NR Ten-Tec Onmi VI Plus Omni 6+ Model 564 Complete Tested/Aligned Classic HF CW/SSB Station Start Price USD 1.00 Current Price USD 1,207.00 Time Left - Bid Count 15 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, November 13, 2008 End Time Sunday, November 23, 2008 Location Nederland, Colorado See more about 'NR Ten-Tec Onmi VI Plus Omni 6+ Model 564' Description OVERVIEW   ·      NO RESERVE auction; retired teacher on SS must pare down ·      US auction only ·      I personally tested, aligned all xmit and receive functions in my RF lab ·      Rig and pwr supply/spkr in perfect mechanical and electronic condition; all menu features tested, all specs met, no “gottchas” ·      Includes four crystal filters (see details below) ·      Owned and maintained at 9,000 feet in Rockies; high, dry climate ·      US made classic, contest level HF SSB and CW base station renowned for CW QSK and superb SSB 160M through 10M ·      Complete station includes: Omni 6 plus Model 564 transceiver, power supply/spkr 962, TenTec 705 Mike, instruction manual, three ring notebook documenting rcvr and xmtr testing, filter testing, and more. ·      Original factory Omni 6+ (not option 3) ·      One documented mod to improve receive audio has been done internally (no external change) ·      Excellent cosmetics (see cosmetics below) ·      Ideal holiday gift for the Radio Amateur ·      You must have a license (but now available multiple choice, no code test) ·      http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/classes.html ·      Renowned Ten Tec ergonomics; no “cramped” knobs; easy push button operation ·      Xmit power adjustable 1 to 100 watts ·      Has TXCO oven-controlled clock crystal ·      Meticulous owner; never abused and never used with a linear amp   DETAILS   ·      Omni 6 + late Serial number 11A10318 manufactured Aug-Oct 1998. Has post-1997 factory mods ·      Pwr Supply/spkr also late serial number 08H10558 ·      Am second owner, purchased and picked up in person from an estate in Western Colorado, April 2006 ·      Factory stock crystal, always in line, 2.4 Khz ·      Two 9 Mhz IF crystals: No. 218, 1.8 Khz 8 pole SSB; No. 221, Special 500 Hz “Low Note” 250 Hz 6 pole CW ·      Two 6.3 Mhz IF crystals: No. 288, 1.8 Khz 8 pole SSB; No. 282, 250 Hz 6 pole CW ·      The stock 2.4 Khz filter in combo with the 221 above, shows a 4 to 5 Db drop in S meter reading. The use of No. 282 shows no S meter attenuation. Users have suggested an INRAD 2.8 Khz filter with improved passband characteristics. ·      However, as measured at the speaker, with the stock 2.4 Khz plus both 250 Hz filters cascaded, there is only an expected 1/2 to 1 Db loss.  So slight variations in S meter reading with various combinations of filters, do not appreciably affect S/S + N at the speaker. ·      There are many other crystal filter options/combinations, and other Ten Tec user opinions, in the notebook.  Many INRAD filters can be ordered and may be superior (better skirt and lower passband ripple, see link below) to Ten Tec filters above. Filter amp gains can be changed. A roofing filter for CW can be installed ·      The filters above can be “swapped out” with members of the Ten Tec list for cash or other choices ·      Search for opinions http://lists.contesting.com/_tentec/ ·      Interiors of Pwr supply/spkr and Omni 6 + are factory mint; most exteriors are close to mint ·      As detailed in notebook, INRAD mod of two caps and one resistor was successfully completed to improve received audio passband for SSB ·      Two problems solved soon after ownership: ·      Main tuning knob had “drag”, and a successful mechanical repair was completed and posted in the Ten Tec archives; now silky smooth ·      Transmitter had intermittent output.  Cause was factory defect. PA was removed, opened, and snipped wire leads were found to be shorting PA circuit board.  Xmit board was cleaned, resealed and problem was eliminated.  Transmit bias was adjusted. Finals are perfect and at specs ·      Extensive MDS testing after alignment showed that with stock 2.5 Khz filter, Noise Reduction on, we have –123.5 Dbm for a 10 Db S + N/ N, exactly the same as ARRL review.  Overall, after alignment there was a 2 Dbm improvement.  With filters, MDS is significantly better, as much as –138 Dbm, better than Bob Sherwood’s results. I used lab equipment. I did not do BDR tests, but they are equivalent to Rob Sherwood and/or ARRL review in notebook ·      All exterior fronts and sides of power supply and Omni 6+ were protected with UV Natural Shine since ownership in 2006 ·      Once I adjusted PA bias, I always got excellent SSB audio reports. Speech processor improves audio reports during summer noise and for DX contacts ·      A number of operators have pointed out that this Omni 6+ with custom selection of crystal filters, can perform equally or better than the Ten Tec Orion models that cost $3,000  more (see web links below)   JOIN ME WHILE WE INSPECT THE OMNI 6 PLUS ·      My e-bay philosophy is total disclosure   COSMETIC CHECK-OUT   ·      Overall, cosmetics are excellent, and most marks are not visible from more than one foot. All wear below is normal for a ten year old rig ·      Front panel: mint except one very thin 3/8 inch scratch over the letter M in MIC.  This scratch is not normally visible ·      Rear panel: 3 light scratches above computer interface port are mostly polished out with Natural Shine UV protectant ·      Front: Right side has a small mark upper right, not noticeable ·      Right and left sides: Left side has mostly invisible manufacturer paint deformity ½ inch in diameter; otherwise, sides are mint ·      Top: One mark mid top, near front ·      Bottom: Two 1/32 inch marks on right; hairline scratch on left side; poc mark 1/32 inch mostly polishes out with Natural Shine ·      Wear to metal on back, heat sink, has been mostly removed with a magic marker ·      Mike: mint, no scratches or discolorations ·      Power supply: Front panel and sides are mint. Scratch to metal on bottom of heat sink, largely eliminated with magic marker; you never see it   OPERATION NOTES   ·      Keep Power Supply on to keep TXCO oven at a constant temp (rig can be turned off) ·      NR works best with RF gain at 2:30 PM ·      NB works best with RF gain at 3:00 PM and NB at 2:00 PM ·      I get best SSB with NR on, passband at 9:15 AM and either 1.8 Khz filter or stock 2.4 Khz filter.  Greater 2.4 Khz low frequency response is better for my hearing deficit. ·      Best CW is currently with 1.8 Khz on, and either 250 Hz filter.  They can be cascaded for even better performance. A future CW roofing filter would make rig as good as the best ·      Noise Reduction on with AGC off brings up weak signals ·      Make sure your SWR is low, and antenna is tuned, before boosting power output to 100 watts ·      Set meter to monitor SWR (but xmtr is designed to cut out if too high) ·      You get best CW performance with earphones for the weak ones ·      I always got superb SSB audio reports. Speech processor improves audio reports during summer noise and for DX contacts ·      Speech processor works best at 9:30 or 10:00 AM ·      I have worked more than one hundred CW stations, foreign and domestic with perfect QSK and Tone. I think the Omni 6+ is one of the best QSK CW rigs made ·      Large heat sink has never run too hot ·      Stickers in photos state date of alignment and filters installed   ELECTRONIC SPECIFICATIONS   ·      Please click “General”, “Receiver”, “Transmitter” to get complete specifications ·      http://radio.tentec.com/archive/transceivers/564#specs   WEB SITES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION   ·      More Specifications and Factory links ·      http://radio.tentec.com/archive/transceivers/564 ·      Comparison with more expensive transceivers ·      http://lists.contesting.com/_tentec/2007-07/msg00043.html ·      Quality INRAD filters for Omni 6 plus ·      http://www.qth.com/inrad/kits.htm ·      Omni 6 Plus among top 11 receivers ever tested by Rob Sherwood ·      http://www.sherweng.com/table.html ·      INRAD roofing filter puts the Ten Tec Omni 6+ among the top handful ·      http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/45   BIDDING AND SALE TERMS   ·      Transceiver and accessories sold as package and as is; have been thoroughly lab tested and in perfect op condition ·      No Reserve ·      You pay shipping for one box plus final bid price ·      I PAY INSURANCE ·      Send me your zip code; After auction I will e-mail an E-bay payments invoice to winning bidder ·      Please pay by PayPal, which protects us both ·      http://pages.ebay.com/paypal/buyer/protection.html?_trksid=m37 ·      I reserve right to sell to 2nd high bidder if no payment after three days ·      I reserve right to cancel bids if 0, low, or negative feedback   SHIPPING TERMS   ·      Winning bidder please email me through e-bay your zip code so I can send you an invoice with shipping costs plus $10.00 for double boxing/handling. There will be three boxes; the power supply and main rig will be double boxed with bubble wrap and Styrofoam ·      Rig, power supply and mike packed in separate boxes with bubble and foam ·      Will ship within one or two business days upon E-bay notice that winning bidder has paid ·      You pay bid price plus shipping plus $10.00 for three boxes ·      Call 1-800-PICK-UPS for shipping UPS Ground cost from my zip 80466 to your Zip. ·      First box: weight of 3 Lbs, 10X10X10; Second box: weight of 25 Lbs, 24X12X10; Third box: weight of 25 Lbs, 24X24X14.  To Philadelphia UPS, as example, cost is $95.63.  Saving for your Zip refunded. ·      Fragile labels placed on all boxes ·      Will E-mail notification of tracking number and shipping date Place a Bid!