Safe Power for the Ten Tec Triton and Omni Radios

photo of the Ten Tec Omni Series "C" rear panel

I was recently asked about the power switch on the Ten Tec Triton IV transceiver. Was it capable of switching the 12-volt line used to power the radio? The short answer is no. Co-located on the volume control, it was intended to switch an external power supply like the Model 252 or 262. Switching the 15 or so amps of 12-volt power needed for the 100 watt transmitter would destroy the switch.

How to Upgrade the Ten Tec Omni C with the K3JLS DDS VFO

photo of The Ten Tec 5464C CW Station

I was having a lot of fun with the restored Ten Tec Omni (series C), but like all of the older Ten Tec radios, the Permeability Tuned Oscillator (PTO), aka VFO,  left a little to be desired. Back in the day, when I bought my first Ten Tec, these PTOs were considered very good — but time marches on and we’ve gotten used to smoother and more stable VFOs.  An upgrade would be nice.

How to Build a Great CW Filter for the Ten Tec Triton IV

photo of the CW Filter Assembled and Tested

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I owned a Ten Tec Triton IV (model 544) in the late 70’s and always loved it. I traded the radio a few years later for an ICOM 720a (also a great radio), but always regretted losing the Triton. Fast forward about 40 years, and the gift of an old Triton II reminded of that first love. The Triton II is similar, but the IV had several refinements that made it really great at the time, and I decided to get one again.