At 07:39 PM 1/13/03 -0600, you wrote:
Anyone could probably cob together some sort of station around the
basic ORION at $3300, and those who can will probably do so. But,
looking beyond the present customer base, "new" ORION owners will
want/need the entire system, including all those filters that are
deemed essential for the ORION to meet its superlative performance
goals. And it is that group that I have in mind when I observe that
the ORION is not a $3300 radio for the general amateur public. If the
entire package has been designed to meet performance goals, then the
new Ten Tec customer will either be required or will desire to
purchase the package, not just the basic radio.
Well - not really. Without going too far into it, there are a couple
of points that strike me as obvious, but apparently not as obvious
as I thought.
1) the performance numbers claimed for the Orion are for the
stock radio without any accessory crystal filters installed.
2) At 20+ years into the age of solid state transceiver era, many
hams have an accessory 13.8 Vdc power supply already on hand
to power an Orion. Most hams already have a suitable microphone,
too, whether it's ours or Heil or someone else. If not, we have
the options available. We always sell far more rigs than options
(which is also why it's hard to come by used older optional
equipment for Ten-Tec radios).
3) Going along with #2, most purchasers of Orion are not buying
this as a first-time HF rig. Rare is the day when I talk to a newly
licensed ham who is plunking down $3K+ for a new HF transceiver
as his/her first radio (though it does occur, sure).
The basic radio *is*, but if you want an ORION system
(power supply, speaker, mic, tuner, full set of filters, etc) then it
is a $4431.95 radio and should be viewed that way when being compared
with other TOL radios, not the residue of older Ten Tec radios and
parts that many current customers may already have.
Everyone sells accessories. Each company has a different philosophy
about what is essential and what is not for a stock HF transceiver to
be supplied with. Desk mic, speaker, computer command interface
and power supply are all options for the IC756ProII. Explain to
me what I'm missing here (?)
Scott Robbins, W4PA
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