My two cents:
I have had a dozen Orion’s and maybe 5 Orion 2’s. I buy them, repair them, use
them for a while to enjoy them, test them then sell them.
The Orion radios are VERY easy to service (all but for the CPU, since parts are
a problem).
This is the only radio I have ever seen in which you can replace the entire
mother board in less than 2 hours. (I have three of these if anyone needs one.)
I have three parts cadavers as well, due to dead CPU’s.
I have also had a few Omni VII radios and would not ever pick an Omni VII over
an Orion.
Once you learn how to properly set RF gain and noise reduction, the radio is as
quiet as an FM receiver with squelch active.
The Orion is never blinded by big signals. The Orion has wonderful listening
audio, especially the O2. (Yes, there RE significant differences between an O1
and an O2!)
I recently sold an O2 for $800 in great condition with all new function
encoders, A9 board rebuild done and CPU battery replaced. That is a lot of
radio for the buck, so price is not an obstacle any longer.
You can thank Icom for that because the IC-7300 pretty well took the bottom out
of radio prices. I can see why, because I have one sitting here and it’s a lot
better than I had anticipated, based even upon my own comments here regarding
its design.
When Ten Tec solicited input from Hams regarding a follow-on product to replace
Omni VI, my suggestion was a radio with the full function of an Omni 6+ without
the birdies, receiver performance of the Orion, the Omni VI feature that
allowed immediate momentary flip between VFO a and VFO B (more useful in my
hears than dual receivers), easy panadapter upgrade availability and tracking
preselector. The transmitter could have been left alone.
Now that direct conversion radios are a reality, I would leave everything I had
previously desired the same but for the method of detecting the signals (direct
A/D versus superheterodyne) with high selectivity tracking preselector.
Gary
W0DVN
> On Dec 4, 2018, at 10:43 PM, Byron Cordes via TenTec <tentec@contesting.com>
> wrote:
>
> I think you are comparing two deferent radio designs,up conversion Omni ll
> and down conversion The Orion. The Omni ll is more like the Japan
> manufacturers of the 1980-90s . The Orion turned the manufacturers back to
> low conversion again with its performance! The second stock rx in the Orion
> isn’t anything to talk about compared to the main! You can get a optional rx
> board 366 . That rx board is good but are rare and expensive!
> I have had multiple Orion’s . Sold tried something else sold back and forth.
> I have a Orion and two other radios each has there special use .
> I never been a fan of up conversion . Think B Henry at Ten Tec said buy a
> Orion and if you want general coverage buy a second short wave receiver.
> instead of up conversion in one radio . Anyway have fun . 73s Byron AC9PA
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Dec 4, 2018, at 9:54 PM, Rodney <w3krq@dejazzd.com> wrote:
>>
>> I have had both check Sherwood testing, Orion test is better has 2 reciever
>>
>> -----Original Message----.-
>> From: Michael Tortorella
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2018 10:34 PM
>> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
>> Subject: [TenTec] list opinion(s) on Omni VII and/versus Orion
>>
>> Folks, may we have a brief discussion of the relative merits of the Omni VII
>> and the Orion? Am thinking of one or the other and would like some input.
>>
>> Thanks and 73, Mike W2IY
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>
>> ---
>> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
>> https://www.avg.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|