[TenTec] Orion tuning rates

[Joseph Trombino Jr]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Henderson" <bob at cytanet.com.cy>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 9:58 AM
Subject: [TenTec] Orion tuning rates


> My Orion arrived yesterday evening and is up and running and looking
> good.  Early days yet but there's already a lot I like about this
> radio.  I do have one area that I am struggling with currently.  I don't
> seem to be able to get to a comfortable tuning rate for the VFO.
>
> Right out of the box it tuned with a step size of 100 Hz which for
> tuning CW stations was clearly no good at all.  The step menu gives
> optional step sizes of 1/10/1k/5k/10k/100k  Hz.  I find that only the 1
> Hz step size gives a smooth feel to the tuning.  i.e. my ear cannot
> discern a step change and the radio sounds like it is controlled by a
> linear vfo.  Even at 10 Hz the tuning sounds steppy.   I have therefore
> set it at 1 Hz but the number of steps per revolution are very limited
> so that causes a problem.  Even with the VFO-A encoder rate in the Other
> menu set to High, it only shifts 250 Hz per revolution.  At the default
> Slow rate it's only 62.5 Hz per revolution.  I can't think what
> application would require this kind of rate..
>
> Am I missing a beat here?
>
> Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F

Howdy Bob:

I use 10hz stepping for my Orion and find it just right for CW and
SSB....the 1hz step rate is just too slow for much of anything.

                                                    73, Joe W2KJ