The Ten Tec RX-350 DSP Tabletop HF Receiver

The discontinued Ten-Tec RX 350 HF Receiver.
(picture via Dave Z.)

Discontinued Receiver (July 2006)

Was the Lowest Cost "Real DSP" Receiver Around....but is still using a 16 bit DSP.

Ten Tec is using the same 16 bit DSP just as they do in the very expensive RX-340. Ten Tec seems to think that manufacturing receivers where the technology is over 15 years old is still good ? There is no reason why they should not be using a 32 bit DSP (with 24 bit D/A and A/D converters). Sure it might cost a bit more, but should not be that much ??

Again we must say that this was the lowest cost "Real" DSP HF receiver to hit the marketplace (about $ 1200. US), and we can hope that this will spur continued growth for lower cost general coverage receivers with even higher performance down the road using correct DSP methods.

The front plastic bezel part of it's case (molded) is a modified Ten-Tec Jupiter transceiver shell. You see the added "line out" jack to fill in the hole in this spot. So you have a "line out" in the front and the rear. Other holes as you can see where they "filled in" and does indeed stick out to the eye.

AM Synchronous Detection another dud !!!

Yes , the AM Synchronous Detection (as they call it SAM) on the RX-350 looses lock way too easy. Just as it does on the RX-340 and makes this function almost worthless. This was a real shame here, and was never improved over the sets entire production until it was discontinued in July 2006.

Spartan Innards ????

Top (Left), and Bottom (Right) innard pictures of the "Ten Tec RX-350". These are the actual pictures, nothing missing.

(pictures edited by Dave Z.)

Well as you can see, the RX-350 has very spartan innards. You want to say...."where's the beef" !!

Switching Power Supply, Normal "Ten-Tec" Pasta Bowl-O-Wires

The internal switching power supply is very quiet and not a surprise of hash and or other noises (it's an aftermarket supply, not made by Ten-Tec). Good news is we see a nice standard AC input socket being used. No straight wired cords here thank goodness.

We still see the Ten Tec trait of a "mess-O-wires" all over the place, mind you not as bad as say in the RX-340. But have a good look in the rear section of the set. Pretty messy indeed. I still do not care to see this rats nest in any electronic device.

Neat Remote Tuning Knob/Keypad Option, No direct entry keyboard on set !!

The Model 302 "Remote Tuning Knob / Keypad Option". Super idea indeed, but a bit pricey !!!

(picture Dave Z.)

Ten Tec is offering as it does on many on its ham transceivers over the years, a "remote tuning knob/keypad option" (model 302). Price on this option is around $ 140.00, but is a very neat idea. Bad news is of course you must purchase this to be able to get direct keyboard entry period,as the radio front panel has none. This turns a $1200.00 radio into well over a $1300.00 one.

Bandwidths aplenty, but limited to only 8 Khz on the upper end..Flash ROM being used.

As with other receivers that are have "true" DSP bandwidths, we have aplenty in the bandwidth department. However, it only allows up to 8 Khz bandwidth. As I have pushed this point on my JRC NRD-545 page...It would have been nice to see at least see this up to 10 khz. But in testing the bandwidths do sound wider than what appears on the display.

Good news on this set is that it's firmware uses a flash ROM, so updates can actually be downloaded off the internet...and boom..you are updated with the latest firmware. So always a chance that this MIGHT get improved ?? But now it will have to be private connections as Ten Tec has discontinued this set and more than likely any additional firmware updates are no longer going to happen.

Has a Nasty Habit Of Locking Up

The biggest problem with the RX-350 (during my limited testing of a borrowed sample) is the trait of it just locking up in use. It did this a number of times too. The cure, just as it is on the Yaesu VR-5000, is to shut it off and take a walk around the block (about 20 mins or so) and it "should" be back after you turn it back on (cross your fingers). You should NOT have to do a reset to get out of a locked up state like this, at least I did not have to.

But lets face it folks, this is a problem that should not be there at all. I think the software / hardware resources are being streched to the limit and this is the result ?? Yes, just like the Yaesu VR-5000.

Discontinued Receiver (July 2006)

© 2008 N9EWO
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