[TenTec] Tired of Orion

[Bob Henderson]

As Scott points out, there are a lot of happy Orion owners out there.  I am
one of those people.  I bought my first Orion at the end of last year and
was so delighted with it, I added a second one to my station in May this
year.

I am active every day.  I DX, I contest and I rag chew.  I operate mostly CW
but a fair amount of RTTY and SSB too.  The Orion meets my needs better than
any other radio I own or have owned.  FWIW, I have two Elecraft K2s, a
TS930, TS50, TS570, TS870, two FT1000MPs and an Omni VI+.  Additionally, I
have previously owned a host of Drake, KW, Kenwood, Yaesu, Icom and other
equipment I already parted company with.

The Orion is not perfect.  I have no expectation that it ever will be.  It
is a software defined radio and inherently a computer controlled system with
operating software.  One thing my career in the computer industry taught me
is that software always has bugs.  It's just that you don't always find
them.

>From my perspective the Orion with 1.371 firmware has no major bugs.  Major
bugs would render the radio unusable in my environment.  It does have some
minor bugs and there are a few functionality enhancements which it would be
nice to have.  I know Ten Tec continue to work to fix the minor bugs and are
committed to the continuing development of the product.  When they fix minor
bugs or add functionality I can download the fruit of their efforts free of
charge into my Orions.  If I don't like what they have done I can revert to
the previous firmware level.

The Orion is a marvellous radio.  I am delighted with both of mine.  I can
say with completely clear conscience, if I didn't have two Orions here in
the shack then knowing what I know now, I would buy two tomorrow.

IMO at $3300 the Orion is a steal!

Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales" <sales at tentec.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 3:45 PM
Subject: RE: [TenTec] Tired of Orion


> There are PLENTY of happy Orion owners out there in amateur radio-land.
> Far more than are subscribed to, or participating on, the reflector on
> contesting.com.
>
> You'd never know it from reading this forum.
>
> 73
> Scott Robbins W4PA
> Amateur Radio Product Manager, Ten-Tec, Inc.
>
>
> At 08:43 AM 9/8/04 -0500, you wrote:
> >What you've got from this list should be useful.  Think about it.  I too
> >don't have an Orion.  But what I have gotten from this list (IMHO) has
> >caused me to not immediately go and buy an Orion.  Those gripes are
sounds
> >from some disappointed Orion owners, that should be informative to
> >you.  The fact that there is quite a bit of gripeing is inormative
> >also.  Now when it does "lighten up" as you desire and hope for the list,
> >then that will be informative also.  A bunch of happy Orion owners.  What
> >will it take?  I think you already know.
> >
> >73
> >
> >
> >>From: "holladayfd" <holladayfd at multipro.com>
> >>Reply-To: tentec at contesting.com
> >>To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> >>Subject: [TenTec] Tired of Orion
> >>Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2004 21:04:15 -0500
> >>
> >>  I have traded my Jupiter and put the Scout in a box in the closet.  It
is
> >>NOT that I have anything against Ten Tec, it is just that I am tired of
the
> >>continual bitching about the Orion.  I joined this list hoping for at
least
> >>some information about Ten Tec products but it seems that there is
nothing
> >>but gripes about the Orion.  I do not now nor will I ever have an Orion
> >>(unless someone gives me one) so I have no dog in this fight.  I do
however,
> >>wish that some of you would lighten up a little.
> >>
> >>73,
> >>Frank K4VMO
> >>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>TenTec mailing list
> >>TenTec at contesting.com
> >>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >TenTec mailing list
> >TenTec at contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
>
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