[TenTec] ORION II CW pile up readability

[Barry N1EU]

My pileup listening experience mirrors Dick's on the Orion and MP.
Pileup readability on the v1 Orion is outstanding and sets it apart
from other contest-grade transceivers.

Listen to a couple of Orion pileup recordings for yourself and see how
easy it is to pick out individual signals:  click on "G3WXX" or
"Ten-Tec Net" links at http://n1eu.com/orion/diversity.htm

73,
Barry N1EU

On Jan 28, 2008 11:22 PM, Dick Green WC1M <wc1m at msn.com> wrote:
> 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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> >
>
>
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