[TenTec] Orion II - 2.041 XL is Posted

Sun Mar 1 12:05:57 PST 2009

Ron:

In the current firmware, the average  power output of the O2, while running the RF Processor, is greatly effected by the drive level of the microphone preamp.  

Using the ALC indicator lamp as a guide to setting the microphone gain, will not necessarily produce a higher average output with the compressor on.

If the lamp is only flickering on voice peaks, chances are the RF Compressor is considerably under driven, resulting in average power easily 3 db down from what will result from a 4 db or more increase in the microphone gain.

I had thought that the ALC was the culprit which effected the lower average output of the O2 as compared to many rigs with RF Clippers.  I changed time constants in the ALC circuit and was never able to prove that theory.

Adaquate microphone gain with the compressor set at 7 will result in very acceptible RMS power output.

I am wondering whether the new firmware also requires a fairly high microphone gain to get the compressor working in an acceptible range.

The ALC lamp is simply not an acceptable substitute for microphone preamp metering.  Checking the signal quality at levels where the lamp is on considerably more than just on voice peaks indicates no increase in IMD at these higher microphone gain levels and much higher RMS output.

73 and Happy DXing,

Mike
W2AJI

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Castro <ronc at sonic.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 1:30 PM
To: k9uw at wi-net.com; tentec at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II - 2.041 XL is Posted

Maybe it's my imagination, but the speech processor shows a higher average level output on the LP-100 meter.  Still sounds excellent on ESSB.

          Ron  N6IE
       www.N6IE.com

   ----- Original Message -----
   From: Mike, K9UW
   To: Ron Castro ; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
   Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:54 AM
   Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II - 2.041 XL is Posted

   Ron, have you noticed any changes in TX audio characteristics?

   73, de Mike, K9UW
   Amherst, WI

   Ron Castro wrote:
 Ray:  I noticed a number of improvements that may have simply come from
 cleaning up some of the code so that everything runs better.  DSP version is
 now at 2.08b80...I can't remember what the old one was.

 The waterfall may not be that big of an attraction, but the regular
 "spectrum analyzer" display is larger, seems less 'vertically compressed'
 and more useful.

 The NR (RF AGC) is quite a bit improved over the old version and does a
 better job of quieting background noise on weak signals, both phone and CW.
 I haven't tested it yet, but the QSK sounds faster and cleaner.

 I haven't tried the "Mic/Pwr Setting Per Band", but if it does what I think,
 I should be able to have the rig automatically set the power for 100 Watts
 on 30 meters and 40-45 on the other bands where I use a linear.

 Another thing I found in early testing is that the AM carrier is now more
 stable than ever.  Changing audio levels doesn't push the carrier up and
 down like it used to.

 All-in-all, I think the update is well worthwhile!

          Ron   N6IE
       www.N6IE.com

 ----- Original Message -----
 From: <Rsoifer at aol.com>
 To: <tentec at contesting.com>
 Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 8:16 AM
 Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II - 2.041 XL is Posted

   Hi all,

 I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here because my O II is at my other QTH and
 I
 haven't had a chance to try 2.041XL yet.  Reading the comments, however,
 gives me the impression that the improvements may not be worth the hassle
 of
 dealing with the bugs, especially if (like me) you don't care much about
 the
 waterfall display.

 What am I missing?

 73 Ray W2RS

 In a message dated 3/1/2009 1:51:22 A.M. GMT Standard Time,
 brazos at rochester.rr.com writes:

 I would  like to thank Ten Tec for a very nice up date .  The waterfall is
 neat and I think the radio over all has been improved .  I feel like  I
 got a
 new radio !  I would however appreciate a detailed manual or  instructions
 on
 the new items .  thanks  John   kb2huk
 ----- Original Message -----
 From: "Roger Hughes"  <roger.h at comcast.net>
 To: "'Billy Cox'" <aa4nu at ix.netcom.com>;  "'Discussion of Ten-Tec
 Equipment'"
 <tentec at contesting.com>
 Sent:  Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:44 PM
 Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II - 2.041  XL is Posted

     Hey Billy, does this mean if I download to Orion  1 it will make it a
 Orino
 2. Hi Hi. I think the Orion 1 does have some  joy coming. I thought with
 this

 update, But  Nooooo!!!!. You want to buy O1, deskmic/matching
 speaker/Atu.
 Huh Huh.  Now all the bad mouthing will start about how bad TT is with
 this
  update. We have several people leave the reflector not to come back
  because
 of the child like behavior the last 2 weeks. 73, Roger. You  know Dalton,
 Ga.

 this weekend?
 ----- Original  Message -----
 From: "Billy Cox" <aa4nu at ix.netcom.com>
  To: <tentec at contesting.com>
 Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009  4:17 PM
 Subject: [TenTec] Orion II - 2.041 XL is  Posted

        http://radio.tentec.com/file_download/130/Orion-Setup-2.041XL.exe

  Enjoy,

 73 de Billy, AA4NU
  _______________________________________________
 TenTec mailing  list
 TenTec at contesting.com
  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec

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