[TenTec] AF/RF was Hello Orion Users

[AC5E at aol.com]

Well, the difference between AF and RF is the same as it's always been.

AF is a pressure wave that consists of alternate compressions and 
rarefications in a conductive medium. At present commercial audio frequency 
devices range from well below 1 Hz to above 5 mHz. 

RF is an electromagnetic wave, consisting of  paired electromagnetic and 
electromotive (voltage) fields. At present Radio waves from RF radiators 
range from around 20 hZ to the lower infrared. 

Alternating current in a circuit of some sort is just that. AC. It matters 
not if  the frequency of alternation is 1 Hz or 100 gHz - it's still an 
alternating current.  Of course, many devices will not work at too high or 
too low a frequency. But that's more or less a moot point so long as the job 
gets done. 

And the devices in the Orion do an amazingly good job, regardless of their 
frequency of operation. Much better than the 85 Khz ARC5 IF's we used to pad 
down to  12 to 15 kHz before detection, so we had enough selectivity. 

73  Pete Allen AC5E