I mention the total ORION package price as what it will cost a new Ten
Tec customer to acquire the ORION "system." Surely you don't expect
the ORION market to consist only of previous Ten Tec customers who may
already have various pieces of Ten Tec gear that will "work" with the
ORION. If that were the case, Ten Tec will have greatly limited its
penetration into the top-of-the-line market where the ORION is
expressly aimed.
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.
If I am at fault in this, it is perhaps in attempting to "keep the
record straight" when posting after posting tells us that the ORION is
a $3300 radio. 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.
Presently, and until the Icom "785' makes its appearance at a rumored
$6K+ price, the ORION system will be the most expensive TOL radio on
the market. Seems to me to be a little unfair to advertise and
represent the radio at its most basic price when that is only a start
to acquiring the full system.
Unless Ten Tec can penetrate the TOL market including Icom, Yaesu,
Kenwood and others to come, I cannot see how they can make the ORION a
paying venture if they plan to sell only the basic radio to current
Ten Tec customers who have all the rest of the system, or enough to
get by with.
For the record, I have no desire to see the ORION fail as a project or
to see Ten Tec get into further fiscal depths, but I find it hard to
remain silent when everyone acts as if once they buy the $3300 basic
radio, they will have "an ORION." To an extent they will, but Ten Tec
has designed an entire ORION system, and unless all elements of that
system are present and working together as designed, it is difficult
to imagine the ORION delivering the peak performance it seeks.
A more basic question: if Ten Tec doesn't expect people to buy all the
ORION system elements on the price sheet, why are they listed and
being manufactured?
Sorry if any feathers have been ruffled, but there is more than one
way to look at things, especially when enthusiasm is reduced and a
more objective look is taken.
73/72, George
Amateur Radio W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas
In the 57th year and it just keeps getting better!
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe
K2 #489 IC-765 #2349 IC-756 PRO #2121 IC-756 PRO2 #3235
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Moreschi" <n4py@earthlink.net>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 6:34 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Truth in Lending!!
> I agree on the price. $3300 is what the Orion is costing me. I
already
> have everything else.
> It's misrepresentative to quote the $4431.95.
>
> Carl Moreschi N4PY
> Franklinton, NC
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alderman, Chester" <CAlderma@ora.fda.gov>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 11:54 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Truth in Lending!!
>
>
> > W5YR said:
> >
> > "So, how meaningful are the ARRL test results if they come from a
> > cherry-picked, specially prepared, non-production unit? I agree
that it is
> > in TT's interest to have ARRL test the best performing "sample"
they have,
> > but on the other hand, if that sample does not represent what Joe
Ham will
> > receive for his $4431.95, les hand mic, then the whole test is a
charade."
> >
> > I disagree that it is in TT's interest to have the ARRL lab test
TT
> > equipment. Do you think it's logical for a manufacturing company
to pay
> it's
> > entire staff for several years work, just to have it blessed or
not
> blessed
> > by a lab whose prime organization has absolutely nothing to do
with
> > engineering and/or manufacturing? Nope, it's us 'Joe Hams' who
will decide
> > the capability and the performance of the Orion. How do you know
the
> ARRL's
> > results are not slanted towards manufacturers who advertise the
most in
> > their monthly publication. Surely you don't think the ARRL is
totally
> honest
> > and without fault? The ARRL is a business also (yes!) and they
generate
> > revenue from advertisement.
> >
> > It irritates me that you keep repeating that the Orion cost is
$4431.95. I
> > just wonder what the purpose is for making this kind of post?? As
a 'Joe
> > Ham', I am perfectly capable of looking up the cost of the Orion
and all
> of
> > the Orion's options. For the first time buyer of Ten Tec gear,
yes, the
> > maxed out cost for every option is $4657.95 and that assuming you
MUST buy
> > every option available. But most of us 'Joe Ham's' already have
all of the
> > filters (note that's why TT chose 9MHz for the first IF freq. They
KNEW
> Joe
> > Ham already had most of those filters!), they have a speaker, they
have
> > microphones (ugh!), they have power supplies, and they probably
have an
> > antenna tuner. Even $3300.00 is pretty steep, so why INFLATE it?
The cost
> of
> > the Orion is listed at $3300.00..THAT'S IT!! Not $4431.95.
> >
> > Tom/W4BQF
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