[TenTec] Orion Voice Memories

[Bill Tippett]

5B4AGN wrote:
 >I am currently at F/W rev 1.366 and having tried the voice memories, I am 
struggling.

         Bob, I did not have similar problems with voice memories in the
CQ WW SSB (then using 1.365), but my main gripe was the latency when
you pressed the SEND1 and SEND2 buttons.  Also, sometimes just as my
finger was pressing the button, I could hear someone start to reply but
could not interrupt my message until it completed.  I sent my comments
to Gary at TT and he implemented changes in 1.366:

11/14/03 Version 1.366
- Reduced delay between button down and voice playback.

The delay is quite acceptable now IMHO.  Also, if you initiate SENDX
now, you can stop it instantly by pressing SENDX again.  I don't use
SEND3 since I'm not that long-winded in a contest.  ;-)

         BTW, back on the issue you mentioned on the CQ-Contest reflector
(which I responded to but has not yet been posted), did you notice the
following in 1.367?

12/19/03 Version 1.367
- Adjusted Serial Buffers to improve command response.

http://www.rfsquared.com/Orion/565Hist.txt

Perhaps this explains why you are seeing a 2 second delay in the display
update when changing bands, frequencies, A/B, etc and I see well under
1 second.  I make it a habit to always upload the latest firmware
revision.  If there is a problem, it is very simple to reinstall the
previous version.  So far, I have had no reason to do so.

         For any of you low-band nuts who like a Spot Pitch below 300 Hz,
1.367 allows Spot to go as low as 100 Hz.  I never go THAT low but
I often like 240 Hz for extremely weak signals in noise.  Again this
was a direct response by Gary to a suggestion I made.  I've been
missing this since my TS-930S days, since most 90's era radios limit
Pitch to a minimum of 300 or 400 Hz (with only 50 Hz steps).

         Sure this firmware stuff has its frustrations, but Ten-Tec is being
very responsive to constructive, well thought out suggestions.  I have
no doubt they will continue to do so and make Orion even better.

                                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV