Well if we are pointing out Rob Sherwood points, let's not forget that ONE BIG
POINT he makes is, there is no further need to continue work on the receiver
technology now, until we fix the dirty transmitters on the band.
Why is it nobody ever wants to talk about this? Everyone talks receiver,
receivers, receivers....
A good receiver is one that does not crunch in the presence of a strong station
on a neighboring channel.
But if that station is a strong signal using many of today's rigs, driving an
amp, he's not just on the neighboring channel.
He's splattering across your frequency and there are no receiver features for
removing that.
73
Rick, DJ0IP
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ted Bryant
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 5:12 PM
To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
Amen, Bob.
In addition to the audio issues in current radios, Sherwood has demonstrated
how AGC performance can seriously affect the ability to copy stations in the
presence of noise, especially pulse-type noise. AGC performance is yet another
factor rarely mentioned and certainly not reflected in "the charts".
A couple more interesting (and often overlooked) points that Sherwood makes:
1 - receiver requirements are more demanding for cw contesting/DXing than ssb
2 - a receiver with about 80db dynamic range is entirely adequate for most
contesting/DXing situations
73, Ted W4NZ
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw -
K4TAX
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 10:08 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
Rick brings forward a point which is one objection that I find with the use of
the Sherwood Engineering report, i.e. "the charts".
***** Let me make it clear, Rob's test data and tests are very accurate, very
useful and very valid. *****
The fallacy is hams seem to believe solely in the ranking position on the
report and they fail to acknowledge that radios are ranked according to ONE
FACTOR only. They seem to neglect other factors which I find to equally
or in some cases more important.
To Ricks point, if a radio for example, is rated in the top 10 in the "chart"
and it has poor audio as some do, then does this make it a great radio? My
take, if it has a great receiver performance but has bad audio,
it is a lousy radio. I agree totally with Rob's assessment presented at
Dayton in that a radio must be easy to use and enjoyable to use. Failing these
two points, it is not a "good" radio regardless of the numbers or the ranking
position on the "charts".
I've found that the Sherwood Engineering report can be downloaded to an EXCEL
file where upon one can sort or parse the values based on 1 or 2 or 3 different
values or parameters. Still even with this, it does nothing to reveal the audio
performance, TX performance or "use-ability" of a brand or model. To evaluate
a product without having one side by side with another, the reports including
the Sherwood Engineering report, the product review by ARRL Lab and by RSGB
serve as outstanding sources. I suggest taking these reports and building ones
own EXCEL spreadsheet to attain model by model paper comparison. Yet this
still does nothing for the "usability" factor.
In looking at the current "chart" publication (22 June 2013) , I find that 7 of
the top 10 lines are USA made products. I think that certainly speaks well of
US designed and manufactured products. This of course is based on ONE FACTOR
only. :-)
73
Bob, K4TAX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP" <Rick@DJ0IP.de>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 3:08 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
> Joe, don't just "take a look", use your ears and "listen" to the K3.
>
> I did, and I compared it to an Eagle, side by side for about a month.
> I sold the K3. Crappy audio.
> And NO, the firmware update did not fix it. It just improved it.
> It's still bad audio.
>
> 73
> Rick, DJ0IP
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe
> W2KJ
> Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 3:23 AM
> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
>
> Take a look at the Elecraft K3...it's receiver(s) are at the top of
> the charts.
>
> I have a K3 and really enjoy using it...best receiver I have used in
> 51 years of hamming...oh, and the QSK ain't bad either (grin).
>
> I sold my Orion a while back after being disappointed that Ten Tec
> didn't really follow up on firmware updates for many months after bugs
> were discovered and reported.
>
> With John Henry back in the company hopefully that won't be the case
> anymore.
>
> Interested in what Ten Tec will follow the Orion family with.
>
> 73, Joe W2KJ
>
>
>> That's my biggest concern that firmware development will cease...
>>
>>
>>
>> I hope until Ten-Tec has a replacement for it’s flagship it will
>> continue to develop firmware releases for the Orion. I also hope the
>> sub receiver upgrade will continue to be available for a while...been
>> saving my pennies for that addition to my Orion II.
>>
>>
>>
>> It’s ashamed really...there is not another product in the market
>> positioned where the Orion II sits. One has to spend a considerable
>> amount of money above the cost of the Orion II to purchase a desktop
>> transceiver (non-PC based) with the feature set the Orion II possesses.
>> With Icom it’s the 7800 at $13000.00 or with Yaesu it’s the 5000 at I
>> don’t know how much. (they dropped the 2000) Now Kenwood has the
>> 990 but it’s too new to be fully sorted out and it’s a few K$ more than the
>> OII....
>>
>>
>>
>> There are many radios out there...but few with dual receivers and
>> dual tuning knobs which has become a must have in a DX radio for
>> me.... Don’t do point and click radio’s either....
>>
>>
>>
>> Just a personal thing...
>>
>>
>>
>> Guess that makes the Elecraft K3 the winner....at lease one can start
>> basic and grow it to the level of the radios mentioned above....
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Cecil Acuff
>> Gulfport MS
>> K5DL
>>
>>
>> From: Kim Elmore
>> Sent: June 29, 2013 4:06 PM
>> To: Bob Gibson; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
>> CC: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
>>
>>
>> All radios cease production at some point, so this was inevitable. It
>> doesn't make our radios worthless or perform any worse.
>>
>> What's not clear is how much additional firmware development there
>> will be in the future. I hope TenTec doesn't cease all development,
>> but their resources are limited and we can't expect firmware
>> development to continue indefinitely. Someday, firmware support will have to
>> end.
>>
>> Kim N5OP
>>
>> "People that make music together cannot be enemies, at least as long
>> as the music lasts." -- Paul Hindemith
>>
>> On Jun 29, 2013, at 15:54, Bob Gibson <w5rg@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I wish I had known this two weeks ago when I bought a new one!!
>>>
>>> Bob Gibson W5RG
>>>
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: PC Anderson <xtraham58@hotmail.com>
>>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 2:30 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
>>>
>>>
>>> Looks like my comments were blocked.
>>> Andy W3LI
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the heads up Ron.
>>>>
>>>> Guess I'm shaking my head at why they couldn't "Eaglize" the Orion
>>>> RF design and update the controller/display/etc and end up with an
>>>> Orion III.
>>>> I love the Orion form factor.
>>>>
>>>> 73,
>>>> Barry N1EU
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 6:14 PM, Ron Castro <ronc@sonic.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I just got this in the TenTec newsletter:
>>>>>
>>>>> "On a rather sad note, about the time you read this message, we
>>>>> will have sold out of the last 566 Orion II transceiver.
>>>>> Unfortunately, due to the availability of some very critical parts
>>>>> plus skyrocketing prices for difficult components, the staff at
>>>>> TEN-TEC decided to discontinue this product. This does not mean
>>>>> we will not trade or sell used and demo Orion's and Orion II models.
>>>>> We will continue service and support this product as we have done
>>>>> in the past with all TEN-TEC products. Is a new Orion III on the
>>>>> horizon? There are plans for several new TEN-TEC products lined
>>>>> up for the future but at this time no concise decision has been
>>>>> made for another Orion transceiver."
>>>>>
>>>>> All good things come to an end...
>>>>>
>>>>> Ron Castro
>>>>> N6IE
>>>>> www.N6IE.com
>>>>>
>>>>> Member:
>>>>> ARRL
>>>>> Redwood Empire DX Assn.
>>>>> Northern California Contest Club
>>>>> Northern California DX Foundation
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