[CQ-Contest] TenTec Orion questions regarding SO2R suitability

[Bill Coleman]

On 5/8/03 11:38 PM, David A. Pruett at k8cc at comcast.net wrote:

>With regards to AA4LR's comment, I think the demand for this is smaller 
>that he thinks.  How many ham transceivers do you really think the 
>manufacturers sell?  I remember buying a IC-765 (a fairly popular radio) 
>two years after introduction and it was only s/n 3000.  A high-end SO2R 
>radio is truly a niche product.

The market for a single box SO2R radio should be at least as large as 
that for a transceiver with dual receive, since the features of such a 
transceiver perfectly overlap those of a transceiver with dual receive.

The only missing component here is the ability to continue to receive on 
at least one receiver when the transmitter is transmitting.

Consider that such a rig has receiver A and B. Even if receiver A shared 
significant components with the transmitter, there's no reason to mute 
receiver B during transmit so long as a) receiver B is on a different 
band, and b) receiver B is connected to a different antenna

I've pointed out before that a rig such as the FT-1000D, and now the 
Orion are so close to providing SO2R capability in one box it is a 
mystery why the manufacturers chose not to include it.

If the Orion could do SO2R with one box, I might be tempted. However at 
$3300 a pop, two elecraft K2s are cheaper....



Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901