[TenTec] Orion Specs vs 7800

[Jim Reid]

Ok,  I just spent some time having a look at the
Yahoo 7800 archives.

It seems that Icom has not yet published ANY claimed
or measured performance of the 7800 with regard to
BDR,  IMD,  etc.  Only a claim of  40dBm IP3,  with
no statement of measurement conditions:  band,  signal spacing,
etc.

However,  Ten Tec did just that for the Orion and well before
it was available to be purchased!  They even published curves
of phase noise,  IP3,  etc on their company web pages.

The point of the Yahoo debate seems to be that Icom purchasers
these days are going on simple blind "faith" in Icom.  Some are
waiting for "third party" tests,  as ARRL and others will run and
publish results in time.  So the "argument" on Yahoo seems to be
that one should wait for specs before purchasing.  However,
one respondent compared such a decision to an automobile
purchase:  who "knows" the specs on the $50,000 car he is
buying really?  If  he always has bought Mercedes and been
pleased,  the reasoning seems to be:  he does not "need" to know 
the real specs.  They will be fine, always have been.

Seems many have the same "emotional" attachment to Icom that
many of us have to Ten Tec,  hi.

There are some "serious" lookers at the 7800,  but they are 
waiting for the ARRL test reports,  or at least so they say.
Others say,  as they did about the Orion,  "I will wait a year
or so......, then decide".

73,  Jim  KH7M