MOSFET devices are used for the RF amplifier section which provides. The VFO and RF sections make use of permeability tuning for high stability. The radio is all solid state covering the 80 thru 10 meter bands. For how it looks, for how it works, regardless of its age, it gets a 5 from me. and start collecting bumblebee carcasses or something truly dull. If you don't end up with a smile on your face, well, it's time for you to hang it up, my friend. But you know what? Turn that sucker on, hook up a set of paddles and some headphones, and it's pure joy. Sure, the AGC pops like a big dog, and there are no memories to stack, or dual anything. Beautiful sidetone, fabulous and instantaneous QSK, and simple, elegant looks that speak of a simpler time before companies started having contests to see who could dream up the most bells and whistles. Like most Ten Tec fans, I'm a CW man, and this little guy gets it done in a first class way. It weighs in at a fine round 12 pounds, but it is a heavyweight as far as I'm concerned. The Triton IV Digital, model 544, is so cool I can't believe it. I never cease to be amazed at the rigs Ten Tec put out in the past, and to think there are mint examples of these dandies floating around out there is just great luck for those of us who are only now discovering them. I have finally found the meaning of life!
By the way, you can talk to a real person when you call their service department. It's a messy rebuild.Ten Tec's going to do it this time for me. Major glitch is that, after lengthly use, the PTO gets balky. Goodbye Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood! This little radio, with its 10 neatly spaced knobs on the front panel, is just a joy to operate and projects a receive audio that hails back to the days of AM.
#Ten tec triton iv review how to
On to the FT-990 I went.Dual VFO's, a gazillion memories, filtration to the max, and QSK that sounded as if I were in a echo chamber! Awwrrgh! After 6 months with the Yaesu, I still don't know how to run the thing (and all this with a college education plus doctorate-gadzooks!) I have done the unthinkable! I am sending my Triton IV digital, complete with its beautiful RED LED display (and GREEN LEDs for the tenths) back to Ten Tec for a complete overhaul, and I have purchased a remote VFO on QTH.com. The heat sink had charred the wooden work bench, but the rig was still going! But, alas, there was no remote VFO to go along with it! Since my primary mode is CW DXing, the lack of remote VFO was a little bit of a limitation. Three hours later I came back and it was still cranking out 80 watts. Before long I had myself a wonderful new QSK machine! By the way, I accidently left it on transmit when the telephone rang while I was servicing the radio. The radio was a basket case, but it was simple enough to repair. About 8 years ago I came across a Triton IV digital at an estate sale.
What a dream this radio was on CW! After working some 300 countries, I regretfully sold it to "upgrade" to a more modern radio. Mine's not for sale! (You can make me an offer on my Kenwood though)!īack in the 70's I owned a Ten Tec 544 analog with matching power supply and remote VFO. Yeah, I know there are no memories, WARC, built in DSP, electronic keyer, computer menu's etc, etc, yada, yada yada! This little radio is just plain fun, and always let's me know that the best things in life don't always come in fancy, efficient-looking, expensive packages. I never use it because the Triton IV is much more fun, and the reports I get are always better. I have a newer Kenwood TS-570D "high tech" transceiver with all the "bells and whistles", but it doesn't compare. I work mostly CW, and the optional CW filter works flawlessly to remove the qrm and bring the desired signal into a 3-D presence. Not only does it look oh so classy with it's shiny metal face and red/green digital readout, but every time I tune that quiet and ultra-sensitive receiver, I realize that this radio is magic. When something feels right, you know it! For me, the Triton IV is the most satisfying piece of equipment I have owned and operated in 45 years of hamming.