[TenTec] Orions SO2R in CQ WW RTTY

[Carl Moreschi]

Bob,

Wayne may be sending the mode along with frequency as just part of a common
routine.  I try very hard in my control software to not send any duplicated
information and non-necessary information in order for things to work as
fast as possible.  I do not know why the Orion changes filters everytime you
change modes but Gary told me it would some time ago.  So, anytime my
program sends the mode, I always follow it up with a filter setting and that
makes things work as expected.  Wayne needs this same logic in his program.

73,

Carl Moreschi N4PY
Franklinton, NC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Henderson" <bob at cytanet.com.cy>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orions SO2R in CQ WW RTTY


> Carl
>
> That's interesting, though pretty wierd.
>
> I must say, what I know about remote control of radios could be written in
> large type on a very small piece of paper.  Though why, if you command a
> radio to a new frequency, it makes sense to interrogate its filter
settings
> in order to return them along with the new frequency data, I just don't
> comprehend.  This has me scratching my head. (I know, I will watch out for
> splinters!)
>
> I can understand if there are mode changes involved.  Then, it probably
> makes sense to switch to a mode relevant default b/w, if no specific b/w
> command is sent but that's not what was going on here. There were no mode
> changes involved.  Orion was set to FSK before the new frequency command
and
> after it.
>
> On the other hand, having now scratched my head, I can see that WL is
almost
> certainly sending a mode command along with the frequency command.
Probably
> Orion is responding to this by setting some default filter value for the
> mode, despite there being no actual mode change involved.
>
> You may see it differently but to me in my blissful ignorance, it seems
> Orion control software is missing a decision loop.  I would have thought
the
> missing loop might be:  If new mode not equal to current mode then set
mode
> b/w default else leave alone.  It would be better still to set mode b/w
last
> used and if none then the default.
>
> It's strange that one Orion switches to 1000Hz b/w and the other to 300 Hz
> bandwidth.  Maybe I had better investigate firmware versions.
>
> I'll write a note to Gary to see if he can expand on what's happening
here,
> before I think about making any wierd requests of Wayne Wright.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Bob
>
> Bob Henderson, 5B4AGN, P3F
> Giolou, Pafos, Cyprus
> Email: bob at cytanet.com.cy
> http://www.5b4agn.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carl Moreschi" <n4py at earthlink.net>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 8:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orions SO2R in CQ WW RTTY
>
>
> > Bob,
> >
> > When the mode changes on the Orion, the filter command must be resent
from
> > the serial port.  This was explained to me by Gary Barbour.  If this is
> not
> > done, a default filter for that mode is selected instead.  I have never
> > figured out where this default filter gets its value.  The bottom line
is
> WL
> > needs to resend the filter setting to the Orion after the mode changes.
> > This will cure the problem you describe.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Carl Moreschi N4PY
> > Franklinton, NC
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bob Henderson" <bob at cytanet.com.cy>
> > To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 4:16 PM
> > Subject: [TenTec] Orions SO2R in CQ WW RTTY
> >
> >
> > > I used my Orions SO2R in the WW RTTY this weekend, so I decided to
share
> > how
> > > they performed.
> > >
> > > Firstly, both radios were on for the full 48 hours of the event and
for
> a
> > > couple of hours before.  I operated the full contest without having to
> do
> > > any kind of reset at all on either radio.  For me this was
unsurprising,
> > as
> > > the only time I do a master reset is when I download new firmware.
> Then,
> > I
> > > do it as a matter of course.
> > >
> > > Overall, I would say they performed superbly.  One particular thing I
> > > noticed with Orions, which replaced my two FT1kMPs, is that they are
> > better
> > > suited to SO2R in the kind of setup I use.  What does that mean? Well,
I
> > > have a rather limited station here.  No multiple towers or anything
like
> > > that.  In fact, just one modest crankup with a Force 12 C31XR and a
> > > Cushcraft XM240.  If you're interested you can see my set up at
> > > www.5b4agn.net.  This is a new website and my first attempt at it, so
> > please
> > > excuse it being a little bit raw & obviously unfinished!
> > >
> > > The C31XR driven elements for 20/15/10 metres, which are only a matter
> of
> > > inches apart, are fed with three seperate feeders.  I operate high
power
> > > SO2R using these interlaced yagis.  With driven elements so close
> together
> > > you can imagine the rf field presented to the second radio rx is
really
> > > nasty.  Of course, I use band pass filters and stubs to minimise the
> > > problems this causes.  BUT with my two Ft1kMPs I could always feel a
> > > presence on my second radio when transmitting on the first.  What do I
> > mean
> > > by a presence?  Well, modulation of the noise floor I guess.  I also
> found
> > > that listening on say 20m, within about 10kHz of my 40m second
harmonic
> > was
> > > a bit messy.  What I found with Orions this weekend was that I had no
> > sense
> > > of a presence on the second radio when transmitting on the first.  Not
> > only
> > > that but I found myself to have been working about 1 kHz away from the
> > > second harmonic of my 40m signal on 20m without even realising it.  In
> my
> > > view, this experience speaks volumes for Orion's bomb proof front end
> and
> > > very low phase noise.
> > >
> > > I have only two critiscisms to level at Orion after this weekend of
RTTY
> > use
> > > and one of those I suspect may be down to operator error though I'm
> > unsure.
> > >
> > > 1.  My contesting software is Writelog. I ran both Orions set at 250
Hz
> > b/w
> > > most of the weekend. Whilst tuning around the bands looking for mults
> etc
> > I
> > > band map wanted stations which don't answer me after a couple of
calls.
> I
> > > then periodically return to their band mappped frequency to see if
their
> > > pile up has subsided.  The problem I found is this:  Every time I
> clicked
> > > back to a mapped frequency the rx b/w changed.  If I had only one
Orion
> > then
> > > I would probably be thinking this was a logging software problem but I
> > > don't, I have two and although the bandwidth changes on both it's not
to
> > the
> > > same setting.  On one radio it always goes to a barn door 1 kHz but on
> the
> > > other it always goes to 300 Hz which isn't so bad.  Though, I'd much
> > rather
> > > it stayed at 250 Hz  where I'd set it.
> > >
> > > What determines the b/w set when frequency is changed via the RS232
> port?
> > > Why is it 1kHz on one Orion and 300 Hz on the other?  Anyone know the
> > answer
> > > to this mystery?  Should I just RTFM?
> > >
> > > 2.  Filter shape factor is really the only significant concern I had
> over
> > > the weekend.  With b/w down at around 250 Hz the DSP shape factor is
not
> > far
> > > short of 3:1 which really isn't good enough.  As a consequence, folks
> > could
> > > sidle up real close to Orion's beautifully clean signal and sit there
> > inside
> > > my passband causing me grief.  I spent way too much time over the
> weekend
> > > inching up or down in frequency to avoid QRM from folks alongside.
This
> > > leads me to the following conclusion:
> > >
> > > FOR TOP NOTCH CONTEST GRADE RTTY USE, ORION'S DSP NEEDS TIGHTER
SKIRTS.
> > >
> > > Incidentally, FWIW the weekend was a lot of fun.  I put in 36 hours
and
> > > finished with he following tally:
> > >
> > > QSO: 2582;  Points: 7550; State/Prov: 100; Countries: 271; Zones: 94
for
> a
> > > total score of 3,510,750
> > >
> > > I was placed 4th last year in SOAB (HP).  This year my Q's are up by
> > almost
> > > 11% but mults are way down and as a consequence so is my claimed score
> > which
> > > is about  5% short.  Things get tough when 10 metres dies!  Hopefully,
> > just
> > > as tough for everyone.  We'll see when the results come out.
> > >
> > > 73, Bob
> > >
> > > Bob Henderson, 5B4AGN, P3F
> > > Giolou, Pafos, Cyprus
> > > Email: bob at cytanet.com.cy
> > > http://www.5b4agn.net
> > >
> > >
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>
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