[TenTec] Orion II

[Steve Baron - KB3MM]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Henderson" <bob at cytanet.com.cy>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 21:14
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II


> Well, let me see.  Why might I be feeling somewhat disenfranchised just
now?
>
> Is it because an Orion II has been announced which will sport :-
>
> **  a super bright TFT colour Display with CCFL backlighting  **
> **  an 8-pin mic connector **
> ** a mixing architecture providing self-correction for frequency stability
> **
> **  a programmable line level output independent of front panel controls
**
>
> Hell no!  Ten Tec responding to market demand is a great thing and I have
> absolutely no problem with the concept of an Orion II.  For sure, I would
> have preferred my Orions to have TFT colour displays but they weren't an
> option.  I was happy to buy two of them despite that fact and I'm still
> satisfied with the displays despite their lack of colour.  I can also live
> happily without any of the other "must have" functionality, listed above.
>
> So why am I unhappy?
>
> I am unhappy because the promise of the multiple roofing filter capability
> of Orion has never been fulfilled.  This functionality was a key factor in
> my decision to purchase Orion but use of 250 Hz and 500 Hz roofing filters
> causes such degradation of Orion's IP3 performance to make any use of them
a
> nonesense.  I have exchanged e-mails with Ten Tec over the last year
> regarding this problem, which was acknowledged as a design issue by Jack
> Birchfield himself, some ten months ago.  As recently as May this
That's about the time I ordered mine.  If you would have published that info
i could have delayed purchase a bit.

 year, I
> was told by Jack Birchfield that a new board had been designed to correct
> this problem and would be in production as soon as the firmware issues had
> been resolved.  All indications were that this fix for the original design
> shortcoming would be available to existing Orion owners.  There was not
even
> a hint that purchase of an Orion II might be necessary to correct this
> problem.  Of course, I may be jumping the gun here and there may be a plan
> to offer this fix to the user base but there has been no hint of that in
> today's announcements.
>
> Now, why else might I be unhappy?
>
> Over a year ago, I exchanged mails with Jack Birchfield and Gary Barbour
> expressing concern over Orion's control response times and the
sluggishness
> of the computer interface.  I expressed concern that perhaps the
particular
> Dragonball processor chosen for use in Orion might lack the required
> horsepower for the job.  As a consequence of those discussions, I felt
> reassured that the Dragonball was up to the job and that these issues
would
> be addressed in firmware changes.  Based upon the comfort I was given, I
> bought my second Orion.
>
> So why does Orion II boast:-
>
> "A new 32-bit control processor using the latest generation Freescale
> DragonBall Super VZ chip. (Which) Provides faster front panel control
> response and accelerated remote operation via RS-232."
>
> In these two areas, Orion performs inadequately.  I have been led to
believe
> these issues will be fixed AND specifically, fixed for those of us who
have
> already invested in Orion.  Today's announcements suggest otherwise.  If
my
> reading of the situation is correct, then I have every right to be feeling
> cheated.
>
> Hopefully, I am over-reacting and positive announcements will be
forthcoming
> regarding these two important issues for Orion owners.
>
> Bob Henderson, 5B4AGN
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "NJ0IP" <Rick at DJ0IP.de>
> To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 5:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II
>
>
> > First of all, we're all in the same boat.  Me too.
> >
> > I guess what I am missing here amongst all the complaints is a
suggestion
> of
> > what Ten-Tec could have or should have done better.
> >
> > OK, there was one valid suggestion:  "Ten-Tec should have shipped the
> Ver.2
> > firmware to its installed base before announcing Orion II.
> >
> > Well, the announcement is for a targeted October shipping date.  So I
> > suppose if the Ver.2 firmware ships to us before the first O2 radio
ships,
> > Ten-Tec has taken proper care of us.
> >
> > As I see it, for serious DXers or Contesters, assuming you don't use
your
> > band scope (which I don't), the fundamental improvement is the new
filter
> > arrangement.  Well I guess most of us already have the INRAD 600 Hz
> anyway,
> > so it just isn't a big issue.  We're still gonna hear as well as an O2.
> >
> > I don't think the quality of service depends on the interval between
> product
> > announcements, so I don't see any damage to Ten-Tec's service reputation
> > here.  As long as they continue to support my O1 as they've supported my
> > other Ten-Tec rigs for the past 31 years I've been using them, that's
fine
> > with me.
> >
> > Think about this:
> >
> > 1. Ten-Tec designed a rig several years ago based on inputs we hams gave
> > them from ham fest surveys, etc., and at that time we all said we
wouldn't
> > pay for color.  Then they brought the rig to market nearly 2 years
before
> > their main competitors brought their new flagships. After ICOM and Yasue
> > announced rigs with color for 2x to 4x as much money, we start screaming
> for
> > color.
> >
> > 2. The new processor wasn't available at development time.  Should
Ten-Tec
> > have used what was available or waited 2 more years?
> >
> > 3. Changes to the filter scheme and mic connectors were the results of
> > customer feedback.  Unlike some of its competitors, Ten-Tec actually
> listens
> > and reacts.
> >
> > Now answer this:
> >
> > 1. If you were Ten-Tec, what would you do?
> >
> >   A.  Do nothing so as not to anger the installed base
> >   B.  Make the few necessary changes so as to take away the main
arguments
> > for those thinking about Icom or Yasue.
> >
> > I congratulate Ten-Tec for making the right business decision.
> > In the meantime I will start saving my pennies for an O2.
> >
> > That was my 1 cent worth.
> > Normally I throw in 2 cents, but this time the second penny went into
the
> O2
> > jar. ;-)
> >
> > 73
> > Rick
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
> > On Behalf Of Ron Spencer
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 10:30 AM
> > To: TenTec at contesting.com
> > Subject: [TenTec] Orion II
> >
> > I've told my friends that one of the beauties of the Orion is its not
> > obsoleted as new technology or firmware comes out. Its not like the Pro,
> > Pro2, Pro3 etc. Well now that's no longer true.
> >
> > However, as long as the new firmware is applicable to the original Orion
> > (I've read here that it is) and its still supported then I don't feel
too
> > terribly bad. Another $1k or so for a nice color display and a couple
> other
> > tweaks is more than I would wish to pay.
> >
> > Its nice to see that TenTec recognized that many of us were buying the
> 600hz
> > Inrad roofing filter because it could be used in the slot were the extra
> > preamp didn't kick in and make the change for the O2.
> >
> > Will be interesting to see performance numbers.
> >
> > Ron
> > N4XD
> >
> > --
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> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
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