[TenTec] Orion II AGC Questions

[Kim Elmore]

As a new Orion II owner, I'm trying to learn about the AGC settings, 
as this seems to be one of the most powerful aspects of the radio.

I've read the manual, along with the white paper "Using Orion's 
Receiver," Found on the orion565 yahoo board.

I'm running firmware version 2.037j. I note that setting the AGC 
threshold moves the S-meter (I didn't expect this) and that adjusting 
the RF gain also moves the S-meter. As I understand it from the 
manual, the RF gain control sets *both* the first IF gain and the DSP 
gain, while the AGC threshold sets only the DSP gain. I'm OK with all 
the concepts, though I've never had the chance to actually tinker 
with such things.

*IF* I'm right about the way the AGC threshold and RF Gain controls 
work (feel free to correct me if I'm not), then how does setting the 
DSP gain separately from the 1st IF gain help? Why not set both 
together and be done with it?

Kim Elmore, N5OP