[Orion] Orion AF gain + Other Quirks + PSK31

[Joe Giacobello]

I have delayed commenting on this topic, but I wanted to add my recent 
observations.  Unlike others, I have  had relatively few problems with 
my Orion, which was purchased used, but had been sent back to the 
factory by the original owner for repairs and upgrades.  However, recent 
problems seemed to have arisen after upgrading to firmware version 1.372.

I have just started using the Orion on PSK31 and it generally seems to 
work quite well without benefit of an interface.  However, I have on 
numerous occasions noticed the AF gain going down for no apparent 
reason.  It's quite obvious when this happens on PSK31, because the 
amplitude of the audio response in the spectrum display sinks  down and  
almost completely out of the bottom of the frequency axis.  Normal AF 
gain can be restored by power off/on.  (BTW, my equipment is on 24/7.)

While I never use VOX for SSB, I do use it for T/R when operating 
PSK31.  I just went through several days of frustration here adjusting 
the VOX for PSK31.  Originally, it had worked flawlessly for about two 
weeks without requiring any adjustments.  Then, without any warning, it 
started behaving erratically and the response just wouldn't stay put.  
I'd make some changes and think I had it set properly, and five minutes 
later it was behaving differently.  I did a master reset and that seemed 
to restore normalcy, but the VOX settings were now far different from 
the original ones.  A day or two later, the VOX started acting up again 
but with different symptoms.  It now was very difficult to get it to 
actuate at all, but once it did, it wouldn't turn off unless I turned 
the VOX function off completely.  Listening to my signal on the monitor 
and observing it on my scope, there was about a 1000 Hz oscillation 
keeping the VOX on.  After rebooting my computer several times and 
restarting my PSK31 and N4PY software without any improvement, I finally 
did another master reset.   That seems  to have done the trick and 
things have been normal and stable for the past day or two. 

When operating PSK31, I generally adjust the audio gain to the point 
just below where the ALC LED starts flickering and set the power output 
to MAX.  These settings give about 50W out.  On the air IMD reports seem 
to be satisfactory: -25 to 30 dB.  However, the audio gain setting to 
reach that threshold seems to vary from band to band.  On 40M it runs 
about 20, but on 15M it's about 60.

After having gone QRT for about ten days and shutting down the shack, I 
had no display visible on the Orion when I fired things back up.  A 
master reset was required to bring the display back.  On another 
occasion I tried to go on SSB and there was no transmit audio.  Again, a 
master reset brought things back to normal.  Both of these problems have 
only occurred once each.

I hope others find this info useful.  I'd be interested in hearing about 
other, related observations.  I have sent a copy of this message to 
ditsnbits for their information.

73, Joe
K2XX

skip wrote:

>Ok guys,
> this morning I was listening to CW on 80 with my Orion and working 40 SSB
>with my MPmkV.  The volume decreased in the Orion drifting lower and lower
>until I couldn't hear anything.  I turned the AF gain and nothing, by
>accident I pushed the AF gain control in and the audio almost broke my ear
>drums.  It seems that the AF gain control is bad.  I'm not sure if it's a
>pot or a LED and chopper.
>
>That sorta solves one problem.  Hardware related. not firmware.  I am using
>the latest release.  The other problems may be in the hardware as well.
>
>I hate to send a piece of equipment back and say well this doesn't work
>without having something tangible for the techs to look at.
>
>I also found out that the hold in the bottom of the Orion for the mic gain
>has a plug in it.
>
>de Skip       K3CC
>
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