[TenTec] new firmware

[ac9s at mchsi.com]

I have had the new firmware on my O2 for the last couple of days.  I find the same reported problems plus have one observation.  Same reported problems:  a) Red on the spectrum display sometimes - looks like it is triggered by strong adjacent sigs, but not sure.  I can reset it by turning the sweep off and on.  b) Audio distortion with slow agc decay rates.  c)  With AF agc- use of the notch creates a audio buzzing - looks like radio has crashed at that point.  d)  I am getting a measured 18 watts of carrier out on AM  with full power.  By the way it takes a lot more audio to modulate the radio on AM than on SSB.  e)  AF gain is much lower with AF agc.  As it currently stands AF agc has no benefit for me.  I was really looking forward to having the notch work properly.  Hopefully with the bugs fixed it will.

Observation:  the "per band" Mic and PWR settings would much more useful if they were per "band stack"  On a per band basis the only use would be 30 meters where I use full power versus the 50 watts I use to drive the amp on other bands.  For those of you who are about to pounce on me - I normally use 50 watts, and if that doesn't work go to full amp power.

What I could use is Mic and PWR memory on each band stack.  I have band register A set up for CW - 50 watts,  register B for PSK - 25 watts & low audio, register C for normal SSB - 50 watts, mic 50, and register D for 80 meter AM - low power, and high MIC gain.  

It would be very useful to have my settings memorized by band register, per band it has little meaning.  As long as settings are memorized by band register it would be even better to include AGC settings, Attenuator, and pre-amp in addition to freq, mode, and possibly MIC and PWR.  

Question - How do we use the verify option on the firmware update utility?  Turn the radio on with the user2 and power button like for an update?  I assume this verifies the radio contains the same software as the downloaded file.  Have any of you who had problems loading the firmware used the verify option?

Thanks --

Keith
AC9S