Looking for info from anyone that owns one.  I have an opportunity to buy an older model (early 2000s), gray case with green screen, for $600.  It does not have the internal tuner.  It is local, so I will have a chance to try it out first.  Is this a decent price?  Can the firmware be upgraded on the older models?  Ten Tec still sells the internal tuner module for $259, which seems a bit steep.

$600 doesn't sound bad.



You should be able to see the latest/last firmware update on their site I'd think.



They did have an IC update that allowed you to get CW decode on display but I doubt they still sell that. You can put the personality in but then you lose other personalities. So you'd have to switch back and forth.



I have had mine sine '04.



Its a nice rig but since getting into digital a bit I'd rather have something that is more digital friendly. Like an Icom 7200.



 

I have a Ten-Tec Jupiter, gray case, green screen, no internal tuner.  Close enough?  

Where to start?  OK... it has GREAT DSP / noise reduction.  I have not heard better.  Really hip filtering.  On noisy net
nights on 75 meters when others are complaining that they can't hear anything due to lightning crashes or other general
noise, I can hear everyone on the net pretty easily.  I usually keep RF gain down around 60-70%.

Since I use it with an amp, an Ameritron AL-811H, I use an external tuner, the LDG AT-1000.  This is the older model, before
the AT-1000 Pro, but it has been updated by LDG with a new circuit board.  

With the help of another ham listening, I was able to set mic gain, low end rolloff, and bandwidth for "near broadcast quality"
with the Heil HM-5 mic I use.  The stock mic sounded good, according to others, but the Heil is even better.

The various knobs and buttons, while not quite intuitive, were quickly and easily learned with perhaps 30 minutes spent with
the manual in hand.  There is a menu, and it is almost all "set once and forget".  You will have to go into the menu to set
it up for digital (selecting the input, your digital signal instead of mic), and again to return to SSB phone, but that is easy
enough.

The "Multi" knob does a lot of things.  On an Icom you select a feature, then use the tuning dial to adjust it, such as power,
mic gain, etc.  With the Jupiter the Multi knob is used instead.

I never felt the urge to "upgrade" to a blue screen, or anything like that.  It came to me used, and I have not "upgraded" the
firmware, either, and it all works fine.

I use the Donner Digital Interface for digital work.

I am VERY happy with the Jupiter, and if you can get one in good condition for $600, GRAB IT!

Be sure to check all the knobs. They are known to go bad.



When you turn one make sure it is registering in the right direction and isn't acting weird. I was lucky so far and used tuner cleaner to fix one of mine even though I did get in a new knob in case.



I believe it was my MULTI knob and when turning AF up/down it had tendency to go the other way when registering.

Firmware... I read what the newer firmware did, the "personalities", etc, and I just wasn't impressed
enough to go to the trouble of "upgrading".  Didn't bother, the Jupiter works fine.

I have the same Jupiter and just received an ATU-Kit from TenTec during their sale.

Installing the ATU-Kit doesn't look hard, but is not a plug-n-play, so I have set it aside for a quiet evening.

I've used this radio extensively both portable and in my shack in "Pegasus-Mode" with N4PY's Control Software.

These are very fine radios and I'm not willing to give mine up.  It has been displaced in my main shack by a Flex but it is a keeper nonetheless!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Steve, how do you trigger tune function on the Jupiter with the built in tuner?

Typically I use software (N4PY) but it should run from the Tune Button (I have yet to install my ATU kit in my Jupiter).

Here is the factory blurb:



73

Steve
K9ZW

OK, I pulled the trigger on the Jupiter.  As we are all digging out from between 4-7 feet of snow, I'll probably pick it up late next week.

What tuner should I be looking at?  The internal tuner upgrade or an external tuner?  Suggestions?

You should price Elecraft stuff.  That seems cheap.

Congrats on the new rig. You will like it.
Most internal tuners are limited to 3:1 SWR or less. You can get an external tuner with a much better impedance tuning range. It will probably cost less too if you get a 100W model.

Any of these tuners by LDG will work with your Jupiter.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamtune/5253.html      Z-100 Plus

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamtune/5429.html      Z-11 Pro 2

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamtune/3213.html      AT-100 Pro 2

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamtune/5705.html      AT-200 Pro 2


I use the older AT-1000, which is rated at 1000 watts,  but I am using it with the Jupiter and Ameritron AL-811H amplifier, which puts out 800 watts.

The internal tuner for the Jupiter will do up to 10:1, it is an LDG tuner or LDG design. I still advocate for large external tuners because of their efficiency, 73, Rob

I've got both automatic (LDG IT-100s and LDG AT-1000) and manual tuners (Ameritron ATR-15, Daiwa 419).  
It's been my experience that if an LDG tuner won't tune an antenna at a particular frequency, then neither
will a manual tuner.

It appears an LDG tuner is in my near future.

I called Ten Tec today about the internal tuner, as it is no longer on the website.  Apparently they have plenty of tuner boards, but not the aluminum backing plate and shielding.  The person I spoke with in the service and parts department said that nobody wants to make a decision on whether to make another set of aluminum parts, so he didn't know when, if ever, they would be offering them again.

You will love how well the DSP / Noise Reduction works.

There is a menu, it is "set once and forget" for the most part.  When operating digital you have
to go into it and set the input for signal, and when going back to SSB reset signal input to mic.

I'm using a Heil HM-10 Dual mic, which is now out of production, but there are other good Heil
mics that will work fine with this radio.