[TenTec] Re: Pegasus Unveiled at Dayton!
Paul Christensen
paulc@mediaone.net
Fri, 14 May 1999 18:02:03 -0400
The Pegasus is a real "show stopper" at Dayton! As promised, I purchased
the first production unit (Scott, don't loose my order now!).
For $895.00, this may be amateur radio's best value today. A few additional
comments to add to Conrad's excellent preview:
The Pegasus appears to be designed to go head-to-head with the Kachina
505DSP, only the remote capabilities are not yet clear. The DSP I.F. runs
at 12 kHz and the GUI interface is absolutely incredible. Before deciding
that you don't need a radio without knobs, investigate the strength of
Pegasus' GUI first! There are MANY ways to manipulate frequencies with
this radio, both through the GUI and the remote keypad/tuning knob. Since
many of us have the PC on in the shack while we're operating, may as well
let it control the rig and multi-task between functions.
Pegasus is about the same size as the Kachina 505DSP, perhaps a bit smaller.
Circuit board layout and overall electrical and construction quality is
excellent and utilizes nearly 100% SMD devices.
As a $130.00 option, you can purchase this slick integrated external keypad
and tuning knob. As I tuned the VFO with the knob, the tuning rate appeared
to be every bit as smooth as the Omni Six Plus, and far superior to my
Kachina 505DSP. One thing that needs to be ascertained: when you are out of
the control desktop window (say checking PacketCluster in the active
window), can you still change the VFO frequency with the external tuning
knob? Perhaps a question I can ask them on the floor tomorrow.
Dynamic Range is 90dB and the 3rd-order intercept is a very respectable +10
dBm. As in the Omni Six, a -20 dB input attenuator is included. Transmit
power is 100-watts. All key, speaker, data, mic, etc. interfacing is done
through the front panel and Pegasus is designed to be mounted vertically on
the desktop. Hopefully, we can choose from a horizontal escuscion that
with have the front panel lettering rotated 90-degrees! I have taken a
couple pictures with my new Sony digital camera, but yours-truly left the
notebook PC's external floppy adapter back in the office! The pics will
have to wait until Monday.
The best part: the rig purportedly is true QSK! Unlike my Kachina, I am
hoping that the QSK will be at least as good as the Omni Six. As was
previously noted, receive and voice transmit bandwidths are DSP selectable.
This is the only reason I have held on to my Yaesu FT-1000MP. If the
transmit audio performance is commensurate with that of the MP, it's goodbye
Yaesu!
That's all for now and this has been my most enjoyable Hamvention in ten
years. Excellent attendance, a good but expensive flea-market and the new
products in the exhibit area are amazing. One would hardly tell that this
is a "dying" hobby from the enthusiasm I viewed today.
Reporting live from HamVention '99, this is W9AC/8 signing clear...
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Christensen <paulc@mediaone.net>
To: John Dvoracek <jdvoracek@vvm.com>; <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 1999 5:38 PM
Subject: Pegasus Unveiled at Dayton!
> The Pegasus is a real "show stopper" at Dayton! As promised, I purchased
> the first production unit (Scott, don't loose my order now!).
>
> For $895.00, this may be amateur radio's best value today. A few
additional
> comments to add to Conrad's excellent preview:
>
> The Pegasus appears to be designed to go head-to-head with the Kachina
> 505DSP, only the remote capabilities are not yet clear. The DSP I.F. runs
> at 12 kHz and the GUI interface is absolutely incredible. Before deciding
> that you don't need a radio without knobs, investigate the strength of
> Pegasus' GUI first! There are MANY ways to manipulate frequencies with
> this radio, both through the GUI and the remote keypad/tuning knob. Since
> many of us have the PC on in the shack while we're operating, may as well
> let it control the rig and multi-task between functions.
>
> Pegasus is about the same size as the Kachina 505DSP, perhaps a bit
smaller.
> Circuit board layout and overall electrical and construction quality is
> excellent and utilizes nearly 100% SMD devices.
>
> As a $130.00 option, you can purchase this slick integrated external
keypad
> and tuning knob. As I tuned the VFO with the knob, the tuning rate
appeared
> to be every bit as smooth as the Omni Six Plus, and far superior to my
> Kachina 505DSP. One thing that needs to be ascertained: when you are out
of
> the control desktop window (say checking PacketCluster in the active
> window), can you still change the VFO frequency with the external tuning
> knob? Perhaps a question I can ask them on the floor tomorrow.
>
> Dynamic Range is 90dB and the 3rd-order intercept is a very respectable
+10
> dBm. As in the Omni Six, a -20 dB input attenuator is included. Transmit
> power is 100-watts. All key, speaker, data, mic, etc. interfacing is done
> through the front panel and Pegasus is designed to be mounted vertically
on
> the desktop. Hopefully, we can choose from a horizontal escuscion that
> with have the front panel lettering rotated 90-degrees! I have taken a
> couple pictures with my new Sony digital camera, but yours-truly left the
> notebook PC's external floppy adapter back in the office! The pics will
> have to wait until Monday.
>
> The best part: the rig purportedly is true QSK! Unlike my Kachina, I am
> hoping that the QSK will be at least as good as the Omni Six. As was
> previously noted, receive and voice transmit bandwidths are DSP
selectable.
> This is the only reason I have held on to my Yaesu FT-1000MP. If the
> transmit audio performance is commensurate with that of the MP, it's
goodbye
> Yaesu!
>
> That's all for now and this has been my most enjoyable Hamvention in ten
> years. Excellent attendance, a good but expensive flea-market and the new
> products in the exhibit area are amazing. One would hardly tell that this
> is a "dying" hobby from the enthusiasm I viewed today.
>
> Reporting live from HamVention '99, this is W9AC/8 signing clear...
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Dvoracek <jdvoracek@vvm.com>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, May 14, 1999 3:10 PM
> Subject: [TenTec] Pegasus flies to Dayton...
>
>
> >
> > While the Pegasus may not replace the omni vi+, it sure sounds like a
> great
> > testbed for IF/DSP which certainly belongs in the omni vi+ (omni-p?)
when
> > the bugs are all worked out...
> > 73,
> > de ke5c,
> > op John
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
> > Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
> > Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
> > Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
> >
> >
>
--
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Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
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Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm