[TenTec] Orion Performance Specs

[George, W5YR]

Jim Reid wrote:
> 
> Dennis, N5UF wrote,  in part:
> 
> > > Hello All, I saw the Orion and spent some time with Scott.
> >>  He says  that the hardware is stable and that the pacing
> >>  item is the  Software.....  4 prototypes have been assembled
> >>  and 6 more are in the works. Time  frame  is still September/October.
> > >
> > > I have a preliminary Data Sheet....
> 
> I suppose that the final specs will be based upon the "typical"
> performance of the above 10 units?  Maybe max and min specs
> based upon the "worst" performance among the 10 units,  with
> typicals somewhere near the "best" numbers from the group?
> Is that how it is done??   

Depends on who is doing what to whom . . .  <:}

The engineers want the best estimate of actual performance so that they
will know what else needs doing, if anything; marketing wants the best
numbers fudged up a bit by whatever improvement they think that engineering
can make; management wants to know how much the performance would suffer if
X things were done to reduce cost by Y dollars.

Just kidding - hope no one at TT takes this seriously.

But, partly seriously, ten is a rather small sample to predict the
performance of production models all that accurately. But, it at least
gives them ten radios to work with and evaluate changes, etc. Importantly,
it gives the software folks a working testbed. And it gives the assembly
folks an opportunity to evaluate their processes.

Or,  I guess amateur gear really
> does not carry "guaranteed" max/min specs,  just typicals.
> Notice that on the present TT rigs spec pages there is a
> note saying that the specs may/can change without notice.

That is standard boiler-plate on every electronic product I have ever seen
. . .
> 
> How to know what exactly one is buying with a top line rig
> purchase?

One buys it, takes it home and does what one can to find out what one has
bought.  <:}

No, modern electronic equipment being largely digitally based is remarkably
uniform in performance characteristics. I have found that the ARRL
evaluations are usually close to the mark on the radios that I have bought
recently. They do a good job on the objective, numerical aspects - it is
the subjective, personal part of the equation that only the owner/operator
can judge.

73/72/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas         
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe   
Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina 505 DSP  #91900556  Icom IC-765 #02437