[TenTec] Orion Notes, High/Low Cut

[w4tje]

Just a couple notes after using my Orion since November 2003.
First off, it is by far the best rig I have ever had in 27 years as a ham. 
A big thank-you to the men and women at TenTec for this rig. I only wish i 
had looked into Ten Tec earlier. ---My loss. If that now makes me a member 
of the cult, I am happy to be included.
The anomalies that I have found are what i would call quirks, so no nervous 
breakdowns or demands from me to Ten Tec to fix anything.
HIGH/LOW CUT
On my Orion, I have learned to love the high/low cut filtering, but I think 
there is still a bug that needs to be addressed. I was hoping v1.370 wud 
address this, but it did not.
It is hard to explain, but I will try.
When on an upper  mode (usb, ucw), the low cut filter moves the passband 
when it is adjusted. I must then reset the passband after adjusting the low 
cut filter.
When on a lower mode (lsb, lcw), the high cut filter moves my passband when 
it is adjusted. I must then reset the passband after adjusting the high cut 
filter.
I hope that description makes sense to everyone. If anyone has found a way 
around this, pse enlighten me.
But a really wonderful feature that I have discovered is the push button 
effect of the high/low cut filters. If this is in the manual, or if it has 
been previously discussed, I missed it.
example-- I am on 21217, usb, when qrm comes on above my freq. I tighten up 
the high cut filter, and then push the knob, holding it down for several 
seconds. The action created by pushing in and holding the knob is much more 
dramatic and effective than by only turning to tighten the filter. 
Likewise, if qrm comes on below me, I tighten the low cut filter, (and 
re-adjust the passband), then push and hold the low cut knob in, and the 
action is more dramatic and effective than the action created by merely 
tightening the low cut filter.
When I want to open it back up, I turn the knob, then push and hold, and 
the receiver opens back up agn.
I hope I have described this in a way that can be followed by everyone.
I first noticed this action this past winter. but I haven't seen it 
mentioned. Maybe it has been covered earlier. Either way, just thought I 
would pass it along. The effect is far greater at reducing qrm  es 
maintaining intelligibility than what I have found in any rig----ever.
73 de jack w4tje