Down the Rabbit Hole
An unexpected journey into frequency measurement after purchasing a mixed lot on eBay. Initially discovering a vintage frequency counter, they later enhance it with a GPS Disciplined Oscillator for exceptional accuracy. This upgrade transforms their testing capabilities, merging classic equipment with modern technology to create a GPS disciplined frequency counter for their workshop.
I learned in early March, 2024 of Bob Heil’s passing. Although I never got to meet Bob Heil in person, I feel his influence in my own enjoyment of the Amateur Radio hobby. Let’s see if I can build Bob Heil’s classic microphone equalizer!
Over the last year and a half, I’ve been restoring a Ten Tec “Closet Kilowatt” from the late 80’s for a solar powered station. It consists of a model 253 Automatic Antenna Coupler, model 420 Hercules II amp and model 564 Omni VI Plus.
The Ten Tec Omni VI+ and CAT Control In an earlier post, I described acquiring and repairing a Ten Tec Omni VI+ (model 564) transceiver.…
Lately, I’ve been restoring a Dynaco ST 150 stereo amplifier. As my collection of classic vinyl recordings grows, I’ve assembled the ultimate 1970’s playback system. Coming of age in the mid-70’s, I coveted the then-new high-power solid state amplifiers.
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.
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.
In the last post, I described a used Ten Tec Triton IV and addressed the most immediate issues. I also mentioned making a cosmetic restoration, but after using it in the shack for an evening, it was apparent there were other problems. The “Offset Tuning” (OT) LED didn’t work, and more seriously, the transceiver didn’t always mute in transmit. Strange sounds issued from the speaker at times.
eBay has provided a lot of entertainment (and used equipment!) over the last few months, and after the purchase and restoration of a Ten Tec Century 21, I started looking for a Triton IV. This was the first radio I purchased new in 1978. I really enjoyed it and wanted to own one again. It didn’t take long. I ended up having two in the shop at almost the same time — one for my shack, and one for a fellow ham.
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.