Down the Rabbit Hole
Over the years, Ten Tec has released a surprising number of CW (continuous wave or Morse Code) Keyers for Amateur Radio use. There have been two basic designs, single paddle and double or imabic paddle models. Released in about 1975, the Model 670 is a single paddle version, intended for use with the Century 21 CW transceiver.
The Ten Tec Triton I/II transceivers were released in the mid-1970’s and marked a milestone in High Frequency (HF) radios. With coverage for the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10-meter amateur radio bands, 50 to 100 watt output on SSB and CW, they may have been the first affordable, fully solid-state models.
I look at Ebay from time-to-time, and lately I’ve been having a little too much fun. A Ten Tec Century 21 CW Transceiver (model 570) attracted my attention recently. The “570” was a solid-state radio intended for Novice hams and covered five bands: 80, 40, 20 (and with accessory crystals) 15 and 10 meters.
After learning the basics of welding from my friend Bob, I needed to decide how to restore a Craftsman Welder. I needed practice.
I mentioned finding two old 20’s-era broadcast receivers in an earlier post. Some months had passed, and restoring the Freshman Masterpiece “5F5” seemed like a fun project and a quick win. The radio was designed to run on two batteries: an “A” or 6-volt battery for the tube filaments and a “B” or 90-volt battery for the plate voltage.
It’s been nearly two years since a pair of classic old shortwave receivers followed me home from California, and they have been staring at me each time I enter the shop ever since. Neither are functional, and both are daunting restoration projects. I wanted to revive some of my old vacuum tube chops and collect some vintage test equipment before diving into these beauties.
A few months ago, I refurbished a Dynaco Stereo 120 audio amplifier for my studio, replacing a Stereo 80 amp that had been in service for years. There wasn’t anything wrong with the 80, but I wanted the increased power and the sound improvements that the 120 upgrades had provided in the studio.
I am listening to a classic solid-state amp from the 70’s. Just a couple of weeks ago, it arrived from an eBay auction in rough and partially-working condition.
I enjoy flea markets, and there’s a great one near Fredrickburg, Texas — about an hour from our Hill Country home. We go almost every month. Last October we came home with vintage cast iron pots and skillets, a UT Longhorn-branded Crockpot and — best of all — an old Stanley No. 5 jack plane for just $8!
I enjoy restoring old tools. It’s fun to buy a new tool and investigate the abilities it brings, but there’s something about finding an old tool, removing the corrosion and dirt, and repairing and sharpening that are especially satisfying.