[TenTec] rx-340 TX/RX combos

Paul Christensen paulc@mediaone.net
Sun, 6 Jan 2002 11:10:30 -0500


> I'd prefer to be incorrect, however ...It is my understanding from TenTec
> that the receiver in the Omni6+ is a superior receiver on ham
> bands(obviously) compared to the Rx 340. I had asked someone down there
> about the performance comparision. What experiences have list members had
> with the Omni 6+ prior to acquiring the 340??

I own both.  You can see my RX-340 and Omni Six Plus at:

http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=w9ac

The RX-340 is superior to the Omni Six on the ham bands...period.  The
RX-340 is seemingly impossible to overload, the zero-overshoot DSP filter
skirts are surgically precise, and 50+ DSP filter bandwidths can be
selected.  Under no conditions during the past six months has the Omni
outperformed the RX-340 under and operating condition.  Carl, N4PY has more
direct experience in contesting conditions, but in weak-signal DX work, the
RX-340 is unbeatable.

There is one caveat to the superiority of the RX-340; it does NOT have DSP
noise reduction (yet.)  I suspect it will be added in a future firmware
release.  I have already asked Ten-Tec to include the same great NR
algorithm as designed into the Omni Six Plus.  I have never heard a better
noise reduction algorithm anywhere else.

The RX-340 audio system is dare I say...near audiophile quality.  I run a
Fast Fourier Transform software program called SpectraPlus and the audio
passband is flat within +/- 1 dB from D.C. out to the edge of the filter
skirt.  I believe Bob Sherwood (of Sherwood mod fame) measured the RX-340
with a Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) figure of less than 0.2% in SSB and
synchronous AM.  The RX-340 *sounds* like a Hi-Fi receiver rather than a
communications-grade receiver.  For pro audio applications, the RX-340
offers a true balanced, transformer-isolated 600-ohm output at 0 dBm, and
also offers directly-coupled and AC-coupled audio output connections.  I run
the DC-coupled output to my PC sound card and the AC-coupled output to my
Marantz Stereo Console amplifier.

Precision off-air oscilloscope monitoring is a snap on the RX-340.  Thre are
three separate IF outputs on BNC connectors that appear on the rear panel.
I run one of these into channel one of my dual-trace-scope and the off-air
transmit sample into channel 2.  By alternating between the two traces, I
can be in a QSK QSO and see the simultaneous CW waveforms of the other
station and my own.

-Paul, W9AC