[TenTec] Elecraft K3 vs Orion a bit premature

[Ron Castro]

There have been many claims made in the past that turned out not to be true 
when tested fairly in a lab under completely objective conditions.  In the 
case of  one of the new radio manufacturers, they admitted that they don't 
have the facilities to test close-in dynamic range specs the way ARRL and 
Sherwood do.  Also, there is so much variability in newly manufactured 
equipment, especially when it's home assembled.  Check the specs at 
http://www.sherweng.com/table.html for the two K2's they tested.  One ranks 
#10 for close-in dynamic range at 80 dB just behind the IC-7800, but another 
identical unit ranks #34 at 70 db, seven ranks behind an ancient IC-701.

Every radio has its 'quirks' as we all know.  Some get fixed and others 
never do.  They can be 'deal-killers' for some operators' preferences, and 
not even noticeable for others.  Advertising claims like "silky smooth QSK" 
(lifted verbatim from the FLEX ad) mean nothing until they are turned to 
objective measurements for comparison.  Certain more subjective qualities 
can't be measured, such as VOX action.  I have a KWM-380, an otherwise 
excellent radio in it's time, but to this day the VOX works like crap.

All I'm saying is let's not declare winners and losers in the transceiver 
wars comparing radios that aren't even for sale yet!

                     Ron N6IE
                www.N6IE.com