[TenTec] Computer Control of the Orion

[Ron Morell]

You have my sympathy Merle.  Past experience indicates that existing
products only improve slightly with patches and fixes.  New products are the
"New and Improved" versions.  :)

Seems to me that system integration should be an available option and why
not?  Open architecture should be the desire of every amateur and open
source software would make the improvements to older systems more likely to
occur.  At some point the manufacture should admit that needed enhancements
are not going to be forthcoming and place the source code in the public
domain for technological improvement, user education, and an opportunity for
interested amateurs to learn something.

It would be really tough to "home brew" modern radio systems, but innovative
kit companies like Elecraft and Ten Tec could help to lead the way and
return amateur radio to a more innovative hobby.

Just a few rambling thoughts.
Ron
KA7U

-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of Merle Bone
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 9:40 PM
To: tentec at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Computer Control of the Orion

Ron (KA7U) said:
"I mean the radio should be able to do word processing and accept auxilliary
hardware in card slots.
 
I guess I want the ORION HP or the Kenwood Toshiba."
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Gee Ron, now I feel like I have low expectations for the Orion. After having
it for 2.5 years, I just want firmware for the Orion that has the
functionality of the Orion V1.373B5 (Notch filters that really remove the
signal so the AGC doesn't pump from the unwanted signal; speech processing
that is really effective; monitor audio that isn't distorted; etc - see two
years of reflector comments on the Orion issues.)  with the stability of my
FT1000MP.  However, with the Omni7 coming out, I suspect that the very
limited TenTec software resources have been and will be focused on the Omni
7.  I have a little hope that the ARRL review of the Orion II may get us one
more try at fixing the V2 Orion firmware in the next month or two - but that
is just hope.

Given the redesign of the Orion radio functions between the V1 firmware and
the V2 firmware, I would be concerned that "Orion Word-Processing software"
might work in English on this release but only in "Sanskrit" in the next
release.......

Merle - W0EWM

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