[TenTec] Orion power output

[Tom Rauch]

> I also question the need for the extra 50 watts.  I believe it takes a
> 3dB increase to be detectable by the human ear, and about 6 dB to
> equal one 'S' unit increase.  

One S unit is typically about 1 dB or so at the low end of most S 
meter scales.

Most S meters are "calibrated" at less than 5dB per S unit, a few 
are calibrated at 6dB, but that generally only works near mid-scale.

A one dB increase is detectable by human ear, but that does not 
relate at all to signals in noise or QRM. When a signal is in noise 
with marginal copy, one dB improvement often provides a major 
change in readablity.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com