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Re: [TenTec] Omni-C vs. Corsair vs. Omni VI+ - which one to keep?

To: wf2u@starband.net, tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Omni-C vs. Corsair vs. Omni VI+ - which one to keep?
From: Ed <w3nr@comcast.net>
Reply-to: tentec@contesting.com
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 18:04:46 -0500
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
WF2U wrote:

I'm seeking some opinions/advice regarding the performance of the Omni-C, the Corsair and the Omni VI+.

I'm a long-time classic "boatanchor" radio collector and operator, but I
always had a solid-state transceiver, just for the convenience of a casual
QSO with a fairly modern rig. My present transceiver, an ICOM 756 is very
unsatisfactory as the receiver performance goes. After some research, I
found that the performance of Elecraft K2 and the Omni VI+ receiver is on
top of the list, after the Orion main receiver. (At this point I'm not ready
yet to spend that kind of money)...
I compared the newly purchased used, fully filtered up Omni VI+ with the 756
and clearly the Omni is a superior performer.
Then I went hog wild and found an Onmni-C and a Corsair for a price I
couldn't refuse ;-).  So far the Omni-C beats the pants off the 756 receiver
as well. The Corsair is great too. For some reason, I find the receive audio
of the Omni-C more pleasant than the Corsair, but the Corsair PBT is very
nice. I don't have the instrumentation to run real meaningful bench tests on
these radios, so I'm looking for some subjective and maybe some fact-based
opinions. My Omni VI+ is at T-T right now, for service (some instability in
the output power) so I can't do a one-to-one comparison with the other two.

The digital tuning in the Omni VI+ (vs. the analog VFO in the Omni-C and
Corsair) is not a very important point as far as I'm concerned, neither are
the microprocessor control, memories, serial interface and DSP in the VI+.
(I have an external DSP box, so I can attach it to any rig).
As I live in a rural area, there is no man-made noise and strong blocking
signals around here. All I'm interested in is the pure weak signal receiver
performance, all the bells and whistles are secondary. I'm looking for the
performance/price ratio. Why pay for DSP, if for example the DSP is needed
to mask the high phase noise, internal digital garbage and/or otherwise poor
receiver performance - which I find is the case with the 756...

So - which one(s) do I keep? (I may decide to keep 2 out of the three...)

Thanks for any input and opinion.

73, Meir WF2U
Landrum, SC

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Meir, that is really a tough question to answer. I have owned all 3 more than once. I have also had TT's since 1978, so hopefully that counts for my opinion. As far as I am concerned, hands down, say what you want, the best and I mean the best TT receiver was the analog Omni A. Steve, N4LQ had a simple mod that improved the CW receive to optimum. The phase noise in the OmniV- OmniVI is objectionable to me. The Corsair II was much better, BUT the A still wins. The C is a close second, with some "whine" from the digial dial readout. Tough choice....73


Ed W3NR

PS Anyone have a decent OmniA for sale ???
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