A few years ago I got back into ham radio after a long time away. My old
KENWOOD TS-520 worked fine after cleaning a couple of Pots but it seemed there
was more close-in signals to deal with than I remembered. While the 520 still
did well, decided to look for a new rig. A trip to HAM RADIO OUTLET
approximately 90 miles away was in order.
I sat in front of a few new rigs and was quite impressed with a few select
models. I was amazed what could be done with a legacy design within the TS-480
but still not what I felt was any significant improvement. I tinkered with the
ICOM's but they still stunned me with what I felt was a higher price. Very good
radios and probably the best match to quality controls of the better stereo
systems but I was not allowing myself to get hooked on the eye candy. Then I
started tinkering with an FT-2000. While it had some ringing with tight
filtering, it was pretty good. Excellent VFO knobs and razor sharp display.
And some of that eye candy started drawing me in again.
I managed to exit the store without buying a new radio. Good thing really. I
continued to do research and the following weekend at a Ham show, got some time
with an ELECRAFT K3 and talked to one of the founders. Impressive rig but the
kit-looking facia and multi-purpose controls stalled me from making a purchase.
Tempting, and I was getting very impressed with what people were saying about
the K3. And then I came across a ham on the air named Jim McLaughlin/WA2EWE
using an Omni VII. Turns out he lived not too far away so we got together one
day while he was in-between trips from Afghanistan at his place where I got the
opportunity to use his Omni VII. I was sold. Unlike the ICOM's, YAESU's and
the K3 I had been testing at HRO and (K3) ham show, I instantly felt this T-T
rig was exactly right for me. Easy to use and oh what a receiver. The time I
spent at Jim's place was different than a store or show; it was quiet time
without other customers wanting to tinker with the r
igs too. I was getting quality time on the air without shall we say,
localized distractions.
I held off making an O VII purchase, waiting for T-T to release the full time
sweep board that had been talked about so much. And then I got a chance to
tinker with an Orion. WOW. But a new one while I was between jobs was to much
of a stretch for the pocket book. As it happened, I came across a gentleman
selling a used Orion 565 in excellent condition. I bought it, and purchased
new from T-T some filters, external speaker, POD and a USB interface. And a
few other items also purchased from T-T since then.
Best radio I have ever owned and the 2nd receiver has been really helpful. The
Orion takes more thinking to use it correctly than the Omni VII but if you let
your mind "become one" with the schematic of this rig, you can do some amazing
things to pull a signal you want to hear out of situations that was impossible
for my old TS-520.
I have Jim McLaughlin to thank for being an ambassador for T-T radios. Jim
unfortunately was shot and killed in Afghanistan along with some other guys in
a non-combat situation. I am proud to have made his acquaintance and
friendship as fellow operators but saddened terribly for what happened. Back
to the subject, I would not have been exposed to the "TEN-TEC way" without
someone like him. It would have been very easy to walk out the door of the HRO
store with something else or an easy PayPal transfer to the good folks in
California for a K3.
The 565 Orion IS my daily, and positively preferred HF rig. A KNWD TS-2000x
for local VHF/UHF/1.2 Ghz work and a DRAKE TR-4 like the one I used in the late
'60's to run phone patches for servicemen in Vietnam when conditions permitted.
If I should ever replace the Orion, there is no doubt in my mind that another
T-T rig, probably a new one will take its place. I will be forever grateful
that Jim/WA2EWE allowed me to visit his shack to experience the TEN-TEC way.
Gene / K7TXO
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