[TenTec] Orion Filters

[Duane Grotophorst]

Interesting results. I wonder how different the
results would be though if you were to use a sound
card program like Spectran fed from the line level out
of the Orion (and RX-340) to find the -6 and -60dB
points on the filter passband curve?? This way the
values are a relative measure of the actual level of
recovered audio vs. the level of AGC action that using
the S meter more or less represents.

Spectran can be found at http://www.weaksignals.com/

Duane
N9DG



--- Carl Moreschi <n4py at earthlink.net> wrote:
> I received my Orion today.  I decided to take at
> look at the filter shapes
> of several filters in the Orion.  I used a crystal
> calibrator signal for a
> constant source and the Orion S meter to determine
> the relative strength.
> Below is the data I got.
> 
> 
> Filter       6 DB width     60 DB width    Shape
> Factor
> 
> 100            150             440                 
> 2.9:1
> 250            240             470                
> 1.95:1
> 500            510             820                
> 1.6:1
> 1000           980            1160              
> 1.2:1
> 1600          1580            1880             
> 1.2:1
> 2400          2360            2500             
> 1.06:1
> 3000          2930            3270             
> 1.12:1
> 4000          3960            4280             
> 1.08:1
> 
> 
> These filters are all very good.  I used the same
> procedure on my rx340 and
> found all the rx340 filters have 1.2 :1 shape
> factors, even the 100 hertz
> filter.  But the rx340 100 hertz filter has some
> softening of the CW signal
> through it.  The Orion 100 hertz filter still sounds
> fine, exhibiting no
> apparent softening of the CW edges.   I would say
> the rx340 CW filters from
> 300 hertz to 900 hertz are better than the Orion
> filters of the same widths.
> But the Orion Filters from 1000 hertz and up are a
> little tighter than the
> rx340's.
> 
> I also put my 250 hertz crystal filter in the Orion.
>  For these simple
> tests, no improvement was seen.  I also am seeing a
> 2 S unit insertion loss
> from the 250 hertz crystal filter.  I had to adjust
> the center of my crystal
> filter 70 hertz to get it exactly on center in the
> Orion.  That means my 250
> hertz old filter I've had for years has always been
> off frequency by 70
> hertz.  I will be looking for a situation where the
> 250 hertz filter
> improves things.  I'll report it when I find one.
> 
> I've tried to be objective in my measurements, but
> my simple measuring
> method may not be perfectly accurate but none the
> less it should give a
> reasonable account of the filters in the Orion.  The
> bottom line is they are
> very good.
> 
> Carl Moreschi N4PY
> Franklinton, NC
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec


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