[TenTec] Orions & contesting

[Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales]

At 09:44 AM 12/30/03 -0500, you wrote:

>  Elecraft $800 radio is awfully close in important specs and
>can hear weak signals that Orion could not.

Nothing against Elecraft - but I don't agree with that conclusion,
much of the feedback that has appeared on the Internet
doesn't support it and neither would measured specs from ARRL
Product Reviews.   We'll leave the "human interface for contesting"
aspect vis a vis Elecraft alone as I don't think Eric and Wayne
were targeting HF contesting specifically when they designed their
radio; it wouldn't be a fair comparison.

There is much more to the Orion than merely the #1 receiver
performance, Yuri - you know that.  The points of Orion versus other
HF transceivers have been made in numerous places on the Internet
and in the amateur magazines.  I don't need to repeat them.

> >Just to underline:
> >Advantages of having and using PTT control line on CW:
> >1. Smoother, not chopped up CW characters.
> >2. Positive control over timing, control of linears, and other gizmos in 
> SO2R
> >setups.
> >3. Saves relays.
> >4. Eliminates QSK chatter, noise between characters when not wanted.
> >5. Maintains wiring, continuity, functionality between SSB and CW modes.

All of this is do-able with the Orion as-is.   MOX CW operation defeats
the purpose of full break-in CW operation.  There is not going to be a
change made - if you feel that this is a "must have" versus the other
amazing aspects of the rig - then the Orion is not the transceiver you
need to meet your needs for serious HF contesting.

If you have external devices that need to be MOX CW PTT operated
because you need proper sequencing, all the tools are available in the
radio.  Enable the QSK keying loop but don't hook anything to it.
Run the CW output of your contest software to pin 3 for PTT on
the AUX I/O jack of the rear of the Orion.  Take the PTT line from
the computer keying and run it to the TX EN jack on the back of the
Orion.  The TX EN jack will now act as a TX inhibitor and will not
allow the radio to transmit in the absence of the PTT signal.   You may
now determine when RF comes out of the radio by whether or not
there is a PTT signal present from the computer - just like you need.

Go into the menu, turn up the QSK delay to whatever value suits your
ear to defeat the QSK keying.

Set the EXT T/R DELAY control in the menu for whatever value you
need to assure the proper un-key value so ancillary equipment releases
after RF output has stopped from the transceiver.  The key-up value is
already present to prevent initial hot switching.

Sequence of events:  PTT command is sent from the computer to the
TX EN jack enabling the radio to transmit.  (In its absence, nothing
will happen).   CW is then sent from the computer to the CW input.
AMP KEY 1 interjects a 20 mS delay to key the linear and whatever
devices you have after the linear.  On un-key, the selected (which,
you, the operator, have determined) EXT T/R DELAY time hangs
an amount between 0 and 1 seconds after the disappearance
of RF output power from the radio.   If you want to cut the RF
drive from the radio off *by your control via PTT* - then tell the
PTT output from the computer how fast you need to have it removed.
When that PTT signal disappears from the TX EN jack on the keying
loop, the radio will stop transmitting.

You have now achieved 1 through 4 on your above needs list.  #5 is
going to have to be up to you.

 >>Reasons so far given for not implementing it by TenTec?
 >>"We know better that you don't need it!"

We do things differently than the Japanese - and if you interpret this
as arrogance or "we know better" that is entirely your spin on it,
not mine.  If you're not willing to listen to an explanation of why our
method is *in our opinion* superior, than really there isn't a whole lot
more than I can say.  We developed the radio (and previous ones)
with full break-in CW in mind.  If your chief aim is to defeat the CW
capabilities of the Orion, this may not be the radio for you.

Never has so much been written about something that the radio is already
capable of - and capable of without needing anything other than a good
read of the operator's manual.

Yuri, tell me.  When you owned an Omni-VI, it didn't act any different
from the Orion regarding CW keying.  Why is this an issue for you now?

73
Scott Robbins, W4PA
Amateur Radio Product Manager, Ten-Tec, Inc.


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