[TenTec] Orion Reviews

[Jim Reid]

Tim was wondering:

>  Do we know if the 32 bit IF  DSP system in the Orion works 
> better than the Pro? Is that even a sensible question or is 
> there too much else that is different between the designs?
> Myself I have no clue. It appears that no one happens to 
> own both, but it sure would be nice to know.

Tim,  you and the fellows with whom I have been bantering,
are in the group that will have to await the "official" ARRL
Lab test reports,  especially the expanded version.  I am
pretty sure that will not be published before this coming Fall;
at least very late Summer at the earliest.  Unless,  they rcvd
a unit from the first production lot,  all of which,  as far as I
know has now been shipped.  

Anectdotal comparisons by any of us, Pro or Orion owner,  or
both will be held suspect because of various bias in our view
points.  I have placed my Orion order entirely on the basis
of the engineering analysis and information forthcoming from
Doug Smith (which first appeared last Fall).  And it has taken
several months for me to come to,  I think,  completely 
understand what the design objectives were,  and what,
at least the Ten Tec engineering department now believes,
and reports that they have achieved (all posted now with
a lot of graphical and tabular detail at the TT Orion web
site).

I am happy with that,  and anxiously await my Orion,  hi.
I have had out here TS-950SDX, FT-1000D,  Trition 544,
Corsair II,  Omni VI+ and Pegasus/RX-340 rig set ups;  sometimes
two or more of these at the same time.  I am a fairly active
operator,  so believe it will not take me too long to come
to a keep/return decision about the Orion,  hi.  Right now,
from what I have learned about the rig,  I suspect it will
be a keeper!

But,  for you and many others,  just be patient a few months
for the "real" test results via the ARRL Lab.

73,  Jim  KH7M