The SKCC WES is fun for a non-contester. Every so often I spend a short time operating the WES and the two hour Sprints. It is a good time to give my TR-25 a workout. Below is a picture of the little radio in action from Studio HO during the March 2022 WES.
I am not a contester, but from time to time I make a few contacts during the monthly SKCC’s SKS. I am finding it a good time to put my TR-25 on line. I have to streamline the setup so when using my “field radio” on the operating table it is not a sight. I used my original straight key from 1958. Please see the photo below.
As stated on my web site and blog posts, I like chasing DX. To a lesser extent I like chasing parks and other unique stations (e.g., meaningful special events). I like CW rag chewing, but always look for the station to be far away. That is not to say I have not had some great rag chews on the bands with stations close in. Back to reality, running 25 watts I give up one s-unit to the normal barefoot transceiver. Add to that an attic antenna and how much DX can one expect. Believe it or not some and even some not so run of the mill DX.
Lose another s-unit and bring into the mix my Penntek TR-25 and five to seven watts and you have the makings of a rag chewing machine. The need for the other station to be far away disappears and the value of the conversation takes over.
As stated in a prior post I sent my TR-25 for repair of my construction error. It was delivered to Penntek right after noon on Friday 2021-09-24. I was curious about its status and was about to send an e-mail on Monday 2021-09-27 when a midday mail delivery included my TR-25 ready to be put on the air. That would be an amazing quick response for a product issue, but such service on a builder error is unbelievable.
Thank you John!
Also, within a very short period of time I made my first contact with the TR-25 on 40 meters.
The build of my TR-25 is complete and it is off to Penntek to fix my bonehead mistakes. Again, the kit is very well done and was fun to build. The joy was diminished somewhat by my own doing. I can only hope the damage was not too great.
I never wound toroid inductors before. For a very small dollar amount they could be purchased pre-wound with the TR-25 kit. However, I felt I would be more a part of the build if I wound them myself. #28 magnet wire is very thin. Winding was not so bad, but taking the enamel coating off the wire and tinning them was no picnic. The worse was to untwist the two wire for the transformer. The twist caused difficulty in taking the coating off and tinning. Also, once a wire is tined if becomes brittle.
I guess skill displayed in building Heathkits back in the old days does not carryover to kits of today. I decided to build a Penntek TR-25. The kit was very well done in both build documentation and parts packaging. It was the builder that went wrong. I will not go into detail as it is too embarrassing, but I messed up. I sent an e-mail to Penntek asking for a possible solution to my woes. I will update this post as the situation evolves.
Note: I even went so far as purchasing a new soldering station and a pounds of fresh Kester thin solder to do the build right.