[TenTec] K2/100, Orion review

[Paul Christensen, Esq.]

> I don't understand why the first dit would be any different than any other
> dit.

Previous Ten-Tecs run QSK whether in fast (full QSK) or slow (semi-break-in)
modes.  Unlike other manufacturers, only the receive recovery time changes.
Since the second element exhibits no shortening, I suspect that Orion's
keying structure is the same as other Ten Tecs.

Notice that in the QST Product Review photo, only the first keyed element is
affected.  Other manufacturer's radios who exhibit element shortening in QSK
manifest some degree of shortening on all keyed elements.  This is not a
trivial difference.

As a practical matter, Orion's slight shortening on the first keyed element
is not perceived to the listener, provided that all remaining elements in
the keyed series are of normal length.  (Can someone with an oscilloscope
confirm this please?)  The shortening of only the first element is no more
perceptible during a QSO than say a hard leading edge of the first element
that so many other radios exhibit as a result of ALC timing errors.

-Paul, W9AC