[TenTec] ORION II CW pile up readability

[Dick Green WC1M]

I agree with Carl. Ironically, the problem you describe is well-known on the
original FT-1000MP. The AGC on that rig was too fast, even in the slow
position. INRAD supplied (and maybe still does) a mod to slow the AGC down.
I think it was a simple RC circuit to add more time delay. It worked, but
not well enough. Not being able to distinguish one signal from the other in
a contest pileup was my main beef with that rig, and eventually led to my
selling it in favor of an Orion I.

I'm virtually certain the culprit is the V2 firmware. I never had problems
picking out signals on my O-I until I installed V2. It was so shocking that
I had to revert to V1, where there was no problem copying signals in big
pileups. At the time, I didn't think to adjust the AGC parameters. In CQ WW
CW this year, I loaded V2 and played around a bit with hang time and decay.
I don't recall the settings I ended up with, but they pretty-much solved the
problem.

Unfortunately, there are some things V1 does better than V2, and vice-versa.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carl Moreschi [mailto:n4py at arrl.net]
> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:33 PM
> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] ORION II CW pile up readability
> 
> Try using a much slower AGC.  The AGC can be so fast that it makes all
> the
> signals the same strength.
> 
> Carl Moreschi N4PY
> 121 Little Bell Drive
> Bell Mountain
> Hays, NC 28635
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <BobK8IA at aol.com>
> To: <tentec at contesting.com>; <Tonno.Vahk at gildbankers.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] ORION II CW pile up readability
> 
> 
> >
> > 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
> >
> >
> >
> > **************Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in shape.
> > http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-
> exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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>