[TenTec] My new Orion

[wq7x@cox.net]

Bill:

Thanks for very comprehensive response. I agree with you 100%.
1. Orion is the best  for BDR and IMD but not with 1.372.This just kills the RX.
2. Orion is not as good as K2 or IC7800 with 1kHz  spacing and S9+35dB signal only because of 1.372 firmware.
3. I know that people in EU reporting great results for BCI overload. That is why I'm puzzled why I have this problem.
     I will borrow from my QRL the spectrum analyzer and check what is going on. However some others in private
     emails did report similar problems. Look at the schematic-there are two protection diodes at the input of the 
     RX  -D30 and D31. I think that AM station drives them in nonlinear region. I will check that. Orion attn. doesn't
     improve overload, so it has to take place  before the attenuator. External high pass filter eliminates the problem.But than I can't receive anything below 1.3MHz.

This is the second time that I have purchased the ORION. First time almost two years ago.
This time I will not send it back to Ten Tec. Many problems are fixed (including hardware NB -was really ON in OFF position)
It is so close to be superb TRX. That doesn't mean that we should be quiet about some remaining problems.
Orion has very quiet RX. Pleasure to lsn. at night. Also, WOW no fan noise. Where is the fan? Hi Hi. Great.
Audio quality in SSB on RX and TX - out of this world. I liked better than IC7800.
To me narrow roofing filters and very low phase noise  is necessary in well design RX. I use to design and build  many RX myself.
I'm really happy that  there is a company which understands the basics of good RX design. In Japan they are still learning.
We all should agree that IC7800 is very well designed TRX and mechanically is the best. Very solid and high quality.
They just forgot about basics of the RX design. Still don't understand how could Icom not pay attention to the phase noise.
Their DSP in CW however is just incredible. But this is just not good enough for me.So, Orion is my main Trx now.
Best 73! Mark WQ7X