[TenTec] Orion Firmware Bug Report

[James C. Garland]

Hi Gang,
I apologize if this has been reported before, but the tuning step on the 
sub-receiver in the AM mode is always 2.5 kHz, even if the step size on the 
display indicates less.  In other words, the subreceiver tuning display 
(either VFO A or VFO B) for the subreceiver frequency seems normal, but the 
actual subreceiver increments in 2.5 kHz steps in the AM mode. In CW and 
SSB, it tunes properly.

Here are specifics, if you want to check this on your own Orion.  I'll use 
an AM station at 1000 kHz as an example, although any AM station will 
work.  Set the bandwidth at a narrow amount, say 1.5 kHz, and set the 
tuning step size at 1 Hz. Tune slowly across the AM station, starting from 
below (say 990 kHz).  When the display shows 999.967 kHz, you'll hear the 
station pop into intelligibility. At this point the Orion is tuned to 1000 
kHz, even though the display says otherwise. Now keep tuning up in 
frequency. You won't hear any change in the signal until you reach 1002.467 
kHz, at which point the signal will suddenly become unintelligible again. 
Now the Orion is tuned to 1002.500, even though the display reads 
differently. As you continue to tune higher in frequency, the Orion 
subreceiver will keep stepping up in 2.5 kHz increments, so long as it is 
in the AM mode.

I hope this isn't something normal, that I missed in the manual. If so, I 
apologize for using up bandwidth.  In any case, I hope a future firmware 
revision fixes it, because it makes tuning AM on the subreceiver 
unsatisfactory.  I'm using the latest firmware release.

73,

Jim Garland W8ZR