[TenTec] Orion/O2 Drift Problem-who is interested in a fix?

[Eric Scace K3NA]

Ron --

   I would prefer to be able to lock the Orion's master oscillator (with 
a long averaging interval) to an external GPS-based 10 MHz standard -- 
without degrading the very clean phase noise characteristics of the 
radio.  W9AC's note sounds quite interesting.  But the devil is in the 
details.

   In response to those asking why this level of accuracy is useful:

a) phase-locked receivers can be helpful when comparing signals between 
two antenna systems (e.g., diversity reception);
b) when one is crowded the edge of a band, it's good to have confidence 
as to one's actual location.
c) crystals shift slightly when initially powered up (a permanent 
change).  The change accumulates as power gets cycled on-off and the 
radio's calibration can become far off.  Between five Orions used at one 
of the local contest stations, the frequencies are scattered over 
several hundred Hz after a few years of operation.

73,
   -- Eric K3NA

on 07 Jan 30 Tue 01:21 Ron Castro said the following:
> I exchanged e-mails this week with one of the new owners of INRAD with a suggestion about marketing an low-drift OCXO mod to fix the warm-up drift problem on the Orions and Orion II's, and he wants to know what level of interest there might be in such a product.  The stock radios drift about 20 Hz (15 MHz WWV) in the first 10 minutes, then very slowly correct themselves to the starting point over a period of about 3 hours, plus they tend to drift with shack temperature.  I often hear Orions on the air, especially on the TT Sunday net, and very often they are 20 Hz low in frequency.  The fan mod on my website mitigates the problem to some degree, but it's only a band-aid.
>
> In my opinion, a mod like this would simple (a direct replacement of the existing 4-pin TCXO) and would be a welcomed improvement that would make the radio function better as well as bring a higher resale value, much the way many of the other fine INRAD after-market mods do.
>
> If you have even a remote interest in this mod I would like to hear from you, either here or off-list!  Note that I have no connection with INRAD or Ten Tec other than being a customer.
>
>       Ron N6IE
>   ron at n6ie.com
>  www.N6IE.com
> (Formerly N6AHA)
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