[TenTec] My Orion

[Tommy]

From: "Lee A Crocker" <lee_crocker at yahoo.com>
Subject: [TenTec] My Orion


>
> Now this is something worth writing about.  Solutions.
>   I for one will be interested in your solutions to
> your particular application.

I agree. Once I get this resolved, I do want to share the solution with
anyone interested..
>
> Tommy, apologize if I was a bit short, but I note
> there is a thrice a week requisite rant (not
> necessarily from you) regarding the "reliability" of
> this radio that hasn't been "fixed" in over a year.
> To what end is this thrice a week rant?  Does it make
> the new code come out any faster?  Does it increase
> the reliability of the radio?  Is the state of the art
> advanced?

Being a 'bit short' comes with this reflector. I'm sure if my system was
working perfect and someone posted such problems, it would be pretty normal
to first suspect that the guy had no clue how to operate a radio station,
then it would be quite normal to suspect the guy did not know how to put
together a reliable system in which he expects his radio to perform
flawless, and only then, one might begin to think there may be some validity
about the posted problem. Fortunately there are some very technically astute
hams on this reflector and I have been offered many very practical
suggestions for things to look for. In general, the reflector has been quite
helpful.
>
> I'm not sure a "software" driven system of this type,
> that is a consumer grade hobby radio, will ever have
> the "reliability" that seems to be expected as a given
> by some participants on the list.  This radio is never
> going to be a 75S3.  By its very nature the system is
> a digital approximation of a multiple analogue
> systems, and as such it will have implementation
> errors that are worse than the analogue systems it
> models.  That is the engineering constraint of this
> kind of system.  The advantage of the system is its
> vastly increased flexibility in what is implemented.
> An example is the variability of bandwidths and the
> quality of close in rejection of adjacent signals, a
> remarkable engineering feat.  Try implementing that on
> your 75S3.
>
> You can tweak the firmware to gain some marginal
> improvement, but the processing power and the A/D is
> fixed, and short of plugging more powerful hardware
> there will be ONLY marginal improvement in the radio.
> The Orion is not going to be 100% "better" a year from
> now than it is today.  If that is the expectation,
> then my expectation is we will be treated to another
> ten years of thrice weekly rants, while waiting for it
> to get "fixed".

Welllll....I'm not quite sure I agree with the statement about the Orion 'is
not going to be 100% better a year from now...'. In my case, once this
keying loop problem (my assesment  of the problem) is fixed, then to me it
certainly will be significantly better. Right now I'm basically paranoid
about using the Orion simply because, again, in my case, I never know when
I'm  going to lose the rcvr or lose RF output power from the Orion. The
reason I don't fully agree with you is I have had the opportunity to read
the archives posted by the firmware beta testers and I can assure those
guys, and this certainly includes both Gary and Scott of Ten Tec, are very
dilligent in their 'bug chasing' process. However, as you say, being
firmware driven, it's almost impossible to cover every single aspect of the
radios operation every time a beta release of the firmware is forthcoming.
But I can assure you that the DO try very hard to find all of the problems.
>
> If this is the case, then I think choosing more
> appropriate hardware is the rational solution to the
> problem.  One advantage of a crystal diode radio is
> that it always works.  It is essentially 100%
> reliable.  Of course the disadvantage is that there
> isn't much choice in what you hear.  A 75S3 is a
> "reliable" radio except when the tubes go out, and you
> can't find replacement tubes and it needs to be
> aligned and its drifting down the band, etc. etc.  If
> you try to drive a Ferrari as you would a 4x4 you will
> be stuck on the first sand dune.  Each system has its
> own shortcomings.

Well, honestly, I did have a lapse of memory and actually considered the new
Icom rig. But I've been dealing with Ten Tec too long to really consider
giving up on the Orion. This company has a proven history of trying their
best to support their customers, no matter where the real problem lies.
>
> Again my heart felt apology and my best to you in your
> endeavor to solve your particular communication
> problem.

Thanks Lee, I appreciate that.
>
> As to this radio being a gas, I'm an anesthesiologist
> so that's how I spend my day, sitting on a stool
> passin' gas.

Ha ha..I love  it!!!
>
> 73
>
> W9OY
>
73,

Tom - W4BQF