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write your own review of the Ten-Tec Argonaut V.
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W3BUG
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 13, 2008 04:25
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It's a keeper !
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have had my new Argo V for about a week now and it has found a permanent home in the shack. This little rig is a real gem for low power operation. Solid construction and a real pleasure to operate. The filtering is a blessing to CW ops. Clean audio and plenty of it. This is my first Ten-Tec and believe me, I'll be looking in their direction for my next full size rig without any hesitations. If you can get a chance to operate an Argo V, I think you will be very pleased. Hats off to Ten-Tec !!
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N3DF
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 13, 2008 08:39
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Great for PSK31 from Apartment
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I regard my Argonaut V as an excellent rig for PSK31 use from my high-rise condo.
Hookup to my Dell desktop computer with MixW and Digipan software and to my RigExpert digital interface was fast and easy. I feed 12 watts to the Buddipole loaded dipole antenna on my condo balcony and make as many 20 and 40 meter PSK31 QSOs as I have time for. The rig never gets more than a little warm and there is absolutely no interference to the cable TV, stereo or phone systems. The MixW software can even control the rig's frequency.
I highly recommend this compact radio to those seeking to send out a digital signal from an apartment or condo.
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K3EY
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 3, 2008 12:56
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Lots of Fun Packaged Small & Inexpensive Made in USA
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I wrote a review on this radio back a couple years. It must have made Ten Tec mad as I am not allowed to buy their radios any longer but can use their service department which we all know is the best in the industry.
Since I am almost all CW and never finished my WAS QRP CW which I started a decade ago, well I wanted a real QRP rig to finish the job. Since I am not allowed to buy Ten Tec radios from the factory, plus the fact these models are out of stock as I write this…well I did the eBay thing and lucked out with a new 07 model that was truly new.
My trouble is I have owned the K2 and PROIII both great receivers so I am tough to please. No the Argonaut’s receiver is not as quiet as either radio mentioned, but for the money difference--duh. A fully loaded K2 is not cheap and if you have someone build it---well you can buy a PROIII new. Ask the builders on the Elecraft list for proof.
The Argonaut V’s receiver is more than acceptable. Using it on 160 with the top band qrn that is always present it works great without producing fatigue. I found by simply narrowing the band pass with the neat Jones filter the qrn/qrm is mostly gone providing a comfortable and easy listening receiver.
The other features offered on this neat little radio make CW a pleasure, actually fun. You can vary everything to do with CW to your liking.
It’s amazing what 5 watts will do plus you can take it up to 20 watts. I see on the higher bands the power output drops to about 15/16 watts, mine does anyway.
The audio is clear and volume from the stock speaker is truly outstanding. I use headphones so I don’t bother others in the house the audio is so powerful.
I see some reviewers complained about the band change function only going up, which is true, regardless it doesn’t bother me in the least. Going completely around in a loop is plenty fast, maybe not nano seconds fast if it had a down button. But I say--who cares? I sure am not bothered by that small matter. The receiver is what I care about and the receiver on this radio is fine for my operating style and obviously many others as per the reviews.
The feel of the VFO is nice and firm and I really appreciate the fast/slow frequency tuning feature because it was engineer, IMO, just right.
A quick SSB QSO to W4HV down near the Ten Tec plant from here near Pittsburgh netted a strong signal report and as he stated: You have fantastic audio-- that’s using the stock hand microphone at 20 watts with an inverted vee.
Nice radio priced fair to begin with plus I got a new one at a used price--how can I possibly complain like did a few years back---guess I matured :)
I thought about the FT450 because the price with discounts is close, but the Ten Tec QSK is impossible to beat and since I am almost all CW--well Ten Tec is the only logical choice if you’re a serious CW OP.
Ok Scott-- a little love for you and your company via this review---so can I order an Orion II now? No. Then how about the Jupiter? :)
k3ey
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WY8M
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 21, 2007 07:00
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Warming up to it...
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Please read my original review below first.
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.
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Found out my Argo-V was made in 2005, and it has the TCXO & fan & v1.08 firmware.
Did not drill into the back of the radio. The old style female 1/4" stereo jacks I had in stock were too big for the existing space, and I didn't want to unsolder the 1/8" jack.
Soo... soldered up an adaptor out of junk-box scraps.
Now that I've finally made a couple QSO's, and checked into my local 15M CW net, I'm liking the Argo more.
Don't let the basic-looking front panel fool you, there's a lot lurking behind there... for instance:
> The simple looking analog meter performs MANY functions like multiple pwr scales, swr, current draw. Read the manual!
> The keyer is adjustable for side tone freq, level, and weighting. Read the manual! (seeing a pattern yet?)
> The DSP bandpass filtering works well. Yes, the skirts are broad, but now realized WHY. Remember on the Icom Pro's, the DSP filter skirts were "brick wall"? Remember how all said that, while definitely being a brick wall, it sounded awful? So on the Pro-II's, they offered a broader skirt option? That's how I run mine. Sounds better, easier on the ears.
THAT's why the filter skirts are not "brick wall" on the 516. They could've been, but they chose sound quality. Hearing is believing. My Argo "sounds better", easier on the ears, than my Pro.
So, to sum it up, it's a good lil' rig, definitely more than meets the eye.
Perfect? No. But is any rig?
73
.
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WA4JM
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 7, 2007 02:42
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What A Rig!!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I bought this gem for Field Day 2007 to operate PSK and CW. After about a day the power mysteriously dropped on almost all bands. An email or two between Ten-Tec and me resulted in shipping the rig back to Tennessee. With-in 7 days, yes 7 days, the rig was returned in full operation! I've since had no problems.
It has a great receiver like the Jupiter, great QSK and with legendary service, this rig is a winner. I talk about service because no matter what product you buy, it's only as good as its service.
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KT9T
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 26, 2007 14:25
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KT9T- good value rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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pros- Solid physical construction- easy to use- menu very logical-great audio in both receive and transmit-good receiver sensitivity-good layout of controls for small radio- dsp works very well
cons- A little noisey- front end does overload with nearby strong station- no rf gain control
For reference my other rig is an Icom 765
Conclusion- Fun qrp or backup rig. Worth the money.
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WA6L
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 10, 2007 12:24
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Great Value -- Great Features
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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It's hard not to like this little rig. I have it sitting next to my K2, and find that I am using the Argonaut more and more often every day.
Think of it in terms of automobiles. You may have that fancy sports car in your garage that you wipe down with a diaper and take to car shows once a month. You may also have that Jeep that you take four-wheeling in the wilderness on weekends. But the Argonaut is like the car that you drive every day. It gets you to work reliably, enjoyably, and with a certain sense of style. It's fun to drive and there is no hassles involved.
Here are a few of the things that have really impressed me about the Argonaut V
* It is plenty of features but is very easy to use. After a few hours of operation, you can put the manual away.
* I have become enamored with the BW button that allows you to change the DSP filter bandwidth on the fly. That has become particularly useful when running CW in crowded conditions or during the occasional contest.
* Digital operation is a breeze! I bought the optional cable from Ten-Tec ($17 shipped), and that is all you need to get on the air with PSK, Feld-Hell, SSTV, etc. There is no other interface required, and 20 watts is all you need to get through. I can go from CW to PSK and back again in seconds.
* The general-coverage receiver is a blast. I didn't know I was missing anything until I got the Argonaut and started listening around the bands.
* It has 60M and 160M operation right out of the box.
* The audio from the built-in speaker is exceptional.
* I have to say, I really missed analog meters! It is a pleasure to see one again after dealing for so long with digital readouts. Also, the VFO knob has a great feel to it.
* It's American-made. That gives me a certain feeling of satisfaction.
The only quibble I have concerns the built-in keyer. The timing seems odd to me and I have troubles with it. Perhaps it is because it uses iambic-A timing and I am used to Iambic-B. I don't know firmware from silverware, but if this is something that can be changed with a software update, I hope Ten-Tec does it. Meanwhile, I use an external keyer and it does fine.
Overall, this rig is one of the best values in Amateur Radio. For what you pay, you get a heck of a lot of rig. I think the best compliment I could pay is to say that if my grandson gets his license, this would be the rig I would get for him.
73,
John, WA6L
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KI6GFS
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 19, 2007 08:10
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A sweet little rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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If you like CW and quite receivers with great selectivity then this is the rig for you. The QSK is in the Ten Tec tradition. It is also very handy having a general coverage receiver of this quality at the station. I had never had one and it comes in handy all the time and I do not think I could get along without one now.
I have had none of the problems with the rig some have mentioned on SSB but sent it to the factory for the 1.08 upgrade anyway and it has continued to perform as it did before.
I was a little put out with the company for charging labor for the upgrade but they have been great in every other way. This was my first Ten Tec transceiver and I am looking at them again now for a new 100 watt rig.
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WE1X
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Rating: 2/5
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Jun 8, 2007 12:15
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Disappointing
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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For several years I've wanted to give Ten Tec gear a try while at the same time looking for an affordable portable radio. Often considered the Argo V as a contender for my time and money. A few months ago I took the plunge and picked up a very nice pre-owned Argo V. At first blush I was impressed with the receive section and the rig's simple elegance. That radio left the impression that it would be simple to navigate. Add to that the Jones Filter was sweet.
However, once I began to use the radio disappointment took over. The meter's needle frequently would get stuck...yes a tap on the lens would free it up, but hey that shouldn't happen in the first place. Lack of up/down buttons made band, memory channel, or frequency hopping cumbersome. Why only an "up" button? Add to that non-tunable memories. Yes, there's a workaround...go to a frequency in memory and write it to the VFO then tune from there. You gotta be kidding! Then trying to get the Argo to interface with my PC for the digital modes took a lot of work.
After several weeks I came to the conclusion the Argo V simply wasn't worth the operating hassles it imposed. Yes, all rigs and their manufacturers have quirks, and no rig is perfect. But the Argo V was so contrarian I had to sell it and move on. It's not missed at all.
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N5IVZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 8, 2007 10:11
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The Argo V is a winner!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Ten-Tec really created a winner with the Argo V. I have enjoyed the DSP but also the ease of using the filters when conditions get noisy.
Also, for some reason, I get out better with 5-10 watts on the Argo versus my other 100 watt"radios"! Go figure!!
In CW, the receiver is first class! Much easier on the ears and i hear MANY more signals! i can dig out those weak signals that i could not hear with other radios.
My log book is reflecting the additional contacts that previously were so tough to achieve.
If I get any more "ham money" from the XYL, i plan to check out other Ten Tec radios.
Have not used SSB because i mainly run CW.. Maybe someday i will give that a shot..
Highly recommend this gem of a rig.. American craftsmanship is alive and well!
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