[TenTec] Being a Contrarian

[OE3ZK Gert]

John

The truth is, that after two years you get a IC-7800 hardware upgrade for $ 500,-- from ICOM. It consists of a 3rd roofing filter, a new 2nd LO (10db less phase noise) and further improvements i.e. in the power supply to reduce RFI in the LF region. 

Compairing this with TT - resulting in a new Orion II after two years -  you are better off.

When you study the IC-7800 concept, you will find, it is a more Software Defined Radio than the Orion. There are a cost free, very well tested and stable firmware upgrades for the IC-7800 available online.

And if you ask me - the IC-7800 receiver is a better performer too. After 44 years of playing with all kinds of radios - I trust my experienced ears much more than some lab figures in reviews. Good RX performance is not all about Top Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced...

 73
Gert, OE3ZK


> Gert 
> I don't believe you can compare programming  SDR radio with the IC  7800 or the ftdx 9000 type radios which are hardware based  and  2 to 3 times the price.All The 7800s are getting new power supplies when they are sent back for the 3kc roofing filter mod. and they have other known problems too. The FTdx 9000 is not even software upgradeable via the Internet so you have to ship the radio every time it needs to be upgraded .and the 9000 has many other problems, just read the eham reviews . As for the Flex radio all one has to do is join their reflector to see they have their  problems too. No radio is perfect!!  I had  a first production run Orion and I have a first production run Orion II  I also was a beta tester for V2 software. I think my Orion II can hold it's own with in other rig being made . Is it perfect ? short answer no, but it is sure getting better with every software upgrade . I know there are a few on this reflector that don't think the upgrades come fast
> enough. I guess you can't make everyone happy . I really think those that stick with their Os and OII with be very happy in the long run with how the value of their radio hold up against the competition.
> 
> John WB4QDA

Original Message: 2
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 18:23:06 +0200
From: "OE3ZK Gert" <oe3zk at aon.at>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Being a Contrarian....
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Message-ID: <005601c6b586$c572fb90$2200a8c0 at gfk2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I am watching the discussion about the ORION-I & -II firmware problems for a few years in this group.

Is it really so hard to write stable code for a "well designed" radio?

I am also comparing to the complaints of IC-7800 and FT-dx9000 users.

It seems to me that good code can be written - see the IC-7800 ! A ISO-9000 certified process like the IC-7800 project is costly but it seems to pay off long term.

73
Gert, OE3ZK