[TenTec] RFI Prone

[WD4K]

Hi Bob, K4TAX, very well said!!

Actual hands on experience with this issue:

I have an Orion which sits within 8 inches of an Alpha 87A, and was at one
time in between the 87A and an Alpha 91B, running full legal on both amps
during contests...not one hint...ever... of RFI in the Orion. If you have
RFI in the Orion or if you are worried from postings here...probably from
someone who doesn't own an Orion, has never actually seen an Orion or can't
read a manual.... which, on this reflector makes them a self proclaimed bona
fide expert....I wouldn't worry too much about the nonsense and
misinformation.  There are a 1.5 jillion different paths RFI can take so I
would look at your setup and get it right rather than worry about the Orion.
I doubt that my first run Orion is any different than any other one...and if
it works here in a very complicated setup which invites RFI, why would it
not work in other environments equally as well??.....evaluate the multitude
of variables and you be the judge. My money is on the setup and externals,
not the Orion.

I also have some friends who run Orions, Alphas etc. and I have never heard
of any RFI complaints in our conversations. We have discussed RFI and
grounding, loops in voice keyers, so2r and band switching, audio chains and
a host of other issues. Any problems were always external to the Orion or
the MP's. These complicated high power automated SO2R contesting stations,
especially those using outboard audio processing are a nightmare of RFI
waiting to happen to any radio, Orion included. If these issues can be
solved at these stations with some work, tenacity and common sense then most
ops will have a good shot at simpler solutions for their issues.  I limit my
comments to my experiences with the Orion and MP's only. I agree 100% with
Bob's comment that it is probably NOT the radio.
73, Tommy WD4K