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Reviews For: Ten-Tec Corsair II

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Ten-Tec Corsair II
Reviews: 56MSRP: 350.00
Description:
Single conversion 9band tcvr, 16-pole crystal ladder filtering
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.tentec.com/Amateur.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00564.8
G4YVM Rating: 2022-10-14
Excellent. Beyond reproach Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The TT range of radios are known for excellent cw work, but two stand head and shoulders above anything. The Orion 2 and the Corsair 2. The C2 is simply astonishing. I have seen it sat against the FTDx5k, 7800, 9000, 7610 etc and it always equals or beats them...and it costs peanuts.

It can have three xtal filters fitted - these are useful. It has bandpass, shift and PBT. What else could you want? It has an auto keyer installed, a range of QSK and AGC settings. This is a masterpiece. The sidetone note is a weird one, but hey, nothings perfect. NB and speech processing circuitry work if you like SSB but lets be honest, this is a Morse man's radio.

If you see one, buy one.
KL7JT Rating: 2022-08-11
Straightforward Radio with Excellent QSK Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Simpler than contemporary radios with no menus. Has a PTO and is analog signal path. Excellent receiver; low fatigue. The audio derived AGC does "pop", but is very effective. Reducing RF gain makes RX more pleasant with no reduction in intelligible sig.

Excellent QSK. Comments re some noise in audio from audio notch/peak circuits are true, but easy to jumper these out.

All through-hole construction; repair should be straightforward. Only problem has been connectors and joints in freq display. Have not had to rebuild the PTO in mine.

Comments re "fine plastic" are warranted. Does not have mechanical feel like a high-end rig, but does perform like one and is much less expensive to own and operate.

If you are not using correct TT supply, be very sure that you are using correct spec very fast acting magnetic breaker inline with your supply, or good chance you will blow PA with a mis-match.

Nice USA made radio.


WB8LZR Rating: 2020-05-12
Nice radio, but not as quiet as Omni Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the Triton and one of the early Omni radios (the model A) - and love to use those radios due to their quiet receivers. They don't seem to impart any listening fatigue even after many hours. Being that I had the precursor radios, I thought I'd add the Corsair II. I admit I like it (it does a good job on CW, and also is pretty good sounding on SSB).

But, it's definitely not as quiet as my Triton or Omni. Reading up on this, I read where the audio path has about a dozen op-amps in it - where the precursor radios did not. One article in particular, and a number of mailing list entries seem to indicate that the older op-amps used in the years of manufacture were a bit noisier than later op-amps.

There is a mod you can do to switch out the op-amps for the later, lower noise ones. It's said to be good for a 15 db improvement. I'm seriously considering doing the switchout - becuz the reviews of others who did it were so positive. Basically - they say it made the Corsair II as "quiet" as the Omni D or C, but while still retaining all the fancy features (PBT, etc).

Like I said, it's a good radio "as is" - but it's just not quite as quiet as the Omni D/C, which were the equivalent of "hi-fi" in my mindview. I use them all tho - hey - they're Ten Tecs!
KO1C Rating: 2019-12-19
My Go To Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got my Corsair II at a local hamfest a few years ago, I fell in love with it immediately.

Unfortunately, it had a few "quirks" due to it's age, etc.

I sent it off to the radiosmith and he returned it to me just as Ten Tec always meant it to be.

I have a very expensive, current HF radio but I GREATLY prefer to listen to the Corsair II.

I just have the cheapy Ten Tec hand mic with it but I get great reports with it.

If you find one, don't pass it up.
WB4EDB Rating: 2017-01-10
super cw rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Having owned a Corsair 2 for a time and not being satisfied with its performance it was sent to the Radiosmith for alignment and other repairs. Being a fan of vintage Ten Tec rigs for CW I now see why so many operators rave that this is the best analog rig ever manufactured. Its American built and so user friendly plus fun. Not much SSB here with it but for CW I can say its one excellent rig. The sound of CW from a Ten Tec is so soothing. Long live Ten Tec! Smiley wb4edb
KC8HXO Rating: 2016-02-20
Super! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Funny, although I have had some VERY highly rated rigs in the shack along side the Corsair II, this is the one I usually reach to turn on. It just sounds so GOOD. When conditions are tough, I flick the switch on the Autek QF-1A, and if they get REAL bad, I push the button on the Datong FL-3. Digging out weak ones using this combination is intuitive, and effective. It really could serve as my only HF rig, but I do like to have something with General Coverage receive. The TenTec rigs have become big bargains in the market with the recent change of ownership again. Long live TT!
KD8OTT Rating: 2015-04-17
Great radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Scratching my head wondering why Ten Tec stopped make this radio and the Triton. New isn't always the best. Another great radio that is basic and easy to use. Ten Tec wake up please. Another great CW radio and just as good on SSB. Vintage Ten Tec is where I am buying from now on.
GM0HUU Rating: 2013-11-07
Lovely old school HF rig. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After a long break from amateur radio of 15 years, I decided to get back on air. Over the years, every time I looked at modern rigs with their arrays of multi-function buttons & knobs, I couldn't be bothered with them. Back in the late 80s, I had a Corsair II from new and always liked it (and always regretted selling it). So, being an old school CW guy who likes a proper radio with single function analogue controls, it was only natural I should get another one of these. You don't see these rigs for sale too often in the UK, so when I got the chance to buy a good example with a full deck of XTAL filters and matching PSU, I snapped it up.

I have only had it for a few weeks and I can't leave it alone. Every time I get a spare 10 minutes, I am on the bands and the Corsair II is everything I remember it to be. Switch in the 250Hz filter and it doesn't matter how much adjacent QRM there is - it's like having a private channel for a CW QSO!

Also, I like the fact that I can open it up and fix it or mod it if I ever need to.

Don't think I will part with this one.

73, Steve (GM0HUU).
VK3LBT Rating: 2013-07-06
Good old performer. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned my Corsair 2 for about 8 weeks and have given it a good run and comparison with an Orion 2 and a FT847 and I must admit I really like this transceiver. The receiver and the adjustable PBT are a delight to use. The CS2 now is my mainstay on 40 & 80. The audio reports have been very good with what ever microphone I use with one exception , a Heil GM5 Goldline which seems not to deliver quite the quality I am after.
I have settled on a Shure 444 which seems to give the punch and clarity I require. This is a basic unit to operate and it does not have all the gimmicks and gadgets of the current generation of transceivers, however on air it sounds and receives as good as the high flying mega dollar transceivers.

The unit I have has been well loved and is in beautiful condition easily capable of 100++ watts. Stability wise as with all PTO systems they can be touchy but I have found that after some warm up time and utilizing the QSK the unit remains stable.
This is my fourth TT transceiver and this is certainly a delight to use and doesn't require a degree in physics to operate. The only minor draw back is the size of the analog meter, but this just encourages me to wear my glasses.

In conclusion, a bloody good radio and with lots of TLC will outlast some of the current transceivers.

Cheers - Barry VK3LBT.
N1EU Rating: 2013-05-05
My favorite HF Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've got a K3, Orion and Corsair II on my operating desk and the Corsair is what I use most of the time. Its receiver simply sounds better and performs better than the newer radios. If you can live without a computer interface, fancy display, and all the useless dribble on modern radios, it can't be beat. It's an aging radio and occasionally needs a little TLC, but it's amazingly easy to work on. I've done extensive modifications, described at corsair.wikidot.com, but it's a fine radio even in its stock form.