[TenTec] Great Contest Radio?

[Toby Pennington]

I agree with Merle that the V2 version of the firmware needs a lot of work
before it resembles anything like what we have in V1 of the code.  Stability
is preferred of course,  but not at the expense of losing performance like
we have in the V1 code.

I question at this point whether TT is willing to spend the time and money
to bring the V2 code to perfection.  Perfections means different things to
different people.  A programmer might think the V2 code is perfect since it
is stable,  and therefore conclude his job is finished.  An owner of the
Orion with V2 code will more than likely not consider the code perfect until
all functions work properly, or at least as good as the V1 code.

There was really nothing wrong with the V1 code except for the stability
issue,  what we needed was the V1 code to be more stable,  and what we did
not need was a code that made the Orion a different kind of animal,  whose
functions are sub-optimal when compared to the V1 code.  But that is what
has happened in this case.

I suspect most of us Classic Orion owners are running the V1 code in one
version or another,  waiting for a miracle to happen with the V2 code.  Lets
hope we are not in for a long wait.    Toby  W4CAK




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Merle Bone" <merlebone at charter.net>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 12:07 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Great Contest Radio?


> Larry(N0XB),
> I don't think I was clear in my note on the "Great Contest Radio,"
although
> we might still not agree. I believe the Orion, with the V1 code - I run
> 1.373b5, is a great radio.
>
> I also understand that the Orion can be changed to a "different radio" by
> changing the firmware  (I was on the V1 and V2 Beta team). I don't think
> that the V2 code qualifies today's Orion - running V2 - as a "Great
Radio".
> While I think, running V1, the Orion is a great radio, I hear contesters
> complain
> about the lack of stability of the V1 code in contests and their need to
> "re-start" the radio.
>
> I have had the Orion for about 2 years. I think it is a great radio
running
> V1, although I do get frustrated when the screen locks up due to the
control
> processor issue. But I don't think that the "V2 code radio" has gotten
close
> to great. The notch and auto-notch filters don't eliminate the signal from
> the passband but act like an "audio notch." That leaves those signals in
the
> band to pump the AGC. Both of those filters also appear to add their own
> noise to the signal passband when they are engaged.
>
> I personally much prefer the Noise Reduction performance in V1 to V2 - but
I
> use it more in CW then for SSB - but that is a preference.
>
> Some people thought they were going to get a "fully functional band
display"
> in the original Orion - I know I did when I bought it.
>
> I can only suggest that you test the QSK in V2(Try sending a stream of
dits
> over a carrier and check where you stop hearing the carrier). That issue
was
> worked pretty hard the Beta program.
>
> The monitor audio appears to indicate distortion in the transmit audio
that
> may or may not be there.
>
> There still seem to be issues of "audio quality" when using Speech
> Processing (Which is outstanding with V1 firmware).
>
> And other issues......
>
> Larry, you did not say if you were running V2 - which was my specific
> subject in my earlier post?
>
> However, if people think that because the knobs haven't changed and the
> display looks similar - that the V2 is the same radio as V1, they probably
> want to do more investigation on software defined radios. I would say more
> but I don't feel I can because of being on the V2 Beta program. However,
it
> should be evident that with Doug Smith gone from TenTec - the Orion
> designer - that it wouldn't be surprising to see fundamental changes (Not
> associated with stability) in the radio firmware - and that means the
radio.
> I certainly hope that V2 will get as good - and even better - then V1. At
> that point I would certainly put it back into the category of a great
radio.
> For me, V1 is a great radio now with some stability problems.
>
> I do hope that people don't set their expectations too low for V2. "Great"
> is not only about the hardware, it is most assuredly about the firmware in
> the Orion and other software designed radios and what they both deliver in
> terms for functionality - performance - and stability. Having been trained
> originally as an electronics engineer - and having worked as an HF
> communications engineer - I admit to believing in great performing radios.
I
> waited for the ARRL review to buy the Orion because I wanted to really
> understand its performance - "Great"(Unfortunately they didn't see the
> stability issue). I hope that we will get a V2 radio that would, or will,
> test as well as the V1 radio. There are a lot of nice radios on the market
> with OK to good performance - many cheaper then the Orion II.
>
> I  hope that we are not here on the reflector working these kinds of
> Orion issues 2 years from now - like we were two  years ago.
> 73,
> Merle-W0EWM
>
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