[TenTec] Final Firmware O2

Thu Nov 12 05:46:33 PST 2009

Ok, guys.  I’m going to throw in my two cents worth here.  There seems to be a consensus here that everyone on this sounder either is a DX hound or avid contester, and this is all the Orion II (or K3 for that matter) should be held accountable for.

I may be an oddball, but 95% of my operating time is spent on 80 meter traffic nets (ssb, digital and cw) or meeting a bunch of old friends from Canada to Florida on 80 meters every morning at around 6:00 am.  As you may surmise, 80 meters can be horrific at times with propagation, QRN, QRM, etc.  In my 50+ years of ham radio I have never had a finer receiver/transmitter that the Orion II.  I constantly hear stations other can’t and stations always compliment my transmitted signal and audio. Ten-Tec’s service has always been superb.

My point here is that the Orion II is an outstanding transceiver that is reasonably priced and delivered by a company that backs it product as well or better than other companies.  Is it the best contest rig?  Is it the best rig for the serious contester?  I have no idea, but it seems from the discussions here some think so and some don’t (which may indicate a yes answer to these questions).  As a “general purpose” ham the rig fills all my needs and I have no intention of replacing it in the near future.

Scott K4VWK

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ron Notarius W3WN <wn3vaw at verizon.net>
>Sent: Nov 11, 2009 10:54 PM
>To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
>
>Well, I don't know about that.  But I do know a local K3 owner, who is a
>world class DX'er and contester, who favored his Omni VI for day to day
>operation, until the radio was accidentally destroyed.  
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
>On Behalf Of kc9cdt at aol.com
>Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:59 PM
>To: tentec at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
>
>
>It is my understanding that the K3 is a superb CW rig...but not even in the
>same ballpark as OII for SSB???
>Am I missinformed?
>73,
>Lee, KC9CDT
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Douglas Shock <douglas.shock at gmail.com>
>To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>Sent: Wed, Nov 11, 2009 6:09 pm
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
>
>
>
>that is correct...
>On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 3:42 PM, Philip C. Anderson
>xtraham58 at hotmail.com>wrote:
>>
> Not that it matters to me, but it is my understanding that ON4UN is now
> using 2 loaded K'3s.
>
> > From: marsh at ka5m.net
> > To: tentec at contesting.com; douglas.shock at gmail.com
> > Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:10:27 -0600
> > Subject: Re: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
> >
> > Douglas,
> >
> > What is your source of information for your following statement?
> >
> > "If it was such a great and finished product then why did most if not all
> of
> > the Ham Radio's Top contest-DX operators bail on TenTec?"
> >
> > What did they bail to?
> >
> > The National Contest Journal July/August 2009 Volume 37 Number 4 contains
> an
> > extensive article on "Choosing an HF Radio for Serious Contesting and
> > DXing". Of the four (4) transceivers the author picks, the Ten-Tec ORION
> II
> > is one of them.
> >
> > I'm not convinced that I've ever missed a DX or contest QSO that I could
> > have worked if I had been using something better than my ORION II.
> >
> > 73,
> > Marsh, KA5M
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:
> tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
> > On Behalf Of Douglas Shock
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 10:02 AM
> > To: Scott Harwood; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> > Subject: Re: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
> >
> > Whiners? Do you really feel that was required Scott? So your level of
> > expectation on a delivered product is different than others. I personally
> > find no fault in OI-OII owners holding TenTec's feet to the fire on the
> > marketing campaign they used for both radios. that hardly makes me a
> whiner.
> > If it was such a great and finished product then why did most if not all
> of
> > the Ham Radio's Top contest-DX operators bail on TenTec? Maybe they knew
> > something you don't?
> >
> > Sure, in its base form it is a fair radio. But face the facts man...you
> > really believe they got the firmware right? And to release a beta with
> > enhancements that in themselves are broke but no fixes and then are never
> > heard from again? Sounds like the joke is on the operator if you support
> > this business practice.
> >
> > So drive on if you still drink the TenTec coolaid or just find it
> necessary
> > to defend your spent monies. But respect the rights of others homie...
> >
> > Hiding behind your keyboard with big mouth and no accountability is not a
> > good thing.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 7:25 AM, Scott Harwood
> > <scotthsr at earthlink.net>wrote:
> >
> > > I couldn't have said it better, Dennis.
> > >
> > > Good job. I hope enough "whiners" read it.
> > >
> > > Palstar does have great stuff. I have two tuners. They could improve on
> > > answering emails, though.
> > >
> > > Scott K4VWK
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > >From: Dennis OConnor <ad4hk2004 at yahoo.com>
> > > >Sent: Nov 11, 2009 8:37 AM
> > > >To: tentec at contesting.com
> > > >Subject: [TenTec] Final Firmware O2
> > > >
> > > >Hmmm, some of you need to cut back on the coffee...
> > > >
> > > >The O2 is a fine radio, well positioned in the upper reaches of ham
> radio
> > > transceivers...
> > > >The biggest whine I see is that they are not producing enough firmware
> > > changes to make you happy..
> > > >It appears that some believe the K3 radio with its rapid parade of
> > > firmware revisions is somehow superior because it needs frequent
> revising
> > -
> > > this does not bespeak superior, to me; adaptable maybe, a secondary
> hobby
> > in
> > > it's own right, but not necessarily superior......
> > > >
> > > >Then I read the moaning about the O2 sweep; and they didn't do this,
> they
> > > didn't do that, etc...
> > > >Last time I checked the ads the K3 does not have a sweep screen... But
> > > somehow, not having a sweep screen makes it the superior radio, because
> > > Orion is not upgrading its sweep screen fast enough - the logic of that
> > > escapes me...
> > > >If you want a radio with a fancy sweep screen get a Pro III...
> > > >If you want an even fancier sweep screen get an LP PAN for your Orion
> /
> > > K3...
> > > >
> > > >If you want an even fancier radio get one of the $11K to $13K models
> > from
> > > the land of the rising sun - but don't expect the factory to answer the
> > > phone and put the technician that built and aligned your radio on the
> > phone
> > > to talk you through a problem - which both Orion and Elecraft do
> > > routinely...
> > > >
> > > >I happen to have the O2... I have looked hard at the K3 with the more
> > > capable sub receiver - as recently as 2 weeks ago... But, the less
> > > desirable ergonomics of the radio outweigh the receiver advantage and I
> > > opted to stay with the Orion for the third year... The O2 has the best
> > > combination of receiver and ergonomics I have found in 45 years of ham
> > > radio...
> > > >
> > > >Lastly, I am thrilled to have Ten Tec and Elecraft slugging it out in
> the
> > > ham radio arena... A vast improvement over the import radios that have
> > > dominated the ham business for some time..
> > > >And while I am mentioning US companies, let me point out that PALSTAR
> > > acquired the Commander amplifiers and has put considerable time,
> > innovation,
> > > and money, into improving those amps until they appear to me, to be the
> > best
> > > amps in the business... They now have a complete line of tuners, meters
> > and
> > > high quality amps... You could do a lot worse than spend your ham
> dollars
> > > with them - and drive that amp with a new O2 or K3...
> > > >
> > > >denny / k8do
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >TenTec mailing list
> > > >TenTec at contesting.com
> > > >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > TenTec mailing list
> > > TenTec at contesting.com
> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > >
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> >
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