[TenTec] re should i buy an orion now

[Toby Pennington]

Harry,  I see you have gotten the big picture and have logically come to a
conclusion.   I recall your post earlier asking whether to buy an Orion now
or wait.  Your post started a several day thread on this subject and it has
been interesting to read. Thank you for your contribution , and what you now
suggest seems to be a reasonable course of action.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Harry Reed" <doon at infoscientific.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] re should i buy an orion now


> Methinks that people are forgetting the big picture.
>
> Most, if not all, here want dependability, reliability, and repeatability
in their rigs -
> especially ones that costs ~$4000. Is that *really* too much to ask? TTs
competition doesn't
> seem to think so. If I wanted an experimental rig I'd go out and buy a
SDR-1000.
>
> While the Orion's hardware seems to be up to the task (albeit getting a
little
> long in the tooth) TT firmware seems to have lingering problems. I gather
TT software
> engineering has been more than a little taxed trying to implement a bug
free SDR HF XCVR.
> Real-time software is a bear unless done exactly right - the last 2+ years
of upgrades
> has shown that they haven't. Indeed, going from a 1.x release to a 2.x
release indicates
> that they probably programmed themselves into a corner, so to speak. "When
all else
> fails do a rewrite!" Let's see if they can get it right with the v2
firmware. If not, maybe
> they should open up the firmware development to the FS/OS software
community (ala GNURadio)
> and get it done right HIHI :)
>
>
> Please, don't misunderstand me, I'm not bashing TT or the Orion. TT seems
to be a fine
> company and the Orion has the potential of being a fine rig worth its
asking price. I
> just don't think people are happy in spending ~$4000 on a SDR whose
firmware is still
> very much beta quality and a work in progress. I'm curious what's
happening to TTs reputation
> in all of this? Surely it can't be good. Indeed, one has to wonder how
many people bear with
> TT and their Orion in the hopes that TT will fix the problems and that the
Orion will get
> better because they don't want to admit that they spent their hard earned
$$$ on a subpar,
> even flaky radio?
>
> For these reasons I'm holding off my Orion purchase until v2 of the
firmware comes out and
> the Orion owners/users/abusers have their say. I don't demand a *perfect*
radio.
> Just one that doesn't hang or require a HW reset because I twiddled a knob
the wrong way -
> one that works reliably and predictably when I want it and when I need it.
>
> Harry Reed, AB7YF
>
>
> ><<<I just can't see any viable reason to not try/own an Orion. Especially
> >any technical reasons.>>>
>
>  >
>  >I'd go through the reflector archive for the past 2-3 years and look
> at what earlier >purchasers went through.
>  >
>  >If you have a lot of free time to tinker, maybe it's okay. For example
> if you are >retired and have a lot of patience maybe it's okay.
>  >
>  >I'm pretty low on time and patience. I want dependability. I want to
> be able to unbox >the rig, power it up, hook an antenna to it, ground,
> mic, key, cans...whatever i >need, adjust collector PA current and mic
> gain, adjust AF/RF gain, tune around, hit >the PTT button and start
> making contacts.
>  >
>  >If it's much more involved than that, or its behavior mysteriously
> changes from one >day to the next on a regular basis, then I start
> loosing interest.
>  >
>  >So the likes and dislikes probably have as much to do with operator
> personality as >anything else.
>  >
>  >rob/k5uj
>
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