I should preface this by I don't know if the Omni VII sweep is different
than the OII sweep - but here is my opinion about the current OII sweep.
Maybe its just different strokes for different folks - but for instance QST
OII review said " The sweep was basically useless " or some words to that
effect. I have never had a 756 in my shack but twiddled a 756PRO3 at HRO
for several hours over three days before deciding to buy an Orion - and am
somewhat sure that it (the 756) was set up ok as the store manager has a
PRO2 and he sat with me one day for quite a while.
I have no argument whatever that the 756 sweep is "more" usable - but I
certainly find the Orion II sweep VERY usable for me . I can see signals pop
up that are in the 1 microvolt range ( not half scale but they are certainly
visible about 1/8 scale )- that is on 10 meters which I use a lot watching
for beacons to pop up.
Not to brag but :
2006 10 M CW low power Single OP
#1 was K8IA ( a real contest guy with high Steppirs and out in
boondocks east of Phx) with 803 in 72 multipliers - I was #3 with
693 in 65 multipliers using a 27 year old KLM KT34a at 50 feet in a VERY
urban location and a vertical on my patio roof for omnidirectional
monitoring. And I am sure as heck not a "real" contester at my age.
I used the sweep extensively especially in the later parts of the test or
aftre the band was "closed" when new stations were few and far between and
could see new stuff pop up - tune to them with the sub rx - pop a button and
work them with the main rx/tx - or any number of different tx-rx
combinations as the mood struck me.
On lower bands - 1 microvolt is buried in my local noise by a lot so raw
sensitivity is not an issue whatever . I operate lower bands CW with BW at
200 cycles to 300 cycles and the sweep is very usable to watch for signals.
At those BW its VERY easy to tune thru a signal that is sending slow CW even
with tuning steps at 10 hz which is what I use - without knowing ahead of
time there is/was a signal there from the sweep it would be really easy to
miss signals.
In low band contests like CWSS it is amazing how many guys don't zero beat
close enuff to hit a 300 hz filter slot ( which I need because of my noise
level) - the sweep also lets me see a signal popping up just out of my slot
that missed it.
As they say, "IMHO" the Orion II sweep has its limitations but its is
certainly useful - and FAR from useless as QST indicated in their last
review.
So I hope casual readers are not turned off by some of the OII sweep
comments.
Am I interested in the new sweep board - sure - and will be looking at it
when it comes out.
MY two cents worth -
73 de Hank K7HP
> John... I love my TT's, but having used real-time display on my 756 Pro, I
> can't be without it. So, it is my main rig.
> Finding someone tuning up on an otherwise dead 6 meters, or seeing and
> tuning directly to a random cw beacon is indispensable...Even quick meteor
> pings can be caught and tuned to. Also handy to be able to 'see' where
> all
> the calling is happening on a split pileup...or see someone returning a CQ
> a
> bit away when running tight filtering.
> ....Dave
>
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