[TenTec] Single Sweep Spectrum Display

[Pfizenmayer]

I should preface this by I don't know if the Omni VII sweep is different 
than the OII sweep - but here is my opinion about the current OII sweep.

Maybe its just different strokes for different folks - but for instance QST 
OII review said " The sweep was basically useless " or some words to that 
effect. I have never had a 756 in my  shack but twiddled a 756PRO3 at HRO 
for several hours over three days before deciding to buy an Orion - and am 
somewhat sure that it (the 756) was set up ok as the store manager has a 
PRO2 and he sat with me one day for quite a while.

I have no argument whatever that the 756 sweep is "more" usable - but I 
certainly find the Orion II sweep VERY usable for me . I can see signals pop 
up that are in the 1 microvolt range ( not half scale but they are certainly 
visible about 1/8 scale )- that is on 10 meters which I use a lot watching 
for beacons to pop up.

Not to brag but :

2006 10 M CW low power Single OP
#1 was K8IA ( a real contest guy with high Steppirs and out in
boondocks east of Phx) with 803 in 72 multipliers - I was #3 with
693 in 65 multipliers using a 27 year old KLM KT34a at 50 feet in a VERY 
urban location and a vertical on my patio roof for omnidirectional 
monitoring. And I am sure as heck not a "real" contester at my age.

I used the sweep extensively especially in the later parts of the test or 
aftre the band was "closed" when new stations were few and far between and 
could see new stuff pop up - tune to them with the sub rx - pop a button and 
work them with the main rx/tx - or any number of different tx-rx 
combinations as the mood struck me.

On lower bands - 1 microvolt is buried in my local noise by a lot so raw 
sensitivity is not an issue whatever . I operate lower bands CW with BW at 
200 cycles to 300 cycles and the sweep is very usable to watch for signals. 
At those BW its VERY easy to tune thru a signal that is sending slow CW even 
with tuning steps at 10 hz which is what I use - without knowing ahead of 
time there is/was a signal there from the sweep it would be really easy to 
miss signals.

In low band contests like CWSS it is amazing how many guys don't zero beat 
close enuff to hit a 300 hz filter slot ( which I need because of my noise 
level) - the sweep also lets me see a signal popping up just out of my slot 
that missed it.

As they say,  "IMHO"  the Orion II sweep has its limitations but its is 
certainly useful - and FAR from useless as QST indicated in  their last 
review.

So I hope casual readers are not turned off by some of the OII sweep 
comments.

Am I interested in the new sweep board - sure - and will be looking at it 
when it comes out.

MY two cents worth -

73 de Hank K7HP




> John... I love my TT's, but having used real-time display on my 756 Pro, I
> can't be without it. So, it is my main rig.
> Finding someone tuning up on an otherwise dead 6 meters, or seeing and
> tuning directly to a random cw beacon is indispensable...Even quick meteor
> pings can be caught and tuned to.  Also handy to be able to 'see' where 
> all
> the calling is happening on a split pileup...or see someone returning a CQ 
> a
> bit away when running tight filtering.
> ....Dave
>