[TenTec] TT (Orion) Future improvements, Flex Radio

[Jim Davis]

N4LQ!!!

That's my point EXACTLY in that the NEWER guys don't
really understand that it's not about "GLITZ" it's
about PERFORMANCE!!!  I'm all for "New-Blood" getting
into our hobby but where in the Hell do we
collectively draw the line???  The "Amateur-EXTRA" now
@ 5wpm so what's next???  I bet within a matter of a
few years that the "Tech." questions" for a Amateur
Radio license (ALL CLASSES)will be DUMPED and that we
will really become a "glorified CB Service"!!!!!!!

Jim/nn6ee

*************************************************8
--- "Bernard(wtrone)" <wtrone at comcast.net> wrote:

>     Please change "like" to "link!"
> 
>     Sorry.
> 
>         73,
> 
> 
>         Bernard, WA4OEJ
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bernard(wtrone)" <wtrone at comcast.net>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] TT (Orion) Future
> improvements, Flex Radio
> 
> 
> >     Steve:
> >
> >         Could you post the like for the "flex
> radio?"
> >
> >         Is this the radio that Yuri and company
> have been developing?
> >
> >             73,
> >
> >
> >             Bernard, WA4OEJ
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Steve N4LQ" <n4lq at iglou.com>
> > To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:13 PM
> > Subject: Re: [TenTec] TT (Orion) Future
> improvements, Flex Radio
> >
> >
> > > I think TenTec could easily get $4,999 for the
> Orion if they would add a
> > > color screen, soup up the processor, make the
> bandscope at least as good
> > as
> > > the PRO and fix the firmware. You would then see
> those crowds flock
> around
> > > the TT display and the Orion would be the
> biggest hit since the IC-706.
> > > Personally I don't care if it requires a new
> model number like Orion II.
> > Of
> > > course it would be better if the Orion could be
> retrofitted like the
> Omni
> > > VI, option 1, 2 3 etc. I'm saving up the money
> for whenever this
> happens.
> > >
> > > Oh......Speaking of firmware bugs. You guys
> having seen anything until
> you
> > > try the Flex-Radio. I've spent a great deal of
> time playing with one
> here.
> > > It's got some great potential but it's a long
> way from being practical
> as
> > > your only ham rig. If someone would take the
> receiver concept and
> package
> > it
> > > with a built in CPU, Hard drive, sound card etc.
> all in one box it would
> > be
> > > awesome. The simple receiver in that radio is
> something everyone should
> > > hear. The audio quality is simply astounding and
> the selectivity
> something
> > > that leaves one with a dropped jaw. For
> instance, I set the bandwidth to
> > > 100hz, tuned in a weak QRP station at S3, fired
> up my Omni VI at 60db
> over
> > > S9 just 110hz away and noticed no degradation in
> reception. This is
> > > impossible! Nothing has ever come close to
> sounding as quiet, pure and
> > clean
> > > on cw as this thing. The problems mostly involve
> control software
> > stability
> > > and cw keying. Both need a lot of work. Buying a
> Flex is really joining
> a
> > > think tank instead of buying a "plug and play"
> rig. You become part of a
> > > development team along with a great bunch of
> guys. The openness and
> > > willingness to share thoughts and ideas between
> he manufacture and the
> > buyer
> > > have never been equaled and I think eventually
> they will have a great
> > > product.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Steve Ellington
> > > N4LQ at iglou.com
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Tommy" <aldermant at alltel.net>
> > > To: <tentec at contesting.com>
> > > Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:22 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [TenTec] TT (Orion) Future
> improvements!!!
> > >
> > >
> > > > This is my opinion only!
> > > >
> > > > I think it's becoming obvious that what the
> ham radio user community
> > wants
> > > > in a radio has changed to more 'glitz' that
> actual operational
> > > > performance. Ten Tec probably designed the
> Orion with customer loyalty
> > in
> > > > mind, the 'IY' manufacturers designed their
> latest rig's with the
> > > > customer's wallet in mind. (Acknowledging the
> 'IY' manufacterers
> current
> > > > radios technical performance IS quite good.)
> The Orion is just about
> as
> > > > perfect 'hardware design' as one could ask
> from amateur equipment. The
> > > > ONLY snaffu in the Orion design is possible
> the added stages of
> > > > amplification on the last two narrow roofing
> filter positions, done
> with
> > > > their user community in mind. The selectable
> roofing filters, which
> help
> > > > provide the very best receiver performance
> available kinda caught the
> > > > competition grasping for some way to use the
> term 'roofing filter'.
> Ten
> > > > Tec again, with the user community (cost to
> the user) in mind, used a
> > > > non-color display. The concept of a
> near-perfect hardware design and
> > > > firmware downloadable updates should have been
> a 'killer' system for
> the
> > > > ham community IF the ham community was still
> technical-orionted.
> > > >
> > > > Two major problems; 1) The very old addage
> "One aw-s**t will kill a
> > > > thousand 'Atta-Boys'!" remains true today.
> While the Orion is an
> > extremely
> > > > excellent hardware design, Ten Tec kinda
> dropped the ball with the
> > Orion's
> > > > firmware; 2) probably 95% of today's ham
> community think a color
> screen
> > > > (so to speak) is much more important than
> actual radio performance
> under
> > > > extreme operating conditions.
> > > >
> > > > What I saw yesterday at the Orlando hamfest
> kinda brings home the
> point
> > > > about today's hams. During my walk around at
> that hamfest what I saw
> was
> > > > shocking to me.
> > > >
> > > > First walk through approximate number of ham
> visitors:
> > > >
> > > > Yaesu booth:        25 to 30 visitors at the
> booth.
> > > > Icom booth:          30 to 40 visitors at the
> booth.
> > > > Elecraft booth:      10 to 15 visitior at the
> booth.
> > > > FlexRadio booth:  8 to 10 visitors at the
> booth.
> > > > Ten Tec booth:      Only person present was
> the sales guy.
> > > >
> 
=== message truncated ===


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