[TenTec] NR - Fact or Fiction?

[K4IA@aol.com]

I am not sure I agree with you about the NR function but you obviously now  
more than I do about the technical aspects.  Here is what I  hear:
 
In 1.371, the NR sounds like a squelch.  The radio gets very  quiet.  As it 
said in the manual, the higher the number you choose, the  faster the 
adaptation takes place but the end result is always the same -  blissful, peaceful, 
soothing silence instead of what one guy called "ocean  noise."  I take that to 
be a combination of white noise, atmospheric noise,  static crashes and other 
hash.  With 1.371 you hear no noise (the  radio sounds like it is off) but when 
a signal comes on, the signal pops  up.  Unlike a true squelch, even a very 
weak signal will be recognized as a  signal and heard.  That was truly 
remarkable and no other radio I have  heard sounded so good.  
 
This is not the same as reducing the bandwidth.  I agree reducing  bandwidth 
will make the signal to noise seem to improve but there is still that  ocean 
noise in the background.  
 
Starting with 1.372, the NR system changed completely.  Higher numbers  
didn't mean faster adaptation, they meant more aggressive adaptation.  The  ocean 
noise never really went away like it did in 1.371 and high numbers  introduced 
distortion.  I think with 2.0xx the distortion is terrible on CW  and the NR 
is useless no matter what number you pick.
 
If the gurus can figure out how to make the NR act like it did in 1.371, a  
lot of people will be very happy.
 
 
k4ia
Craig  "Buck"
Fredericksburg, Virginia USA