Ten Tec Argonauts

http://www.eham.net/data/reviews/images/10849.jpeg

Many QRP enthusiasts have used the various TenTec Argonaut transceivers. I never have, so what follows is not from personal experience. The latest Argonaut VI misses 6m, 12m, and 60m and seems expensive, at least here in the UK.

The image on the LHS (above) resides on the www.eham.net site and will be removed if linking to it is an issue.

To identify the older Argonaut models, Ten Tec have a "knowledge base" page to help.  See http://www.tentec.com/pages/Identifying-the-Argonaut-transceivers.html . Although the latest version is said to be very good, I am afraid I'll not be buying one. Price needs to be £799 or less in the UK and it needs the missing bands before I'd even look.

There are 22 reviews of the Argonaut VI on eHam.net. See http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10849 . At an average of 4.5 out of 5, the score is not that good. The FT817 scores much better. People seem to love it or hate it. It apparently has a very quiet receiver and a very simple user interface.

I see that Ten Tec have dropped the USA price of the Argonaut VI to $849 for a package that now bundles the mic and 700Hz CW filter too. I suspect this is a desperate measure to shore up sales.  It would not surprise me if they went bust. Personally, I think the latest Argonaut VI was a mistake that Ten Tec now regret. These are personal views. I hope they survive and thrive, but please reduce the Argonaut VI price outside the USA too and, for goodness sake, add those missing bands!

Their Rebel open source CW rig sounds far more likely to succeed in my personal view.

Ten Tec is reputable make, not Japanese or Chinese, and I wish them well for the future. The commercial world is a tough place, so take nothing for granted.

Ten-Tec Argonaut VI

See http://www.tentec.com/argonaut-vi-qrp-1-10-watt-transceiver/

Despite missing some key bands, all reports are this is a very good QRP radio from Ten-Tec. However at $995 in the USA (similar in £ in the UK with import duty and VAT tax) it is simply too expensive to ever consider.

All I can say is are Ten-Tec in financial trouble? The true market price  here in the UK must be less than £700, so they are about £300 adrift in my estimation.

Even in the USA $995 for a rig with no 60m, no 12m and no 6m is way over the top. Just compare with the FT817ND for example. Even the Elecraft KX3 is much better value,  in my view.

Views?