[TenTec] New Orion Firmware

Bob Henderson bob at cytanet.com.cy
Thu May 20 10:38:40 EDT 2004


I just returned from Dayton carrying my second Orion, which I am 
delighted to report journeyed well.  This morning I downloaded 1.37 and 
performed the update on my original Orion which was delivered here just 
before Xmas.  So far I have a few observations:

I am pleased to note that the T/R timing adjustments have had a very 
benefitial effect on the quality of CW produced at relatively high 
speed.  By ear, keying at 40wpm now sounds well timed and no longer 
noticeably truncated.  I haven't done any scope measurement but it looks 
like a good job has been done in removing the ~8mS clipping, which was 
very evident before. 

I am less happy about the effect of the double rate RIT  FAST tuning.  
Using the RIT set to Fast on CW now sounds like the control is a very 
"dirty pot".  Actually, the steppy tuning problem which previously 
affected the main tuning dial is now very noticeable on RIT 
adjustments.  Hopefully Ten Tec will be able to do as good a job in 
fixing this as they did when the main tuning suffered this problem.

I have tried the CW MOX setting and I can't fathom it at all.  This just 
does not seem to work.  If I set "PTT in CW as MOX" in the menu then the 
rig continues to work in QSK!  Not only that but the only effect of 
grounding the PTT line is that RX audio is muted.  The RX itself is not 
muted and the S-meter continues to register received signals.  Pressing 
the VOX button to ON has the same effect, merely muting RX audio.  I 
have wondered if maybe something had gone wrong with the flash update.  
I did it again and then did a master reset but all to no avail.  As a 
double check I next flash updated the second Orion just brought back 
from Dayton.  This behaves identically to the first.  Have I overlooked 
something or is this feature merely a jape to exasperate contesters?

73  Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F




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