[TenTec] ORION II CW pile up readability

[BobK8IA at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/28/2008 10:48:09 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
Tonno.Vahk at gildbankers.com writes:

Guys,  could I get some advice. I have been trying to get used to my OII for 
a while  now and in some instances it is great compared to my old fully loaded 
MP's.  Sharp filters, great sensitivity, good strong signal handling, more 
effective  NR than MP, etc...

But I find it extremely difficult to handle CW pile  up as it is so much more 
difficult to read out single calls from pile up. They  all sound the same and 
form a mass of signals. It was very difficult this  weekend on 160 to hear DX 
station from the endless EU callers in his pile-up.  I don't know what it is 
about the CW signals in MP that make them much easier  to distinguish between. 
I have tried to play around with NR, RF GAIN, ATT, AGC  and BW without much 
success.

Tips  appreciated.

73
Tonno
ES5TV


 
 
 
Like you, Tonno, I contest. For CW contesting, here are my  settings. I have 
been using a Orion II for 2 yrs now with vy good success. 
 
CW Contesting:
 
BW = 210 hz (go as low as you need, but caution since a lot of  callers do 
not zero beat. You will miss them with this radio. Make sure DSP  Filter Length 
is at 199 taps
 
PBT =  as desired. I find -30 to be good and I like LCW as  well.
 
Roofing filter = I find 600hz adequate but sometimes use 1 khz  and sometimes 
300 hz
 
AGC = A MED setting of mine = 0.12s Hang. 30 db/s decay,  0.99uv threshold 
(or wherever you want AGC to kick in)
 
For 160 I use a PROG AGC setting = 0.51s hang, 5 db/s Decay, .84uv  threshold
 
AGC Slope 1:10
 
Main Rx SQL = -127 dbm
 
RF GAIN = 72-94 depending on band and cndx
 
NB, NR only as needed. I do find myself using NR 3 or 4 on 160  often 
 
These have been successful settings for running cw qso's at 150-170  q's/hr, 
60 minute measurements, which is about my limit. 
 
 
 
73, Bob  K8IA
Arizona USA
www.k8ia.com



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