[TenTec] Orion-1 problem

[John T. Fleming]

Bill,

Apply pressure along the sides on the display between the display and the
buttons on the right and left sides of the Orion. Underneath the buttons are
the connections sockets for the pins linking the various boards mounted
behind the display. Also have you tried a master reset as well as the
battery disconnect routine? If you are using the latest software, the
signals are down using the AF AGC vs. RF AGC. If you are using an earlier
version of the software, there is a bug if the sub receiver is on AM and the
main receiver is on SSB and you transmit. The headphones loose their audio.
It is fixed in the latest version.

Based on the sporadic problem, I am going to guess that it is oxidation on
the pins for the board behind the display which should be stopped by
applying pressure along the buttons. It is enough to make the pins contact
the sockets completely.

73,
John

-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of bill ogden
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:33 PM
To: tentec at contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Orion-1 problem

The received signal strength on my Orion-1 is way down.  The sub receiver is
OK. The effect is as if a send/receive relay did not fully revert to
receive.  I hear a few strong signals, as if they were "feed through" with a
send/receive relay.

I just installed the latest firmware in the hope that this might fix the
problem.  It did not fix it, but it provided an interesting clue. The new
sweep function is much better than the old one. The sweep seems to indicate
normal signal strengths on the main receiver.  This implies that the problem
is after the point where the sweep circuit does its work.

This problem was sporatic for almost a year.  It happened every few weeks.
It would sometimes cure itself after a few seconds, or sometimes after a
power off/on cycle.  The problem is permanent now.

I plan to send the rig home to Tennessee for a general tune up, but not
until after the Gloriso DXpedition in July --- I hope I can work them via
the sub receiver!

Any suggestions?

(I cannot evaluate the new RF AGC yet, but it may take a little getting used
to.  I usually control gain via the RF gain control when working CW and this
has a different feel with the new RF AGC.)

Bill - W2WO