Bill,
I agree with you and had the same thought.
I didn't even think about that when I bought the Eagle.
I found a work-around.
I raise the radio on its bezel, and also place about a 1/4 inch piece of
wood under the bezel.
Then I pull then entire radio right up against the keyboard on the left
side.
It didn't take long to get used to tuning with the left hand.
The right hand is free for key and mouse if needed.
I've run about 8 contests that way now and don't miss the POD a bit.
Also, on the Eagle I find I have to work the RF gain a bit more than I did
on the OM6 or Orion, so having it right there is an advantage.
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of art N4UC
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 5:55 PM
To: TenTec reflector
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Varied Wishes and ramblings
Whatever you guys decide, make sure to bring back the remote pod tuning and
control capability provided by the 302R tuning pod. That simple feature
alone has unexpectedly become a "must-have" for me.
I'm glad that somebody at TT had the foresight to include such a simple, but
tremendously useful feature in the OMNI VII and Orions. However, since it
apparently was not included in the Eagle design I will probably not ever
consider an Eagle to replace my Orion.
I like to have the radio sitting a couple of inches above the surface of the
desk so I can comfortably get my fat hands and fingers around the bottom row
of knobs. But I don't get too far into a contest without aches and pains in
the shoulder and arm from holding my hand up to tune the radio. It is so
nice to be able to keep my hand resting on the desk and tune the radio with
the tuning knob of the 302R.
When I have mentioned this feature to the other manufacturers at hamfests,
I've gotten everything from the usual head nod to an assurance that their
designers know what features "normal" hams want in a radio and that's not
one of them! I know there are several third-party solutions out there to add
this capability to a station, but as far as I've seen, they all require
connection to a computer. Do it the TT way and keep it simple!
73, N4UC
> From: xtraham58@hotmail.com
> To: tentec@contesting.com
> Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 06:31:25 -0400
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Varied Wishes and ramblings
>
> Great thoughts John, tnx
>
> >
> > I hope everyone can see just from these last two threads, that there
> > is a huge variation in what hams expect of their rigs. If I look at
> > this from the outside, looking at TEN-TEC, and what TEN-TEC has made
> > through the years, I believe that TEN-TEC has done a great job in
> > giving the consumers what they want, mostly.
> > Look at the Orion series of rigs. Fantastic performance for
> > contesting, great features on the front panel, a sweep that works
> > fairly good, but of course limited by size and other constraints,
> > and so many things to so many different hams that wanted x and
> > another didn't want x but wanted y instead, well, mostly, it was
> > there on the Orion. The antenna matrix, fantastic, the band data
> > outputs, serial control of a lot of the functions for the PC hounds
> > and the interfaces for the same PC hounds with their SDR's doing
> > "fantastical" PC sweeps/waterfalls/skimming/coffee making. It's
> > there. For the audio enthusiast, binaural, spatial, agc tailoring,
> > ground breaking stuff years ago, that still most don't really
> > comprehend and well, why does everyone have to? they don't, just use it
stock, and it outperforms just about anything on the market in just about
any condition.
> > The OMNI-VII, only things it's really missing is a second receiver
> > and a functional sweep (plus a few tricks we have up our sleeves in
store for it).
> > Of course, some would not consider an OMNI-VII because of something
> > it lacks that the Orion has, or vice versa. Or the competitor rig y
> > has the feature required. Maybe it is missing band data outputs,
> > antenna matrix, two main VFOs, etc., but, it is a stellar performer,
> > demo's with the Ethernet are going fantastic from new hams trying
> > out the rig in the TEN-TEC sales shack getting audio reports of
> > great audio. Yes, I'm still beta testing one baby step at a time on
> > a new Ethernet set of code, will be out...xxxx Yes, some issues,
> > with all the rigs, but, well, all in all, the rigs have done great,
> > and will continue to do great.
> >
> > Just look at the differences "REQUIRED" of the one feature, the
> > sweep. Some could care less and want us to quit working on it for
> > the 588 and will never fire it up for the 566. Yet some REALLY NEED it
to work on the 588.
> > So, as someone mentioned earlier, that means we need to design
> > interfaces in the hardware for optional add-ons. Not an issue,
> > because if I start with a bare OMNI-VII, almost all of those
> > interfaces already exist (talking about interfaces to additional
> > hardware options, not GUI's). Same for the Eagle, same for the Orion(s).
> >
> > As I read some people's inputs, the Eagle has EVERYTHING they will
> > ever need. Why? Because it is an absolute top notch performer in
> > receiver quality and sound. For some, it has an absolutely easy to
> > use easy to access feature set that covers every requirement they
> > need. Some use it connected to a PC for getting the things they want out
of it.
> > As I read some peoples inputs, the Eagle needs so much more to make
> > it the ultimate rig, well, those are good thoughts, good wishes.
> >
> > Same for the OMNI-VII.
> >
> > With all of the above, the variances in customer wishes, required
> > features, etc., we try to design something that can do all for the
> > ultimate configuration users like the super serious PC driving
> > contesters/dxers/etc.ers, at the same time of hitting the
> > requirements of the front panel only user who wants to dominate the
> > same contests, at the same time of hitting the requirements of a rag
> > chewer who gets on from time to time and wants to drive it from the
> > PC or the front panel or a combination of both.
> >
> > When these threads started, my inbox must have had an increase of
> > about
> > 50-100 more emails a day, just on the wishes for an Orion III and
> > it's "required" features. That also lead to requests for the sweep
> > for the OMNI-VII, Vox for the Argonaut VI, etc., etc.
> > It just takes time to get those things out.
> > Doing what we can.
> > No, I'm not complaining, don't take this post this way, I do really
> > appreciate the inputs, it helps confirm the direction we are going,
> > and also brings to light things we had forgotten that others thought
> > were really important, that in our way of operating or thinking,
> > well, they weren't thought of as needed, so we can rethink them again,
and why.
> > heck, even inside TEN-TEC there is a great disparity on some
> > features, what is included, why, who would ever use this, etc.
> > Somewhere, in the end, we hope to find the happy middle ground, medium.
> >
> > Now, sometimes, we will make things that people have no idea why,
> > e.g. the
> > 506 is one of them. I have had MANY emails and calls about that was
> > the worst way and thing TEN-TEC could ever have made, not an Orion
> > or Eagle or even a traditional Corsair or Tritan... well, true, but,
> > it helps others get into the hobby, brings joy back to hams that had
> > gotten out of the hobby because they were disheartened, and the 506
> > brought them back, and they are having fun again.
> >
> > Of course, when threads like this occur, I do get emails from hams
> > saying they will wait on their purchase now for the hope of the
> > ultimate x transceiver. Well, my input to that is... Why wait, I
> > mean, you have the opportunity now, the rig you are looking at
> > really does fit your requirements today, and besides, you may get
> > hit by a bus in a month and would not have enjoyed the rig. TEN-TEC
> > could get hit by a bus itself, and the future ultimate x transceiver
> > won't see the light of day and you would have missed out on the rig
> > we have now. Go ahead and get that OMNI-VII, or get that Eagle, or
> > Argonaut VI, or 506, you can always trade it in next year or the
> > year after for the ultimate x transceiver, if/when it comes out.
> > Heck, if everyone waits for the next big TEN-TEC rig, there won't be
> > a "next big TEN-TEC rig" because everyone waiting will tank the company
due to lack of sales.
> > I know a lot that have waited on buying their next transceiver,
> > waiting for the new ultimate xxx that is now on the market, well, it
> > ain't filling their bill, ain't performing near what their other two
> > rigs were that they traded in to be able to afford it. ain't living up
to expectations, etc.
> > etc. No, this isn't a knock on a specific one, but sometimes the
> > kool-aid makes one think it is best to get the one thing, when what
> > they had in the TEN-TEC rigs did actually fulfill all they needed.
> > So, go get your OMNI-VII now, ....
> >
> > 'nuff said, time for me to get some shut eye
> >
> > Thanks, and 73,
> > John Henry, KI4JPL
> > TEN-TEC Engineering
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
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