Ten-Tec even produced a great rig for the QRP crowd. Jupiters are still been sought by discerning amateur radio operators today, bringing you both SDR capabilities and traditional front panel feel. The Pegasus was soon joined by another popular SDR radio, with traditional front panel controls – the Ten-Tec Jupiter.
TEN TEC PEGASUS FOR SALE SOFTWARE
It is fair to suggest that the introduction of the Ten-Tec Pegasus was the very first Software Defined Radio (SDR) on the amateur market.
Ten-Tec has been no stranger to innovative amateur radio products. Although they still have (as of this writing) a few kits, most of their rigs show up at your door ready to operate.
TEN TEC PEGASUS FOR SALE PLUS
Their last 40 plus years as a serious amateur radio equipment supplier have seen many changes in their product family. Some of their first rigs were highly functional, but by today’s standard very simple. Ten-Tec began in the late 60’s with many of their first products being geared toward the QRP CW operator. But first, a look back into both of the company histories. Our Factual Radio investigators have done some good old fashioned detective work, and can share with you what’s going to be hot from the RF Concepts brands this hamfest season. We’re hearing it will be different for the 2015 event, which will be the 1 year anniversary of their blessed union. During the 2014 Dayton Hamvention, you had to go to two separate locations to talk to RF Concepts or TenTec. The truth is, in the corporate world, that doesn’t really happen. It invokes images of singing songs around a campfire, teamwork, and a real partnership. Merging is the “polite term” that is used when one company swallows up another. It certainly can provide more than QRP output levels if conditions warrant.The announcement made the rounds in the Amateur Radio World just before Dayton 2014. As I plan to use the rig for QRP this is mostly academic. I found that into a 50ohm dummy load I could generate up to 40w output for 80m, 35w output for 40m, 30w output for 20m and so on, down to about 15w output on 10m. This results in differing output wattage dependent on antenna resistance and frequency. If you're going to run QRP then no worries because you won't be running the power input up to a point that could trip the final, Maximum input power is marked by the thick line on the Input Power meter (about 70w). The SWR will affect how much output drive you can use.
Unfortunately this can't necessarily be done into a dummy load unless you're match is near 1:1. After you're matched up you can bring the power up to where you want to operate.Better yet use a frequency analyzer to tune QRM free. Find and open frequency (wait, listen, wait again, listen) and while holding the Set Drive button apply just enough power using the Drive knob to give you some RF out for matching your antenna.Turn the radio on by pushing in the RF Gain knob (it is the on-off switch).Turn the Drive knob down (counter clockwise), select your band.I spoke with a ham I work with who has rebuilt one and he said it's not difficult, simply time consuming (but he repairs electronics all day so YMMV). It doesn't slip (yet) but it's kinda stiff so I expect a PTO rebuild to be in my future. The Ham I purchased mine from said it had been rebuilt. From web searches and reviews its most common problem is a PTO that has to be rebuilt every few years. It also has easy band changing and nice filtering.
This resulted in a simplified design and good selectivity but without the IF there is no AGC so be ready to work those RF/AF gain knobs. It doesn't use a superheterodyne receiver but a direct conversion receiver (Ten-Tec called it a double direct conversion receiver). It has a built-in power supply that runs off 115-120v mains. It doesn't require fiddling with a resonant tank circuit of the typical tube radios of the era to work out resonance. In the simplest sense it was an ideal radio for the Novice Licensed HAM operator of the 1970s. The Ten-Tec Century 21 is an interesting transceiver.