Orion
[Top] [All Lists]

[Orion] ORION Synthesizer problem at 18 MHz

To: tentec@contesting.com, orion@contesting.com
Subject: [Orion] ORION Synthesizer problem at 18 MHz
From: Ulrich Hilsinger <dh0ghu@dh0ghu.de>
Reply-to: dh0ghu@dh0ghu.de
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 21:58:29 +0200
List-post: <mailto:orion@contesting.com>
Hello,

I found a severe problem with my ORION on 17m yesterday evening.

Instead of being tuned to the displayed frequency, the synthesizer for VFO A often locks around 560-580 kHz higher (measured with a tektronix counter). I.e., instead of 18100 kHz, I operate on 18.660 kHz, while 18.100 is displayed on the screen.
My first strategy was to make sure that this is not due to a software problem:
- I recalled user settings. It helped once, but not at other times.
- I made a recall. No help.
- I made a master reset. Several times. No help.
- I tried to re-install the firmware. Firmware update software braught an error message; communication error... Not shure if that has something to do with "my" problem. Could be a PC problem.


After trying this for several hours yesterday evening, I switched the rig of. After about 30min, I switched it on again - and the frequency was ok.
So, this evening I made some further investigations on this problem:
When I first switched the radio on, all was fine. When I had 18.074 on the display, I really have been at 18.074 MHz. I let the radio in standby mode for about 2 hours. When I came back to the shack right now, it has been around 560 kHz too high again. Reset braught no help. I cycled it off/on, no help. I switched it off, on again after 15min and it was back at 18.1 MHz. After some minutes, it failed again, back at +560 or +570 kHz.
The same procedure seems to repeat every time I try it. Actually, it's back at the "right" frequency, but no idea for how long time...
There is absolutely NO error indication, and all other bands seem to be clear. The faulty carrier at, f.ex., 18.660 kHz, is as stable as all "good" signals are.


Did anybody else had this problem ? Obviously it only occurs on 17m, so I never remarked a problem during normal contest operation.
My guess is that this is a thermal problem, and probably it is a unique failure on my ORION only. It might have been there since ever, due to the fact of coming home late (around or after sunset) in the evenings, I only operated 17m directly after starting the rig during the last months, never after a longer warmup period.


It's somehow frustrating, as 17m is in fine conditions right now (and I still need many DXCC entities on that band which I ignored for a loooong time..), and I really do *NOT* feel any motivation at all to switch back to my old Kenwood TS850 :-(.

Every help is very appreciated.

73,
Ulrich, DH0GHU


_______________________________________________ Orion mailing list Orion@contesting.com http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/orion

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • [Orion] ORION Synthesizer problem at 18 MHz, Ulrich Hilsinger <=