[TenTec] Observations on my Orion (long)

[Steve Baron - KB3MM]

Thanks for posting here.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Trombino Jr" <w2kj at bellsouth.net>
To: <TenTec at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 14:21
Subject: [TenTec] Observations on my Orion (long)


> Hello fellow TenTec'ers:
>
> Just thought I would send in a note with my impressions of my Orion after
> having used the radio for almost four months.
>
> My Orion played just fine right out of the box except for a puzzling
problem
> with a "hiss" being generated on the sidetone signal in the CW mode.  I
> tried the master re-set on three different occaisons with no luck.
>
> I mentioned this problem to Scott at TenTec and he said they were aware of
> the problem and were looking into it.
>
> After uploading the last software update for the Orion much to my surprise
> the "hiss" was completely gone!!!  I now get perfectly generated sidetone
> from the Orion when operating CW.  Was this just a fluke or did TenTec
> really install a software fix???
>
> I operate about 99% CW but do use SSB for a weekly sked.  My contact and
> others who have listened to my signal on SSB have given it excellent
> reviews.  I use a Heil micro-proset with the HC4 element.
>
> If SSB performance is impressive the performance on CW is even better.
The
> QSK is absolutely awesome....much better than on my previous OMNI VI/3
which
> I used for 10 years.  The radio is so "settable" via the menus that it can
> be configured for just about any operating condition.
>
> Did I mention that the QSK is awesome:-)  The lightning fast change-over
> from TX to RX is absolutely noiseless....no artifacts at all...no clicks,
> thumps, crackles...just perfect.  I was hoping that TenTec would improve
on
> the QSK from the OMNI VI series and they sure did.
>
> I wish TenTec had made finer QSK delay settings for my ARGO V.
>
> All of the new radios are sensitive so that is not an issue with the
Orion.
> It is a very quiet radio and the DSP noise reduction works just great.
Most
> impressive to a CW OP is the DSP filtering...down to 100Hz without
> ringing....very impressive.
>
> I have used the Orion in several contests and it's front end is bullet
> proof...I am amazed at the strong-signal handling capabilities of the
radio.
>
> OK....enough raving....with the "hiss" problem taken care of I believe I
> will keep this Orion for another ten years just like I did with my OMNI
VI.
>
> TenTec shouldn't make radios this good....people will tend to hold onto
them
> for years and years and not buy another TenTec...is that good business:-)
>
> I am now waiting for the ARRL product review on the Orion....I would like
to
> see if their numbers closely match the numbers TenTec has on this radio.
>
> Is the Orion the ultimate radio on the market now???  I sure think
so....but
> then again I may be playing favorites since I owned the OMNI VI/3 for so
> long.  BTW, I only bought the OMNI VI after having used a new FT990 and
then
> tried out a FT1000.  They couldn't match the OMNI VI's performance on CW.
>
> I hope my Orion lasts as long as my OMNI VI.
>
>                                                 73, Joe W2KJ
>                                                 North Carolina
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>