[TenTec] Information

[PaulKB8N at aol.com]

I think there is a real danger in "design by community".  There has to  be a 
moderator and one final arbiter to decide if the proposed change to  hardware 
or software meets the strategic intent of the design.
 
I think the K3 is evolving, but it is not yet a good contest radio,  IMHO.   
It is better for running than it is for S&P, again, IMHO.  It is, however, a 
great DX radio.  It remains to be seen how the final  product will evolve.  All 
I can say is, I don't want to load the new  software every two weeks and have 
a different radio every time I turn it  on.
 
The problem and the inherent design crisis that occurs with SDRs is that  
there are a finite number of controls that can be infinitely programmed and  
reprogrammed.  Adding a new feature may oftren impact another.   For example, who 
decides if a feature for digital modes trumps CW or SSB  features.  Everybody 
wants something.  And, of course, everybody  wants their special feature on 
the top layer of the menu.  
 
Then there's the issue of software revisions.  For logging, I use a  very old 
version of TRLog, simply because it has the features I need and is not  
overloaded with features and selections that might confuse me.  So it is  with 
Orion I software, apparently.  I've seen many posts from folks who  reloaded an 
older version, because they didn't like the "improvements" in a  newer revision.
 
When you open the redesign and re-engineering of a radio to the user  
community, you run the risk of making changes that may benefit a few but  satisfy 
neither the larger community nor the greater design  goals for the radio.  
 
Sometimes allowing something for anybody ends up as nothing for  everybody.
 
Paul, K5AF
 

>Orion II but I also have a K2/100 and a new K-3.  The K-3 is  still in the
>shakedown mode.  New features and modified features are  being regularly
>added with new firmware offered every two weeks or  so.  Many of the list
>suggestions have found their way into firmware  mods in very short order.
>Frankly, I have yet to encounter a situation  where Elecraft has stated that
>a new feature or improvement is "on the  list" and has not ultimately been
>incorporated.  Obviously, some  features must be higher on the priority list
>than others because they may  significantly impact operation of the radio and
>need to be corrected  first.  I have also noted incidents where a suggested
>feature has  been rejected because it was impractical. I hate to be critical
>but I  think your reply implied that Elecraft was being disingenuous.   I
>really don't believe that's the case.

>By the way, is any  firmware update for the Orion II in sight?  I think the
>noise  reduction still needs some work.

>Bruce-W8FU

>yqj: Referring  to Elecraft here as being smart, they
>will state in public that your idea  has value - "it's
>on the list", whether or not it's an actual  priority.

>I'm not sure I understand how that would have benefited  Ten-Tec if we had
>done the same thing.  You're saying  that
>acknowledging a request publicly and then not acting on it because  it's not
>a priority is smart customer service?

>When we've done  that in the past vis a vis the Orion and other radios we've
>later  regretted it.

>73
>Scott  Robbins
>W4PA


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