More Re: [TenTec] Orion redefines the meaning of ... AGC OFF

[K3BU at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/7/04 5:03:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
btippett at alum.mit.edu writes:
>>but I never felt I was missing weak callers and my results seem to
confirm this, of course my antenna gain of 22 dBi doesn't hurt either.<<

You will never know what you missed when it was weaker than the threshold of 
the internal noise. Subjectively you find it better, quieter, easier to read 
receiver, there is no argument with that. But if K2 or few other radios can 
hear weak signals (based on K6SE A/B tests) then there is a room for improvement. 

The point is that if there is certain threshold of internal noise and the 
signals at the antenna inputs are below it, then you will never know. If the band 
noise (and signals) are above that threshold, then there is "no problem" they 
override the internal noise and everything is fine. But as low band 
aficionados and VHF weak signal diggers know, it makes the difference between hearing 
and not hearing the stuff at the lower limits of sensitivity. 
So using Orion preamp should help, I would assume that its S/N or internal 
noise would be lower than what we are hearing without it. This has to be tried 
and tested with signals that are in the mud, not moving s meter and with band 
noise below the internal noise (like "naked" Beverage or 10m antennas beaming 
North).  

Again AGC, DSP is immaterial here and should be off. We are looking at the 
bare front end S/N performance and sensitivity. I will look at those aspects 
when I get more intimate with Orion and get into the receiver. 

Yuri, K3BU.us