K3NA wrote:
>TenTec is promoting the Orion as the best radio for contesting to
>date, based on the receiver measured performance parameters,
>and the flexibility in the "full dual receive" capabilities with the
>transmitter. The website states, in part, ""Instant Two Radio
>Mode" allows ORION to instantly QSY between two different bands. Two
>linear amplifiers, two sets of accessory devices via dual band
>data outputs and two antennas can optionally be connected to ORION to
>allow instantaneous QSY (useful for seeking out and working
>stations on one band during a contest while CQing on a different band,
>for example)."
>Sounds great, eh?
>I have my doubts, and would like more information from those who have
>used the radio.
Sure - how much information would you like?
I've been known to send a dit or three in contests as a full blown
proponent of SO2R operation...and had a significant amount of input
into the design and implementation of the Orion as a result of my
contesting experiences. I also wrote the text quoted above that
appears on the Ten-Tec web site at www.tentec.com/TT565.htm
> After reviewing the website and owners manual, it appears the main
>receiver's signal processing chain is used while transmitting.
>So, one can NOT use the main receiver while transmitting.
>There is nothing that indicates whether the sub-receiver continues to
>operate while transmitting. If the sub-receiver is also
>disabled during transmission, then the Orion is NOT a "SO2R station in
>a box"!
>One will still need a second radio to implement an
>SO2R contesting station, since it is essential to be able to receive
>>(at least on a different band) while transmitting.
Correct - nor have we ever promoted it as being so ("SO2R in a box").
Come to think of it, I may need to update our website because I
couldn't find anywhere where it said it was full dual receive either,
now that I read what I wrote there a few months ago!
What is very different about Orion is (leaving muting the receiver
while transmitting aside, which every other dual receive radio does)
- is that the main receiver performance is leagues ahead of anything
available today, and that the numbers we quote for receiver performance
are not manipulated to take advantage of the ARRL Product Review
process (you can manipulate IP3 to read anything you want if you're
willing to give up the radio's ability to receive weak signals by
sacrificing rx sensitivity, for example - IP3 could look AWESOME and
the radio could be deaf as a post - more on that at some later date).
You can use the sub receiver on any frequency, not just the same band
that the main receiver is used on. Spatial diversity RX with both
receivers at the touch of a button. Stereo receive. Assign audio to
any ear from any receiver in the headphones by button pushing.
Programmable AGC on each receiver, continuously variable filtering from
100-6000 Hz on rx. And on and on...
Not to mention interfacing a second linear amplifier to the radio, so
when something appears on another band (like a packet spot) there is no
need to retune an amp or change antennas - your other amp and antenna
are already there. Even better, have packet deliver the spots direct
to the sub rx frequency through the serial interface and just transmit
to work 'em.
How 'bout some examples:
Let's say you have a typical real SO2R setup with two Orion's and all
the necessary hardware, running SO/Assisted. Have packet deliver the
appropriate spot to the subreceiver, and just transmit to work them.
You can even do this with a third and fourth band. Have 2 Orion's, 4
amplifiers, lots of monobanders. CQing on 20 and 40, have packet
deliver spots on 15 and 80 to the subreceiver so all you have to do is
pick them off one by one in between CQing on whichever of the two
radios you are using. Or if you're a nutcase like me, just operate
your usual SO2R setup by CQing on one band with one radio, then monitor
the output from two different bands simultaneously in the opposite ear
with the second radio, without even bothering to add packet into the
mix (oops...I think I'm giving away what I'm planning for operating for
the future, but yes, I am planning to operate 3 or 4 bands all at the
same time in SO2R mode in the future...if I can teach myself how to do
it now that the hardware, Orion, exists to do so. I don't see why not.
Three ought to be fairly simple - transmit on one rig, monitor two
bands with the other rig - man, come on SS CW - I can't wait!)
>The website data lavishes praise on the very promising receiver
>specifications... but I see in the fine print that the
>sub-receiver's performance is FAR below the main receiver.
>To wit:
> 5 kHz 2-two 3rd order dynamic range / 5 kHz spacing IP3
>Orion: 101 dB / +24 dBm
>K2: 88 dB/ +1 dBm
>FT1000MP Mk V: 73 dB / -5.2 dBm
>Sounds great, eh? But look a little further...
>Orion main receiver:
> IP3: +25 dBm for 20 kHz spacing, 2.4 kHz bandwidth, pre-amp off.
> +24 dBm for 5-kHz spacing, 0.5 kHz bandwidth, pre-amp off.
> IMD3 dynamic range: 101 dB, preamp off, 20- and 5-kHz spacing.
>Orion sub-receiver: far fewer details given, but...
> IP3: +5 dBm typical, 20 kHz spacing. (no clue about bandwidth used
>in this measurement)
> ... also no 5 kHz spacing figures at all.
> IMD3 dynamic range: unspecified.
>That 5 kHz spacing IP3 figures will be worse than 20 kHz spacing for
>the sub-receiver because the sub-receiver doesn't employ the
>same crystal roofing filter scheme as the main receiver.
>Does anyone have better specs for the sub-receiver?
This is easy to quantify - the subreceiver is essentially an offshoot
of the receiver used in the Ten-Tec Jupiter transceiver. I think "FAR"
below the main rx performance might be stretching a little, but yes,
it's not up to the main receiver performance. Could we have duplicated
the main receiver to have two receiver performance specs like the main
one? Sure, but it would have increased the price significantly,
probably to not much additional advantage even for the typical SO2R
contest operator. Keeping in mind that SO2R's are a minority of
contest ops, and contesters are the minority of hams in
general (I'm sure there are a lot of Orion's parked on 75m SSB at this
very hour....)
Of course, you can use the sub rx on any frequency you like, program
the AGC, use any of the 590 filters built-in...so it's just a *tad* :-)
different than the others out there. Not to mention you can put them
together and tune both receivers simultaneously by turning one tuning
knob.
>So, as a SO2R operator, one gets to use the excellent receiver -- but
>ONLY when not transmitting!
No, as an SO2R operator, you'd be using a second Orion.
>Based on what I've seen so far, it seems like TenTec missed its
>implied goal: two excellent, independent receivers and one
>transmitter in a configuration that can be used as a SO2R station in a
>single box.
Nope, there was no intention to put two excellent independent receivers
into a box and make them stay open for SO2R operation in one single
package. That rig would have been at retail kind of like two Orion's
would be, and as we SO2R contesters are a minority of contesters,
contesters are minority of hams in general - it really didn't make any
sense for Ten-Tec to do that. Like I said, I was part of this from
even before day 1 when I started begging my superiors at Ten-Tec to
listen to my plaintive cries for something...more, better, different
that a wack-o contest operator like myself, the typical DXer, and the
average ham who just likes having a very high end piece of gear could
all appreciate. I drew pictures. I pounded my fist. They listened.
They also did a SUPERB job of engineering the Orion; I'm proud of 'em.
CU folks in the upcoming contest season....2 x Orion SO2R.
73
Scott Robbins, W4PA
Amateur Radio Product Manager, Ten-Tec, Inc.
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