[TenTec] ORION Synthesizer problem at 18 MHz

[Ulrich Hilsinger]

Hello John,

thank you for the additional informations & hints.

Well, I only forgot to mention the RAM clear in my message. I of course 
tried this, too.
Obviously, the problem is a hardware problem which is 
temperature-depending. I was able to reproduce the failure several times 
yesterday evening:
The first time, all works fine. If the ORION works for a while, 17m 
fails (wrong frequency). After switching it of for a while , it works 
well agian, until it's warmed up... So I think it's a hardware failure 
which is unique for my ORION. Probably a bad IC.

Regarding the flash update, I unmarked the "stop on errors", but after 
around 1200 lines, the update almost stopped, it took about 2 minutes 
for 10 lines.. after a while, I stopped it. I'll try this again, using 
an other computer, probably it's a PC problem...


73
Ulrich dh0ghu


John Sheeley schrieb:

> Ulrich
> 
> There is another reset you can try that might help .It
> is called called Ram -clear. It is in software version
> 1.363 so if you have that version or  later versions
> of the update software  as shown below ) it will work
> .
> on updating your Orion in the flash update program
> under settings and setup Take the check mark out of
> stop on errors. Then flash your Orion . This works for
> me .
> 73 
> John 
> WB4QDA  
> a very happy first production run Orion owner.
> 
> 10/06/03 Version 1.363
> - Added Clear function to master reset of USER
> storage.
> - Fixed code in the highlight that was causing
> overwriting of TX MENU
> - Fixed bug in mode-associated BW array index that
> caused USER recall crashes.
> - Added RAM-CLEAR sequence (hold down VFOB LCK button
> at power-up)
> - Added @A/@B prefix to 4-byte frequency query
> response.
> - Now restoring VOX state after TUNE operation with
> internal tuner installed.
> - Corrected XM indicator in STEP display. Now updated
> when changing receivers.
> - Corrected typo in ?KV parser where main rx always
> indicated VFOA associated.
> - Fixed bug in RX menu's HW NB display routine.
> 
> 
> --- Ulrich Hilsinger <dh0ghu at dh0ghu.de> wrote:
> 
>>Hello,
>>
>>I found a severe problem with my ORION on 17m
>>yesterday evening.
>>
>>Instead of being tuned to the displayed frequency,
>>the synthesizer for 
>>VFO A often locks around 560-580 kHz higher
>>(measured with a tektronix 
>>counter). I.e., instead of 18100 kHz, I operate on
>>18.660 kHz, while 
>>18.100 is displayed on the screen.
>>My first strategy was to make sure that this is not
>>due to a software 
>>problem:
>>- I recalled user settings. It helped once, but not
>>at other times.
>>- I made a recall. No help.
>>- I made a master reset. Several times. No help.
>>- I tried to re-install the firmware. Firmware
>>update software braught 
>>an error message; communication error... Not shure
>>if that has something 
>>to do with "my" problem. Could be a PC problem.
>>
>>After trying this for several hours yesterday
>>evening, I switched the 
>>rig of. After about 30min, I switched it on again -
>>and the frequency 
>>was ok.
>>So, this evening I made some further investigations
>>on this problem:
>>When I first switched the radio on, all was fine.
>>When I had 18.074 on 
>>the display, I really have been at 18.074 MHz. I let
>>the radio in 
>>standby mode for about 2 hours. When I came back to
>>the shack right now, 
>>it has been around 560 kHz too high again. Reset
>>braught no help. I 
>>cycled it off/on, no help. I switched it off, on
>>again after 15min and 
>>it was back at 18.1 MHz. After some minutes, it
>>failed again, back at 
>>+560 or +570 kHz.
>>The same procedure seems to repeat every time I try
>>it. Actually, it's 
>>back at the "right" frequency, but no idea for how
>>long time...
>>There is absolutely NO error indication, and all
>>other bands seem to be 
>>clear. The faulty carrier at, f.ex., 18.660 kHz, is
>>as stable as all 
>>"good" signals are.
>>
>>Did anybody else had this problem ? Obviously it
>>only occurs on 17m, so 
>>I never remarked a problem during normal contest
>>operation.
>>My guess is that this is a thermal problem, and
>>probably it is a unique 
>>failure on my ORION only. It might have been there
>>since ever, due to 
>>the fact of coming home late (around or after
>>sunset) in the evenings, I 
>>only operated 17m directly after starting the rig
>>during the last 
>>months, never after a longer warmup period.
>>
>>It's somehow frustrating, as 17m is in fine
>>conditions right now (and I 
>>still need many DXCC entities on that band which I
>>ignored for a loooong 
>>time..), and I really do *NOT* feel any motivation
>>at all to switch back 
>>to my old Kenwood TS850 :-(.
>>
>>Every help is very appreciated.
>>
>>73,
>>Ulrich, DH0GHU
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TenTec mailing list
>>TenTec at contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> 
> 
> 
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