[TenTec] Orion feedback...

[Winston F. Jones]

I find this thread on the Orion very interesting. I probably will never buy
an Orion because I will never buy a $3,000 radio. I couldn't justify that
kind of hobby expenditure to myself or family. However, if I were to buy
that price of radio, you can bet it would be a Ten-Tec. I know it will be
easy to operate, and more important, I know that the company will stand
behind its product and provide service.

I did sell out some of my older Ten-Tecs last fall and purchased a Jupiter.
I enjoy it a lot, although I don't like the feel of the tuning knob of a
synthesized rig, it is a great radio. However, it may not be the most
beautiful radio ever built. It looks a little too much like all the imported
rigs. But when I want to behold beauty, I look across my operating desk to
my backup rig, an old Triton IV. I think it may be the prettiest of all
Ten-Tec models. I can admire it and at the same time, enjoy all the
conveniences of the Jupiter!
73, Winston  K4CWQ

----- Original Message -----
From: "George, W5YR" <w5yr@att.net>
To: <johnclif@ix.netcom.com>
Cc: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 16:09 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion feedback...


> Full agreement here, John . . .
>
> From my own somewhat lengthy experience in the ham shack, I notice that I
> spend probably 95% of the time looking at the radio front panel and
display
> and the other 5% looking at the output monitoring scope, etc. If that
panel
> and display are cheap-looking and/or just plain ugly, I am going to regret
> that I ever bought the radio every time I use it.
>
> And to put things in perspective, I believe that it is highly unlikely
that
> the Orion is going to be an order of magnitude better in performance that
> the top-line radios we have today. It should be better, of course, or
there
> is no reason for its being in the marketplace. So, an upgrade yes for many
> of us, and a dazzling new high in radio experience for many others, but
the
> world's best radio that will obsolete everything else in the ham market?
> Not very likely . . .
>
> So, we get back to the point where we have to consider the look and feel
of
> the radio in addition to its performance. A personal case in point is my
> Kachina 505DSP with it full (and only) computer control. It is a pretty
> good radio in terms of specs and it has some really neat features. It is
> exceptionally good for SSB and usable for CW though far from what a good
CW
> radio should be. The point is that although the performance is adequate or
> better,  the God-awful GUI computer program that you have to stare at for
> hour after hour drives me up the wall.
>
> When the Icom 756 PRO came out I got one as much as anything for the panel
> layout (real knobs and switches!) and for the elegant color display. After
> a year and a half, I still enjoy just watching that radio while I use it -
> and I lost that feeling with the Kachina after about the first month I
used
> it.
>
> Face it, looks do count, especially in a situation when you have to stare
> at the thing for hours on end. If you like its looks, and it performs
well,
> you have a personal winner. But, if it is the world's best radio and you
> hate its looks, and find its operation awkward due to the control layout,
> etc. then happiness is not likely to be the result.
>
> 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
>
> All outgoing email virus-checked by Norton Anti-Virus 2002
>
>
> John Clifford wrote:
> >
> > Based upon the pictures, etc., I think the Orion is going to be a great
rig
> > (and I will probably buy one).
> >
> > However... I'd like to see some changes made before the rig is released.
> > First and most important... HIRE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER TO HELP YOU WITH THE
LCD
> > DISPLAY!  This has to be the worst-looking and most amateurish (in the
worst
> > sense) display I have ever seen.  Why is it that Icom can have a
> > decent-looking display on their $1200 746 and Ten-Tec doesn't have one
on
> > their $3300 killer rig?  This criticism isn't meant to beat up
Ten-Tec...
> > it's meant to ensure that Ten-Tec has a fighting chance to compete with
the
> > other high end rigs.  Seriously... a crummy LCD display appearance will
> > probably mean 25% to 50% less sales for this unit which will be
devastating
> > for Ten-Tec.  You HAVE to make the display as visually compelling as the
756
> > PRO or you are not going to get the sales!
> >
> > Re the gold trim... I agree with the other posters who mentioned satin
> > rather than gloss.  I'm sitting here glancing over at my Omni VI and
> > thinking how nice this rig STILL looks more than a decade after the
original
> > design.  The two-tone knobs use color for function as well as
appearance.
> > It looks like a rugged piece of communications gear (as does the
> > Paragon/Omni V).  The secret of a good visual design is that the radio
will
> > not look dated a few years down the road.  Timeless -- Omni.  Dated --
> > Kenwood TS-2000.  Now THAT is a rig whose styling will go the way of the
> > tail fin on an automobile.
> >
> > Hey, looks are important!  How many of us wanted to date the ugly girl
even
> > if she was smart and nice?  How many of us want to drive the ugly car
even
> > if it was fast and handled well?  How many of us buy the ugly clothing
even
> > if it is well-made and durable?  How many hams will get rid of their 756
> > Pros and MkVs for a Ten-Tec Orion if the display is ugly and the front
panel
> > is garish?  SOME... but not nearly as many as if the display was killer
and
> > the front panel looked elegant in a high-tech way.
> >
> > I worked at Msft when Windows was being refined into the killer OS.
(Say
> > what you will about Windows... version 3.0 enabled Microsoft to
"overturn
> > the chess board" and replace Lotus, Wordperfect, and Ashton-Tate as the
> > number 1 software applications company, and that is a FACT.)  Windows
3.0
> > ruled for one major technical reason, and one major aesthetic reason...
> > memory was no longer an issue AND the 3D color interface looked better
than
> > anything else out there.  But looks are what sold Windows, because no
one
> > would have wanted to try an ugly but powerful OS... they already had
things
> > like OS/2 and Unix to choose from.
> >
> > Scott et al... you've got one chance with this rig.  One big splash in
QST,
> > CQ, and the other mags.  Sure... you can refine things but the
excitement
> > will pass to the next offering from Yaecomwood. Pick an LCD that
supports
> > grey scale.  Spend the money to have a great LCD UI and make the front
panel
> > of the Orion look as elegantly utilitarian as the RX-340 even if you do
keep
> > it in black.
> >
> > One ham's opinion...
> >
> >  - jgc
> >
> > John Clifford KD7KGX
> >
> > Heathkit HW-9 WARC/HFT-9/HM-9
> > Elecraft K2 #1678 /KSB2/KIO2/KBT2/KAT2/KNB2/KAF2
> >                   ...waiting _eagerly_ for KPA2!
> > Ten-Tec Omni VI/Opt1
> >
> > email: kd7kgx@arrl.net
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
> --
> 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
>
> All outgoing email virus-checked by Norton Anti-Virus 2002
>
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