, even for a multi-op QRP Field Day.  After all, aren’t we about “less is more”–?

But is it wrong for me to fantasize about this wonderful 2 kW creation? A tent-topper that sucks in Sol’s readily-available energy and, with the assistance of a battery bank, produces enough juice to fuel several QRP rigs?

I dunno.  I’m too busy fantasizing to care…!

Conferences, Events

OzarkCon QRP Conference April 13-14, 2012

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OzarkCon is a fun and informative QRP conference held every year in Branson, Missouri. This year, the conference is being held at the Stone Castle Hotel and Conference Center on April 13 and 14th. Registration and room rates are very reasonable.

You can register for OzarkCon 2012 online.

OzarkCon at a Glance (via their website):

  • Large Dinner Banquet the first evening with after Dinner Speaker
  • Kit Building Session
  • Dummy Load QSO Party with Prize – work KØN
  • Open Music Session (pick’n & grin’n, Bluegrass, Country, Western) both nights
  • Vendor Tables – Kits, Parts and more…
  • Swapfest Tables
  • QRP flea market & vendor fair open all day Saturday
  • Wackey Key Contest with Awards
  • Homebrew Contest with Awards by Category
  • Day long presentations on leading edge activities or technologies
  • Drawings for Door Prizes, Door Prizes and more Door Prizes
  • Private Breakfast Saturday morning
  • Branson Attractions and Restaurants
News

Another CME Earth-bound!

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(photo: Spaceweather.com)

Even the Wall Street Journal picked up on the latest solar flare–the biggest in 5 years–which is headed towards Earth:

WASHINGTON—The largest solar flare in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights.[…]

“It’s hitting us right in the nose,” said Joe Kunches, a scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He called it the sun’s version of “Super Tuesday.”

The solar storm is likely to last through Friday morning, but the region that erupted can still send more blasts our way, Mr. Kunches said. He said another set of active sunspots is ready to aim at Earth right after this.

But for now, scientists are waiting to see what happens Thursday when the charged particles hit Earth at four million mph. [Continue reading at the WSJ]

And the latest update from Spaceweather:

GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE: A CME propelled toward Earth by this morning’s X5-class solar flare is expected to reach our planet on March 8th at 0625 UT (+/- 7 hr). Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, who prepared the CME’s forecast track, say the impact could spark a strong-to-severe geomagnetic storm.

Expect some major geomagnetic disturbances and don’t be surprised if the HF bands are very quiet while we’re being blasted with electrons. On the plus side? If you live in Northern latitudes, look for some awe-inspiring auroras in the night sky.

(Note: This is a cross-posting from my other radio site, the SWLing Post)

QRP, QRPers

Catch AA0RQ’s Solar-Powered QRPp beacon

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(Photo: AA0RQ)

You might want to let your viewers of your nice web site know that on 10133.56kHz AA0RQ/b is on the air…30mw at night and 100mw during the day and solar powered.

Thanks for the suggestion, Bill!

I would also encourage you to visit the QRZ.com page of William (AA0RQ). There, he describes in good detail, the beacon, how to get a QSL and figure the miles per watt to your QTH. I also enjoyed reading his bio and how he fell in love with low power.

Now I’m off to snag AA0RQ/B!

Articles, Homebrew, Websites

The Das DereLicht QRP transmitter–A bright idea

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Make Magazine’s blog recently featured the Das DereLicht–a QRP transmitter made almost entirely from the electronic components found in within a CFL Bulb. The transmitter, was designed by Michael J. Rainey (AA1TJ) who was inspired while changing a defective CFL bulb in his kitchen.

For some reason, I began to wonder if it would be possible to build a QRP CW transmitter using the electronic components salvaged from this derelict lamp.

Indeed, I’m pleased to report that a perfectly serviceable transmitter may be constructed! The only additional components required were the quartz crystal, and four of the five components needed for the output lowpass filter. The resulting transmitter produces up to 1.5 watts on 80m.

Michael, thanks for creating such a cool, simple, little QRP project. I’m ready to (carefully) tear into an old CFL bulb and give it a try!

Articles, Satellites

Work a satellite–QRP style

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Clint Bradford, K6LCS, recently posted a link to his website on the HF Pack group. He has a great article about working satellites AO-51 and SO-50 from low power rigs. QRP HF rigs like the Yaesu FT-817–which have VHF/UHF–are ideal for this type of satellite work. This article is well written and contains good references. I should mention that Clint is an AMSAT Area Coordinator in California and uses this document in his presentations.

Links:

Homebrew, Morse Code

The perfect key to use when you’re in a pinch.

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I think this homebrew key by Laurent Dumas (F8BBL) is simply amazing. It’s portable, easy to make from spare parts lying about the house and can serve you well if you’re in a pinch. (Sorry, I just can’t use this pun enough).

Admittedly,  I think there would be some serious operator fatigue if you tried to use this key in a contest. But for emergencies–it certainly fits the bill!

If you can’t see the embedded video below, simply click this link.

Announcements, Kits, Portable, QRP Radios

NorCal 2N2/XX transceiver kits update

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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