[TenTec] Orion in contests

Tue Nov 18 02:03:54 EST 2003

With the CQWW CW coming up shortly, maybe you could find a seat at a station
that has an Orion ans see for your self.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George, W5YR" <w5yr at att.net>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Cc: <k5uj at hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 00:04
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion in contests

> Rob, I and many others like me have been reading the reflector and
observing
> the ORION scene for well over a year now. We have yet to find the type and
> level of information that  you and your friend seek.
>
> Overall, there is a lack of enthusiasm for the admirable traits of the
ORION
> and until lately a reluctance to mention anything negative for fear of
being
> taken apart for not supporting Ten Tec.
>
> I cannot explain this collective behavior other than to say that ORION
> owners have been assured that they own the best amateur radio that has
ever
> been produced. Thus, almost by definition there can be no issues
concerning
> its operation or performance.
>
> The usual response to a complaint or problem is that the user doesn't
> understand how to operate the radio. The upgrade issue is another mystery.
> Some owners never have a problem with either the radio or any new upgrades
> while others mention all sorts of problems, especially those which come
> after a new upgrade has been installed. As you wisely point out, new
> firmware requires extensive testing and use before being released in order
> to avoid creating new problems.
>
> It is almost as if there were two kinds of ORIONs: those which never have
> problems and work perfectly in every respect, and those which have
assorted
> ills and which seem to have inordinate difficulties with each new upgrade.
>
> As a long-time Icom user who is unfamiliar with Ten Tec equipment, any
> effort on my part to obtain a straightforward technically oriented
response
> to the basic questions of *why* and *how* is the ORION superior to my
> IC-756PRO2 is met with derision for owning a "ricebox" (apologies in
advance
> to those offended) and the reminder that instead of free upgrades, I had
to
> buy a new radio to get around the "problems" of the original PRO. Of
course,
> the PRO2 is now selling fully equipped with power supply, internal tuner,
> etc. for just over half the price of a fully equipped ORION.
>
> I am also reminded that it took Icom two models to "get it right." Yet,
the
> ORION is the *third* effort by Ten Tec, not counting the RX-340 and 320
DSP
> IF receivers, to bring out an IF DSP transceiver. Each effort resulted in
a
> new radio to be purchased, just like the Icom situation.
>
> Another thing that I have never understood is that as an experienced
amateur
> and retired engineer with decades of experience in both areas, and as an
> active operator who can  afford top-line radios,  no one has ever honestly
> tried to *sell* me an ORION on its technical merits. And I expect that I
> represent a major market segment for TT to be attracting. Rather, I am
> ignored by the TT Sales folk and derided by many on the reflector for even
> being here as an Icom user seeking to learn more about the ORION.
>
> I hope that you and your friend can obtain the information and assurance
> that you seek, Rob. I frankly think that despite the problems the ORION
has
> had in reaching maturity, it represents a unique design offering
performance
> advantages in some areas. I wish Ten Tec only the best in completing this
> product and bringing it into the amateur marketplace.
>
> 73/72, George
> Amateur Radio W5YR -  the Yellow Rose of Texas
> Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13QE
> "Starting the 58th year and it just keeps getting better!"
> w5yr at att.net
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rob Atkinson, K5UJ" <k5uj at hotmail.com>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Cc: <k5uj at hotmail.com>
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 5:26 PM
> Subject: [TenTec] Orion in contests
>
>
> > We have a potential TT customer who posed a reasonable question:  why
are
> > there few eham reviews of the Orion?  He received some responses but no
> > answers.
> >
> > One was something like this:  "If you have to ask you won't understand."
> > (very helpful)
> > Also:
> >
> > >>I still want to know why there are so few Orion reviews on eHam.
> >
> > >the best thing about eham reviews is that they are free, so truly worth
> > >what
> > >you paid for them.
> >
> > Thanks for the eham commentary but not an answer.
> >
> > >>Each new release brings about another round of bugs.  I am intrigued
> > >>by the Orion but don't want to be part of a $4,000 experiment.  Who
> > >>needs the frustration? Is this radio "ready for prime time" or not?
> >
> > >or you could do as my friend did, buy a high end ic756pro for over $3k.
> > >then a few months later they fixed the bugs and deficiencies and
brought
> > >out
> > >the ic756pro2.  for their help my friend and the other field debuggers
> got:
> > >a) a free upgrade by flash memory;
> > >b) a free upgrade by sending the rig in and covering shipping only;
> > >c) a very reasonably priced upgrade (as converting an omni 6 to one of
> the
> > >omni 6 plus steps);
> > >d) nothing, diddly-squat nothing, absolutely nothing.
> > >(correct: d)
> >
> > Deriding Icom and/or the Pro II isn't an answer to his question either.
> >
> > Folks understandably assume that on the Ten Tec Reflector, there will be
> > hams capable of giving informed, specific, objective and knowledgeable
> > answers to people considering purchases of Ten Tec products.  What these
> > people don't need are flip remarks.  If all you Orion owners want to
have
> > more Orion owners I suggest you take these questions seriously.
> >
> >
> > I have a question:  How come all you guys rush to load new software
> releases
> > as soon as they come out?  I work in the world of software, where
everyone
> > knows that Rule 1 about vendor new versions, is to wait at least a
couple
> of
> > weeks so the post-shipment bugs can come out and the patches/corrections
> > identified.  If I owned an Orion, I'd never load an update immediately
> after
> > release.
> > Rob Atkinson
> > K5UJ
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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