But it affects all of us.
So it's our misery too.
BTW, though Ten-Tec doesn't produce any really bad ones, their signals are far
from being good.
The TX IMD of the Kenwood TS-590 is not particularly good . . . yet it is
better than my Eagle.
:-(
(so I work CW - hi).
73
Rick, DJ0IP
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of k6jek
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 5:46 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
Perhaps the lack of emphasis on transmit cleanliness is that it's somebody
else's misery
On Jul 1, 2013, at 8:34 AM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP wrote:
> 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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