[TenTec] Ten Tec Omni D, Why so quiet ?

[Clark Savage Turner]

In my own careful experiments with the OMNI-C vs the TS-440 (ladder vs 
ceramic followed by monolithic lattice filters) the static levels are 
the same for the same level of sensitivity.  If I cut back the RF gain 
on the 440 to the point where they were about equal, the signals jumped 
out of the noise about equal.  The OMNI-C has less gain on the lower 
bands and automatically sounds quieter but retains enough gain to work 
fine under most conditions.  The time where the ladder filter can help 
out is when there is heavy static and you try to copy a weak CW signal 
between crashes.  I noticed a very small difference in the "ringing" 
characteristics of the rigs to my ears, I could copy just a tiny bit 
better on the OMNI-C in heavy static when the CW signal had enough 
strength to come through.  When the signal was really weak and I had to 
use a lot of filtering, the 440 would win, but the fatigue factor in 
listening was worse.

The OMNI-C was a neat rig, so well done for its time.

Clark
WA3JPG


On Thursday, February 19, 2004, at 09:09 AM, Mike Hyder --N4NT-- wrote:

> Perhaps someone can explain why it is so but I've seen much discussion 
> about
> the superiority of the Ten-Tec 'crystal ladder' filters over the 
> 'crystal
> lattice' filters used by other manufacturers.  From what I've read, the
> difference in those filter types may help account for the lower static
> levels you are finding on the Omni-C.