[TenTec] question about updates

[Grant Youngman]

> Also I have read that the only version with acceptable audio 
> transmit width for ssb with any fidelity is the original 
> orion with the first firmware - true ?
>     If all I can get with an orion 2 is firmware with severe 
> rolloff at 200Hz - and nothing you can do about it - then I 
> know I don't want an orion 2.


The original v1 Orion is better in this regard -- with an actual transmit
audio bandwidth capability of 50-3900 Hz (at the 6dB points).  This is user
adjustable between 50-300Hz on the low end, and on the high end anywhere
between 900-3900 Hz.  This adjustment and audio range is consistent in both
SSB and AM modes.

The Orion II currently has a maximum transmit bandwidth capability of about
200-3900 Hz (also user adjustable).  The low-end adjustment actually ranges
from approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz (although the menu, manual, etc. still
indicate 50-300Hz).  The high end adjustment appears to be the same as the
original Orion.  However, this applies only to SSB.  AM transmit bandwidth
is fixed at 20-3000+ Hz but the curve "tilts" downward as you go up in
frequency, and is off about 4dB at the high end relative to 100 Hz.

That doesn't mean the Orion II sounds "bad".  The use of internal TX EQ and
an external EQ (to a point) can improve the low-end somewhat on SSB if
that's important to you.  That isn't at all an issue for many people.  Some,
though not all, of us do hope that T-T will restore the advertised low-end
response to the Orion II in a future DSP update.

The Orion II has much more going for it overall though than anything you
lose in LF SSB transmit audio.