TR-35 group/forum

Do you have a question about choosing a radio, installing an antenna, or are you simply seeking advice about getting started in QRP and field radio? This is a place where you can ask your questions and seek guidance from a wide variety of radio enthusiasts. No questions are too simple. You will be treated with respect here.
ki4mcw
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2022 6:19 pm

TR-35 group/forum

Post by ki4mcw »

Does anyone know of a builder's/user's group, or forum, or mailing list, or the like for the Penntek TR-35? I love mine, and would like to compare notes with other owners.

Rob KI4MCW
Brian - K3ES
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 12:55 pm
Location: NW Pennsylvania

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by Brian - K3ES »

Hi Rob,

I also have a TR-35, and love to run it. I use it for POTA activations, and it is central to a light-weight kit that I put together for activating parks. I have not looked for or found a TR-35 user's group. I have followed posts and videos from Thomas - K4SWL and John - AE5X on use of the radio. The best thing I learned from them was to go after the firmware upgrade to get the memory keying feature.

If there are other TR-35 owners here, maybe we can compare notes.

One thing I did to make life easier was to build a 40m EFHW with links for 30m and 17m (20m comes free as a harmonic of 40m). This gave me an antenna that is resonant on all TR-35 bands.

73 de Brian - K3ES
ko4rip
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2022 1:24 am

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by ko4rip »

I'm a new ham, BSA Scoutmaster, and general outdoorist. I just received my TR-35 and powered it up today! As soon as I turned it on there was a beautifully clear CQ coming in. I learned cw in high school from my physics teacher and would make contacts under his guidance. It's been years (decades) so I'm reacquainting myself with cw and hope to use the TR-35 in the field with SOTA/POTA. Gladly follow along on this thread.

Kindly,

Angela KO4RIP
Kurt
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2022 7:27 pm

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by Kurt »

I am halfway thru building my TR35. Maybe I have the first in the UK? I'm not sure. Mine has the latest firmware. Still learning Morse code but getting ever closer to being able to get in the air :D
K1GC
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2022 2:13 pm

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by K1GC »

My tools were in boxes this winter with a room redo, so I skipped the kit and got a built TR-35 when they became available. I also sent mine back in for the update and have the memories. The TR-35 quickly became my favorite CW only radio. It is a nicely implemented little rig.
Brian - K3ES
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 12:55 pm
Location: NW Pennsylvania

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by Brian - K3ES »

I just finished a POTA activation at K-1345. I ran the TR-35 at 5 watts into a linked EFHW inverted V at 30 ft. The tally was 43 CW contacts on 40, 30, and 20m in 1 hour 40 minutes. Great fun, courtesy of the park hunters.
MarkJY
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 2:15 pm

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by MarkJY »

Has anyone sent their TR-35 (or chip) in for a firmware update? How did that go? Turn-around time? I’d like to get the two memory slots but have not yet done this.

Mark
W8EWH
Brian - K3ES
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 12:55 pm
Location: NW Pennsylvania

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by Brian - K3ES »

I sent my TR-35 in for the firmware update with $15 for return shipping, and it was back in my hands in about a week. The process went very smoothly, and I am really happy with the memory keying function. It really helps my workflow during POTA activations by giving me a pause to catch up on logging.
ki4mcw
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2022 6:19 pm

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by ki4mcw »

Is anyone else having trouble with the tuning encoder? Mine tunes downward just fine, but when spinning the knob quickly to tune upward, it skips pretty badly, sometimes even ending up on a frequency lower than where it started. It's probably a $3 part, so I'm not offended, just curious if anyone else has seen the same behavior.

Rob KI4MCW
wg4z
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2022 1:00 am

Re: TR-35 group/forum

Post by wg4z »

Does anyone know if the TR-35 has any kind of SWR protection. Some radios fold back the power if the SWR is high.
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