[TenTec] Orion relay

[Bill Tippett]

W6HV wrote:
 >Probably another dumb question, but is there a way to turn off the amp
relay in the Orion? I've searched the archives and the manual and can't find
the answer. I assume it's the amp relay I hear, but trying to carry on a CW
QSO with a relay clacking  is annoying!

         Troy, you started this thread and I believe many including myself
may have misinterpreted what you were actually asking.

1.  Yes, the Orion ALWAYS uses a reed relay for keying in any CW mode
including the soon-to-be-released PTT mode (where's Yuri?).

2.  Although the reed relay in my Orion is quite audible, it is NOT
objectionable and I never hear it with my headphones on.  If I had my
headphones off (almost never) the CW sidetone would probably mask it.
I would never describe it as "clacking".

3.  If you are hearing relay "clacking", it could be your non-QSK
amplifier's antenna relay trying to follow Orion's keying.  Indeed this
does sound like "clacking" to me even though my amplifier uses a
vacuum relay (QSK-capable but I never use it for many other reasons).

         Try setting Menu > TX > EXT T/R Delay 1 or 2 (whichever you are 
using)
up to something like 90% so your amplifier relay will not drop out between
keying elements.  If the clacking is from your amplifier, this should
solve your problem.  If you are actually hearing Orion's reed relay, there
is not much that can be done about it except using headphones or some sort
of acoustical damping behind your Orion.

                                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV