Name: Ten-Tec Corsair / Corsair II
Brand: Ten-Tec

160m – 10m

Bands

100 W

Output

1982

Introduced

Frequency	TX/RX: 160-10m ham bands (Corsair II adds WARC 30/17/12m); ~500 kHz per band, not general coverage
Bands	160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m
TX power	100 W (100W on all bands. All solid-state PA.)
Modes	USB, LSB, CW
Weight	7.5 kg (16.5 lb) - ~7.5 kg estimated (transceiver only, external PSU separate).
Connector	SO-239
Year	1982

Connectors

antenna	SO-239
mic	microphone connector
key	key/paddle
vfo	remote VFO (Model 263, external)
ext spkr	external speaker
dc in	DC 13.8V (external PSU required, Model 960/961)
power req	DC 13.8V via external Model 960/961 power supply.

Estimated (unverified): Weight ~7.5 kg (about 16.5 lb) for the transceiver is approximate (the external power supply is a separate unit).

all-solid-state HF SSB/CW transceiver, 100 W output on all bands Corsair (Model 560, 1982) and Corsair II (Model 561, 1985) ham bands only (160-10m; Corsair II adds the WARC bands) - not general coverage variable bandwidth tuning (VBT) and multiple IF filter slots noise blanker; Ten-Tec full break-in (QSK) CW built-in keyer with memory (Corsair II); optional external KRB1 keyer optional Model 263 remote VFO for split and dual-VFO monitoring needs an external power supply (Model 960/961, 13.8 V DC) 6-digit LED display; made in Sevierville, Tennessee

Strengths

A classic American-made CW/SSB transceiver from Ten-Tec, running 100 watts on all bands with the company's hallmark quiet receiver and excellent full break-in keying. Variable bandwidth tuning and multiple IF filter slots make it a capable CW machine, the optional Model 263 remote VFO adds split and simultaneous dual-VFO monitoring for working pile-ups, and the Corsair II adds a built-in keyer and the WARC bands.

Weaknesses

It is a 1980s design: SSB and CW only (no FM or AM), ham bands only rather than general coverage, and it needs an external power supply. There is no DSP, 6-meter coverage, digital-mode or computer interface, or keypad entry, and the Model 263 remote VFO is a separate purchase.

Verdict

The Corsair series is Ten-Tec's classic take on HF: an American-made, SSB/CW-only transceiver with a smooth, quiet receiver and the fast, silent full break-in keying CW operators prize. Variable bandwidth tuning and multiple filter slots make it a serious CW and contest rig, and the optional Model 263 remote VFO's dual-VFO monitoring is a genuine pile-up advantage. With its matching power supply it remains a focused, well-built classic.

The Ten-Tec Corsair is a mid-1980s American-made HF transceiver from Ten-Tec of Sevierville, Tennessee, a company that built its reputation on receivers with smooth, quiet audio and the best full break-in (QSK) CW keying in the business. The Corsair and its successor the Corsair II cover the HF amateur bands at around 100 watts in SSB and CW, with the later Corsair II adding the WARC bands.

Ten-Tec's design philosophy shows throughout: an analog receiver prized for its easy-on-the-ears audio and effective interference controls, and a transmit/receive switching system fast and silent enough that CW operators could hear between their own dots and dashes at full speed. Solidly built and serviceable, with strong factory support that lasted for decades, the Corsair remains a favorite among CW enthusiasts and collectors of classic American amateur gear.

It is a discontinued classic. Compare it with the later Omni VI and the flagship Orion II.