[TenTec] Jupiter v. Omni VI (was Guidance and Insight)

[Rob Atkinson, K5UJ]

I imagine this will be a topic of fairly general interest.  In some ways the 
rigs are like apples and oranges (in their designs) so distinctions drawn 
from a performance standpoint won't be fair.  That's okay because in this 
case you just want help deciding which to buy for casual operating, i.e. 
this isn't a laboratory rig shootout to find which is the sensitivity king 
etc.  I've never owned a Jupiter, but some differences are obvious:  Omni:  
No multi knob--front panel controls are each dedicated to one thing; analog 
s meter; LEDs for display but not software defined with the LCD type 
information like a band scope and other benefits.  With the Jupiter you get 
a lot of varied filter widths on tx and rx.  you can run it with a pc if you 
want as if it's a Pegasus.  You can get one of those remote tuning boxes and 
sit back in a LaZboy with that thing in your hand and tune around with it.  
I might be mistaken and am open to correction but I sense the Omni is more 
of a competitive contest/dx radio and the Jup is more of an all around less 
intense operating type radio.  Before you all send me email about all the dx 
you've worked and contests you've won with Jupiters please remember these 
are merely opinions; not facts.  Another thing: The tx audio I've heard from 
Jupiters and Pegs has always been outstanding.

One important thing to consider is how into computers you are.  I would 
think twice about the Jup if you don't have a pc in the shack with an 
internet connection and are not willing to get that set up because it seems 
that a big part of the fun of the Jupiter is in the software improvements 
and it seems updating the flash rom is a hassle if you aren't set up to plug 
it right in to a pc.  hope this helps.

Now, if you can wait another 2 or 3 years, and the Omni does not interest 
you, here's what I'd  do:  You already have a pretty good rig, the Corsair 
II.  I'd keep running it and hang onto my cash because TT might turn their 
attention to improving the Jupiter once the Orion is out, by bringing to 
market a mid-priced rig with a single 32 bit processor.  It seems like a 
reasonable next HF project to me, now that the QRP rig is out, and the 
super-rig is about to come out.  My gut feeling is that in the pipeline 
after the Titan III will be a sort of Jup+ for the $1.2K price range.

73,
Rob Atkinson
K5UJ
k5uj at hotmail.com

Omni VI/3; Corsair II



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