[TenTec] O3 wish list

Thu May 12 17:02:44 PDT 2011

I'm also using N4PY with my Flex 5K and my Orion 2, coming off the 2nd
receiver RX input to the RX-In port on the Flex 5K.  Works like a champ!
One can certainly get addicted to point and click tuning, especially on CW.

Dave WN5V

-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of CSM(r) Gary Huber
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 5:35 PM
To: floyd at k8ac.net; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] O3 wish list

I'm using the Flex-1500 in the receive loop of a OMNI-VII and using DXLab's 
Commander to control both radios in "Lead, Follow, Lead and Follow" so that 
the OMNI-VII controls the Flex, the Flex controls the Omni, or Commander 
controls both. In split the Flex always follows the on the Omni-VII transmit

frequency.  Since the Flex-1500 is in the RX loop, it is protected when the 
OMNI-VII is in transmit (I have optioned the FLEX-1500 as receive only to 
protect the OMNI's RX from damage by the FLEX PA). And the 10 meter RX is 
great.... I had lots of fun using both receivers during the ARRL 10M SSB 
contest.

At $650, the FLEX-1500 is about the cheapest panadapter one can buy. The mod

to the OMNI-VI (N4PY Sub-RX mod) takes less than 10 minutes, NO Solder, and 
costs less than $5!

73 es DX,

Gary - AB9M

-----Original Message----- 
From: Floyd Sense
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 1:52 PM
To: tentec at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] O3 wish list

Haven't tried the Flex-1500, but have used an SDR-IQ that way with my
Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V.  Fed the SDR-IQ the same signal that went to the
Mk V receive antenna input using a hybrid splitter.  The same approach
could be used with any transceiver with a receive antenna loop (output
and input).  I ran into two problems: The SDR-IQ was relatively deaf on
12 and 10 meters and weak signals that could be heard on the Mk V
couldn't be seen on the SDR-IQ.  And - it was obviously necessary to
mute the SDR-IQ during transmit and there was apparently no way to
accomplish that (grounding antenna input wasn't adequate).

What would be nice is a TenTec external spectrum scope similar to the
P3, that would sit on the PC to Orion serial port interface (as the P3
does with the K3) so the scope unit could send frequency setting
commands to the Orion.  And, wouldn't it be nice if the very same scope
could be connected to the Eagle in the same fashion.  A nice scope is
really a good addition to a 6M rig.

73, Floyd

On 5/12/2011 1:02 PM, CSM(r) Gary Huber wrote:
> It may sound like heresy on this forum, but the use of an external SDR
> receiver like the Flex-1500 or any basic SDR running PowerSDR via the N4PY
> sub-RX mod provides the panadapter function without the IF port or tapping
> into the IF of older receivers. Or one MAY choose to receive the IF on the
> Eagle.
>
>
> 73 es DX,
>
> Gary - AB9M
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barry N1EU
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 11:29 AM
> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] O3 wish list
>
> Well said and totally agree Paul.  Limited engineering resources can
> be put to much better use.  If the rig mfr provides I.F. output,
> they've done their job.
>
> Barry N1EU
>
> On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 12:19 PM, Paul Christensen<w9ac at arrl.net>  wrote:
>>> high speed display is missing the point entirely.  The name of the game
>>> in panadaptors is RESOLUTION and the ability to twiddle sweep speed and
>>> AVERAGING parameters in such a way that best allows you to visually
>>> identify the weak signals you're looking for.
>> For the reason explained by Floyd, it seems to me that today, inclusion 
>> of
>> a
>> panadapter into a transceiver is not a very good use of a company's 
>> design
>> resources.  The inclusion of a simple 8-9 MHz buffered IF port opens up a
>> whole new world to the operating experience that can never be completely
>> duplicated with internal band scopes.  Of course, that assumes a
>> mid-frequency IF is available in the design that precludes such an option
>> with traditional up-conversion designs.  Ten tec was smart to add an IF
>> port
>> to the Eagle.  That one low-cost feature alone separates the Eagle from
>> the
>> Kenwood TS-590 by a long shot.
>>
>> In 2005, I purchased an Icom IC-7800.  For the two years, my thought was
>> that any manufacturer who could not, or would not, include an internal
>> panadapter would soon face extinction.  I held that view until something
>> quite abrupt occurred.  I experimented with an SDR-IQ on the IF port of 
>> an
>> Elecraft K3.  After witnessing the panoramic detail, waterfall display
>> choices, secondary receivers (through SDR-IQ), there was no turning back.
>> Suddenly, I viewed internal panadapters as a millstone around the necks 
>> of
>> manufacturers.   None of the present manufacturers have the resources to
>> provide the pan ability and control utility provided by SDR-IQ,
>> SpectraVue,
>> LP-PAN, PowerSDR-IF, etc., nor should they.   Look at the display 
>> provided
>> by Yaesu with their FTdx-5000 product.  Frankly, it's a panadpater in 
>> name
>> only.
>>
>> Manufacturers only need to give us a high-quality IF port and a means for
>> rig control.  The rest of the panadapter and control functions can be
>> better
>> managed by folks like Carl, N4PY, Moe, AE4JY, and Scott, WU2X.  Despite
>> past
>> moans from Ten Tec users, I think that in the end, Ten Tec was right to
>> delay inclusion of an internal high-performance panadapter into the O2.
>> At
>> some point, perhaps Ten Tec may want to market an external panadapter
>> similar to the Elecraft P3, where that device could be used for more than
>> one Ten Tec transceiver.  Even so, it's doubtful that the device could
>> approach the low cost and high performance provided by a small netbook PC
>> and SDR-IQ or Softrock receiver.
>>
>> Paul, W9AC
>>
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