[TenTec] Sweep display freezing on Orion

Mon Sep 6 19:15:37 EDT 2004

Thanks Bernard but after 3 weeks of testing the Orion, I sent it back for a
refund.
BTW: It took me several phone calls and emails to get my refund.
I did not find the Orion a bit complicated and have no idea why everyone
thinks it takes a month to "learn it".
As for posting reviews....Eham puts no requirements on posting a review. It
is not intended to be a "professional" site for engineers to post reviews.
It is intended to be a place for users to express their opinions and
experiences with their equipment. Several months ago I purchased a
SoundsSweet speaker and posted a bad review. I received several flames and
hate mail from happy owners. My review was the only one at the time that
qualified as half-way objective. I used an audio generator, scope and VOM to
prove my points. Everyone else made highly subjective comments like "Wow
this speaker is great, I can hear it all over the house" or "Sounds awesome,
signals seem to pop out of nowhere".
With the Orion I used a simple signal generator from Elecraft to run some
test against the PRO2. I fed the weak signal into the antenna inputs of both
rigs at the same time and mixed the signal with QRN on 160 meters. All I can
say is, the PRO 2 was able to hear the signal better. Some will say this is
non-professional and I will admit it is amateurish but at least I have SOME
basis for my comments.
Considering that Eric spent $5,000 USD for the Orion and now has no hope of
a refund, I think his review was overly generous!
Steve N4LQ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bernard(wtrone)" <wtrone at comcast.net>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Sweep display freezing on Orion


>     Steve:
>
>         I am sorry that you have had problems with your Orion.  I have had
> mine for a little over 5 months and only once did I have to do a reset.  I
> haven't had the problems that you are describing.  Maybe yours needs to go
> back to the factory for a little adjustment/ repair.
>
>         While I am reluctant to "flame" anyone, Eric is completely out of
> order writing this review with only a couple of days use.  The Orion is a
> different radio.  I seriously doubt that Eric has used it enough to be
> familiar with what it does or doesn't do.  Like I said, I have had mine
for
> a little over 5 months and am still learning how to use it.  I would not
be
> surprised to find that some (or most) of the "problems" that Eric has were
> really nothing more than operator error or inexperience.
>
>         Call it a cult, call it whatever you want.  I am pleased with my
> Orion.  I simply have not had the problems that you and Eric describe.
> Maybe I have been lucky, maybe not.
>
>         Best of luck to you.
>
>             73,
>
>
>             Bernard, WA4OEJ
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve N4LQ" <n4lq at iglou.com>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 2:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Sweep display freezing on Orion
>
>
> > This reply is disgusting. I had the Orion for 3 weeks and had nothing
but
> > trouble and so have dozens of other people. Eric's review was right on
> > target. The Orion deserves plenty of negative comments. The old TenTec
> cult
> > is showing it's ugly fangs again. I spent 3 weeks switching A/B between
> the
> > Orion and the PRO2. The PRO 2 out performed it in every respect except
for
> > BDR and I couldn't find enough QRM to even verify that measurement.
> > I had lockups, hang-ups, dropouts, poor performance in QRN and even
total
> > front end overload from BC stations. Yea I know all about the AGC
setting
> > theories and it's a bunch of  hogwash.
> > I've avoided posting a review of the Orion just for this reason. No one
> > wants to be flamed like this! If Eric doesn't like the rig then it's his
> > business. To call him "reckless and unprofessional" is totally
> inapropriate.
> > As for reading the manual etc. The problems with the Orion have nothing
to
> > do with reading the manual. No rig should suffer the glitches this one
> does
> > and reading the manual would be of no help.
> > Oh....I see where one of you guys suggested a "manual reset" once per
> week!
> > Now that's really some wonderful rig!
> >
> >
> > Steve N4LQ
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: <N0KHQ at aol.com>
> > To: <eric.sensi at skynet.be>; <tentec at contesting.com>;
> <toby423 at earthlink.net>
> > Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 1:42 PM
> > Subject: [TenTec] Sweep display freezing on Orion
> >
> >
> > > Hello All and Eric,
> > >
> > > I've owned my Orion since May of this year and believe it to the
finest
> > rig
> > > on the market today......bar none.
> > >
> > > I too, wrote an Orion review on Eham.......but I waited 3 months
before
> I
> > > did......I should have waited longer.....due to all of the additional
> > features
> > > that I keep finding.
> > >
> > > I agree with the previous post's. Its clear that you are inexperienced
> > with
> > > the operation of the Orion and I encourage you to seek help from a ham
> > that has
> > > owned an Orion for some time.
> > >
> > > To write an Orion review after just 2 days of ownership is reckless
and
> > very
> > > unprofessional. You have given a new meaning to the word Amateur.
> > >
> > > If you need help in setting up the Orion properly........all you have
to
> > do
> > > is ASK, like most of us had to.
> > >
> > > Just submit your question to the list and I can guarantee you will get
> > 100's
> > > of replies.
> > >
> > > The Orion manual doesn't even come close to describing the optimum
> > > operational settings and flexibility of this SDR rig......if it did
> there
> > would be a
> > > heck a lot more pages than 47.
> > >
> > > Have a good day.
> > >
> > > John / N0KHQ
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > TenTec mailing list
> > > TenTec at contesting.com
> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
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