TenTec
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue

To: TenTec reflector <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
From: art N4UC <n4uc@hotmail.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 10:00:52 -0500
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Sadly, I'm afraid I agree!

> From: RMcGraw@Blomand.net
> To: tentec@contesting.com
> Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 07:25:18 -0500
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
> 
> Would seem that a trip to Sevierville might be in order.
> 
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "art N4UC" <n4uc@hotmail.com>
> To: "TenTec reflector" <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2014 11:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
> 
> 
> >I de-mated, cleaned, and re-seated all connectors, both the TMP coax as 
> >well as board connectors to the backplane.  No joy, situation unchanged. 
> >Then I resorted to the old fashioned push and jiggle test on all the boards 
> >and connections. Again no luck.
> >
> > For what it's worth I uploaded a crude video to youtube 
> > (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=287q99crPjY&feature=em-upload_owner) 
> > showing the problem in real life. The video begins with a cw signal being 
> > received by the SUB receiver and then I bring up the audio of the same 
> > signal on the MAIN Rcvr.  Keep in mind this is happening on 20M only.
> >
> > Any comments or thoughts are welcomed. In the meantime, I brought the old 
> > TS-940 down off the shelf. I'd forgotten how heavy those old radios were!
> >
> > 73, Art
> >
> >> From: Rick@DJ0IP.de
> >> To: tentec@contesting.com
> >> Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:26:10 +0100
> >> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
> >>
> >> The original "pre-production" Eagles did not have gold contacts either.
> >> Carl, you probably had one of these, as did Bob and I.
> >> I later sent mine back to the factory and had the motherboard swapped, so
> >> now I have gold contacts too.
> >>
> >> ALL PRODUCTION UNITS HAD GOLD CONTACTS, so if you bought an Eagle, don't
> >> worry!  Yours has gold contacts.
> >>
> >> I doubt we will ever see any non-gold contacts again from these two
> >> companies.
> >>
> >> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> >> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl
> >> Moreschi
> >> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 1:42 AM
> >> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> >> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
> >>
> >> Elecraft had the same problem with the K3.  But they now do a free 
> >> upgrade
> >> to gold contacts.
> >>
> >> Carl Moreschi N4PY
> >> 58 Hogwood Rd
> >> Louisburg, NC 27549
> >> www.n4py.com
> >>
> >> On 3/19/2014 8:08 PM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:
> >> > It's not only related to Tentec products or Orion radios. For years
> >> > I've dealt with service and maintenance on products costing 5X to 10X
> >> > or more of what the Orion's. cost. These products have been found to
> >> > have the same issues. Some interconnection methods are better or worse
> >> > than others. It is a matter of cost vs. space along with a few other
> >> factors.
> >> >
> >> > Just exercise the connectors, clean the pins and apply a very small
> >> > amount of contact cleaner. It will serve you well until next time.
> >> >
> >> > 73
> >> > Bob, K4TAX
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carl Moreschi"
> >> > <n4py3@earthlink.net>
> >> > To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
> >> > Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 3:16 PM
> >> > Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 565 Main Receiver Issue
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >> The Orion and Orion II have shown a history of problems related to
> >> >> corrosion building up on the cable connections in the radio. These
> >> >> connections should have been gold plated but they are not. In
> >> >> particular, the cable connections behind the front panel have over
> >> >> 100 connections. Many times the solution is to remove the front
> >> >> panel, which is not at all difficult, and unplug the cables, spray
> >> >> them with a contact cleaner, and then while they are still wet, plug
> >> >> them in and out 10 times or more to clean them. This fixed all the
> >> >> intermittent problems on my Orion. And with so many connections,
> >> >> almost any symptom is possible.
> >> >>
> >> >> Carl Moreschi N4PY
> >> >> 58 Hogwood Rd
> >> >> Louisburg, NC 27549
> >> >> www.n4py.com
> >> >>
> >> >> On 3/19/2014 3:38 PM, art N4UC wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Here's a brain teaser for all you Orion experts. My 565 running ver
> >> >>> 3.032 has developed a couple of problems that I was hoping would be
> >> >>> a firmware issue but it's looking more and more like a hardware
> >> >>> problem. I'm looking for some ideas about where to start
> >> >>> troubleshooting.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> In a nutshell the two problems (which may just be different symptoms
> >> >>> of one problem) are these:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> 1. All signals received by the main rcvr on 20M only are extremely
> >> >>> garbled and distorted. This condition is not dependent on mode and
> >> >>> all other receiver functions such as S-meter operation, AGC, BW and
> >> >>> PBT functions seem to be unaffected. Operation of the sub-receiver
> >> >>> is normal. One interesting note is that a signal disappears when I
> >> >>> engage the hardware NB, which is probably just an indicator that the
> >> >>> NB thinks it's seeing noise and just doing its job.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> 2. When both VFO's display the same frequency, there is a difference
> >> >>> in received frequency between the two receivers. This is present
> >> >>> regardless of band, but the difference is not the same from band to
> >> >>> band. The worst I've noticed is 200 hz offset on 20M, but other
> >> >>> bands exhibit 50-100 hz delta between the receivers in spite of
> >> >>> displaying the same frequencies. It doesn't matter how the two
> >> >>> receivers arrive at the same frequency, either by pressing the A>B
> >> >>> button or configuring both Main and Sub recvrs to be controlled by
> >> VFO-A.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> This all came on as an intermittent condition. I would notice that
> >> >>> during operation on 20M, received signals would suddenly jump by
> >> >>> 100-200 hz and I would have to re-tune to get back on frequency. I
> >> >>> was assuming that the transmitted frequency was jumping as well, but
> >> >>> I haven't verified that as yet. Anyway, after the "jump" occurred,
> >> >>> the signals would sound warbly and quivery (technical terms for
> >> >>> "trashy"). No matter their signal strength they sounded watery like
> >> >>> they were coming from over the North Pole. If I were to select a
> >> >>> different band and then return , the receiver would "slide" a few
> >> >>> hertz back onto frequency before settling.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I have
> >> >>> sometimes noticed that just before this would happen there would be
> >> >>> a rise in noise level, like precipitation static. While the rcvr is
> >> >>> off-frequency, there is a lot of noise/hash that is in sync with
> >> >>> other signals some as far away as 50 khz. It resembles being at
> >> >>> field day in close proximity to several transmitters. Even though
> >> >>> they are way out of the bandpass of the filters and too far away to
> >> >>> hear a cw tone, I can copy them by listening to the hash.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I have re-flashed the firmware and performed a few master-resets,
> >> >>> etc... with no change. The problem is no longer intermittent and I'm
> >> >>> looking for ideas while I decide how much $$$ I want to put into
> >> >>> repairing a really fine, but old, radio.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> 73, Art/N4UC
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> _______________________________________________
> >> >>> TenTec mailing list
> >> >>> TenTec@contesting.com
> >> >>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >> >>>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> TenTec mailing list
> >> >> TenTec@contesting.com
> >> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > TenTec mailing list
> >> > TenTec@contesting.com
> >> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TenTec mailing list
> >> TenTec@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TenTec mailing list
> >> TenTec@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
                                          
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>