[TenTec] Comparison of TS-590S to Omni VII

Richards jruing at ameritech.net
Sun Oct 9 01:54:31 PDT 2011


Good question.   Not sure I am quite prepared to answer that, as I am 
just getting used to it, and still exploring how it works.

Here are a couple of preliminary observations:

	REMEMBER... THESE ARE HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE USAGE
	NOTES, NOT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.

________________________________________________________
THINGS THAT ARE EASIER TO LEARN OR DO
ON THE Omni VII THAN ON THE TS-590S
________________________________________________________

1)   The layout of the front panel controls is very different.   The The 
Omni VII is easier to figure out and the buttons are easier to find and 
read.

	A)  The Omni VII has fewer buttons - the TS-590s a LOT more buttons. 
That, alone, makes it harder to find what you need, because there are 
just plain more buttons to sort through.

		NOTE--having more buttons means more features are
		accessible from the front panel... but that does not mean
		the Omni VII suffers in comparison.  TenTec really considered
		what functions to make available on the front panel buttons,
		and the stuff you wanna change quickly during a QSO are
		all available on the Omni VII - similarly for the TS-590s, but
		the Kenwood rig has even more functions you can access via
		the front panel, but these access functions you do not
		generally access most of the time.   So the Omni VII panel is
		less cluttered, with fewer buttons, but that just means it
		has only the good stuff up front.

	B)  The Omni VII buttons are just a little larger then the Kenwood 
buttons.  This makes them easier to see and use.

	C)  The Omni VII has just two rows of function buttons, one above and 
one below the main screen.   It is easier to read them going from left 
to right all in a line, whereas the TS-590s has way MORE buttons and 
they are clustered in groups.   THIS IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

		NOTE -- this is NOT a deal breaker.   But the topic of the
		essay is "which rig is easier to learn to use."

	D)  The Omni VII has some meaningful space between each of the buttons 
- black space - while the TS-590s has less space, and there is writing 
in much of that space, putting way more lettering on the face.  It is 
just plain harder to read and identify each button's function.

	E)  The Omni VII dual purpose buttons all have the two functions 
labeled on the button, itself, where the TS-590s labels one-purpose on 
the button, and the secondary purpose is written on the panel, between 
it and the next button.  That alone, makes it harder to separate each 
button and see what it does because there is just plain more writing, 
i.e. more clutter, on the TS-590s screen.

	F)  The Omni VII has a big square screen, whilst the Kenwood has a 
smaller, rectangular screen.  I think it is easier to read the 
information on the TT screen, because it is laid out in a right-to-left 
way, and is located in a sensible place on the screen, while the Kenwood 
screen does not seem to put the data in easily discerned rows and 
spreads it out over the dial.   Maybe it is just me... but I find it 
easier to find what I am looking for on the Omni VII than on the 
TS-590s.   This is a very small niggle, but it must be so, or I would 
not have thought of it !

		NOTE -- I suspect this sort of thing will resolve over time
				as I get used to the TS-590s dial layout, but I
				found the Omni VII easier to learn and read
				as a new ham.

	G)  The Omni VII screen has a black background, and bright white or 
green information.   The TS-590s has a back-lit green or yellow screen, 
with black letters, which does not give the same degree black - white or 
  light-dark contrast.   This is also a small niggle, as the Kenwood has 
enough contrast, just not as much.

	H)   The Omni VII menu is a single list and you can see much of that 
list when you hit the menu button and enter the menu screen.    This 
makes it easy to survey the list, and then quickly scroll down to the 
item you want to change.   In contrast, the TX-590s screen only gives 
you one menu item at a time, so you have to scroll through the menu 
items or remember what number on the menu it is, to find it.   OR... for 
some of the main functions, like PWR,  MIC gain,  KEY settings, VOX 
settings, you can access those menu items directly from their respective 
buttons on the front panel.

	I think the Omni VII menu list has more letters in the function names, 
so you can read more of them as full words, and fewer of them as 
abbreviations.   On the other hand, on the TS-590s, if you pause while a 
menu item is showing on the screen, it will scroll a longer, more 
complete name, like a marquee sign, so eventually the TS-590s gives you 
longer menu names, but you gotta pause until it starts scrolling the 
fuller name to benefit from this feature.

	I)   The Omni VII shows you both VFO A and VFO B frequencies at at all 
times,   while on the TS-590s, you have to press a button to toggle 
between seeing VFO A and VFO B on the screen at any one time -- UNLESS 
you are operating SPLIT - when it DOES show both at once.  Not a deal 
breaker, but I like seeing both VFO settings at all times.

		Also, because neither menu is in alphabetical order, the
		fact the Omni VII displays more menu items (19) on the
		screen at once, it seems easier to find what you need
		in the list.   The TS-590s has even more memory items,
		and you need to scroll through the choices to get to
		what you want to change.   This will take you longer to
		find a particular menu item, especially if it is not
		associated with a front panel button specifically assigned
		to it.


	J)  The Omni VII has on on-board, always available sweep spectrum band 
scope.  This simplifies finding other stations, or finding a quiet 
available frequency, especially when in a hurry, like in a contest or on 
a busy day when lots of operators are working the band.   The TS-590s 
comes with free software (actually you gotta download it from Kenwood's 
web site) which provides a sweep spectrum scope, but you gotta be 
running the software to use it.

	K)  The RF-Gain knob on the Omni VII has a wider range than the same 
knob on the TS-590s.  This makes it easier to separate the signal from 
the noise.    The Omni VII optical controller behind the knob is easier 
to work compared to the older style analog control behind the TS-590s knob.


	L)  The Omni VII user guide is way shorter, more direct, and simpler to 
read.   The TS-590s comes with both a user guide and a longer reference 
manual.    The Omni VII user guide gets right to the point, and contains 
no embellishment on how or when to use a function or feature.  This is a 
drawback for the novice user (as I was) as you then gotta search the web 
for some explanation as to what the different features and functions do, 
and when (i.e. under what conditions or circumstances) to use them.

	In contrast, the Kenwood user guide and manual contains more textual 
embellishment and explains the functions, and features, in greater 
detail.  If you are new at it, this helps, but if you just want to know 
where to set the @#$%! function setting, then it will take you longer to 
sift through the index and table of contents to find what you need to 
know.   So, while it is more helpful when you find it,... finding what 
you want to know is more difficult using the  TS-590s manuals.

	M)  The Omni VII TUNE button is easier to work and seems to do more 
than the corresponding button on the TS-590s.   Now it is easy to work 
both buttons on both rigs, but the Omni VII TUNE button puts out a nice 
CW tone you can use to tune an amp, or adjust your outboard 
Tuner/Transmatch, and cuts down to about 19-20 watts for this purpose. 
I have not found a similarly easy to access and use tuning tone on the 
TS-590s - although I admit I may have missed it - but as the topic of 
the essay is which rig is easier to learn, I think the Omni VII is 
easier to learn and use in this way.  If the TS-590s has such a feature, 
it is more difficult to discern.

	N)  I think it is just a bit, marginally, easier, and more intuitive to 
operate the Omni VII ATU TUNE button,  than it is to see, and operate 
the ATU tune function on the TS-590s. Very small difference, but I give 
the nod to the Omni VII.

	O)   The Omni VII notch filter control seems to put more control in one 
place, and is easier to manage, than the same one on the TS-590s.   Both 
radios make it easy to find and engage the notch filter, but the Omni 
VII makes it just a little bit easier to select a frequency, notch 
frequency width, and

	P)   While the DSP Noise Reduction feature is equally accessible on 
both radios, the Omni VII makes it easier to control it, and it has a 
continuously variable (OK.. 1- 9) setting range, but I have yet to find 
a similarly variable adjustment on the TS-590s.   It may be there, but 
it is not all that obvious, and, again, the main topic of this essay is 
to indicate which is easier to learn to use.

	Q)   I think making audio connections are just a bit easier and more 
flexible on the Omni VII  (similarly more and easily found ways to 
connect a PTT switch and a CW key or keyer).   Not much difference, but 
if I had to vote, I would vote the Omni VII on this factor.  I found it 
easy to pick between a microphone or a line-in input - or to blend both 
inputs - on the Omni VII than on the TS-590s.

________________________________________________________
THINGS THAT ARE EASIER TO DO OR LEARN
ON THE TS-590x THAN ON THE Omni VII
________________________________________________________	


	1)  The S-meter is easier to read on the TS-590s - although it is 
digital and done with an LED screen, it looks more like a conventional 
analog meter and has more settings, provides more data, and is more 
prominent on the front panel screen.    The Omni VII S-meter provides 
less data,  less data at any time, and has far less detail.   I like the 
way the Omni  VII spells out the power and SWR results numerically, but 
the meter part is not as detailed or as easy to read.  I like the added 
info provided by the Kenwood S-meter - more info, greater detail, and 
more options for configuring the meter.

	2)  The TS-590s audio equalizer is way more flexible and has a wider 
range of adjustment than on the Omni VII.  The Omni VII provides just 
two settings - one for transmit and one for receive - audio EQ, where 
you can adjust for a bit more bass and a bit less treble;  or the other 
way around.   The TS-590s provides a multiple band graphic equalizer

		I am not complaining about the audio on the Omni VII as
		I pretty much leave it to the factory default on both
		transmit and receive EQ, and just roll off the transmit
		bass to about 220 Hz.

	3)  The TS-590s has a multi-knob that can be set to tune in either MHz 
or Hz - which makes scooting between bands - or scooting from the top of 
the band to the bottom - really easy.   Yeah, you can use the keyboard 
number pad to change bands, on both rigs, but I like this MHz / KHz 
rotary tuning option, also.  F'rinstance... you can set the knot to tune 
in KHz increments, and move up and down the band quickly, while the main 
tuning knob is set to tune in .01 KHz increments.  This lets you scoot 
up five or ten KHz, with the multi knob and then fine tune with the main 
knob.   In contrast, you have to change the Omni VII tuning step setting 
to change the tuning rate.

		NOTE - I think you can accomplish something similar
		on the Omni VII by using the VFO Speed Shift function,
		but the main topic of this essay is which is easier to use,
		or to learn... and this is easier to use and learn on the TS-590s.

	4)  It is easier to adjust the high and low cut filters on the TS-590s. 
  On the Omni VII you set a high and low cut, and then adjust the 
bandwidth of the passband.   On the TS-590s you always just set the high 
and low cut frequencies and I think that is more intuitive.

	5)  The filtered passband shows up on the S-meter and you can see it 
shifting higher or lower, respectively, as you adjust it.

	6)  The ts-590S AF-Gain and the RF-gain knobs are concentric, AND 
LOCATED the same shaft, but this arrangement puts them in the same 
place, but gives them separate knobs.   You do not have to toggle the 
knob between AF and RF gain functions before you can alter either 
setting, as you do on the Omni VII.

		NOTE - this is one of my few complaints on the Omni VII.
		You control the rig from these two knobs, and I end up
		living and dying on the RF-Gain / AF-Gain relationship.
		I would prefer them to be separate controls at all times.
		Not a deal breaker, but that is my preference.  I understand
		the logic of the Omni VII design, as you can (usually) set
		the AF to, say, 50%, and mostly leave it alone most of the
		time, while you adjust the RF Gain to find the best S/N figure,
		but still, sometimes I wanna turn the AF gain up or down
		and I end up changing the RF gain - or I have to first toggle
		the function and then turn it.   Separate knobs, whether
		or not concentrically located on the same shaft would be
		easier and quicker. I would prefer them to be on separate
		shafts, so it would be more than obvious which one I am
		adjusting at any moment.   That would mean another front
		panel control knob, but it would be on my wish list.

	7)   Not that I ever use it, but the TS-590s has a separate squelch 
knob, whereas you can only control that on the Omni VII using the 
Multi-knob.

	8)   The TS-590s AGC function has a wider continuous ranges, and is 
easy to access - the Omni VII AGC is easy to find and access, but it has 
a narrower range and fewer choices - just off-slow-medium- fast.   I 
think the TS-590s continuous range provides a wider, more flexible range 
of control - although I do not know how much this really matters.

	9)   The TS-590s has two buttons you can customize and program as you 
wish.   Unfortunately, they are not in the same place on the front panel 
- not big deal, I guess, but I would prefer they were next to each other.

	10)  The TS-590 is easier to connect to a computer - it has both a 
serial port AND a USB port with a USB-B Female connector.   The computer 
can easily find the radio on the USB port   (I have not yet tried the 
radio's serial port, because there is no dedicated serial port on the 
computer I use with the radios...)   The virtual comport driver works 
swell and without glitches.   In contrast, the TenTec supplied 
USB-Serial adapter cable uses a Prolific chip and it does not always 
settle into Windows 7 with ease.   I found a cheapo Chinese USB-Serial 
adapter I purchased on eBay for $5 works just as well and settles into 
the OS with far greater ease and reliability.  But the Kenwood rig is 
plug and play, while the Omni VII requires you to settle the adapter 
into the OS before you can proceed.

!	11)  The TS-590s comes with a Kenwood-supplied competent computer 
control application with a UI that is fairly well laid out.   The dial 
mimics the radio's dial in both appearance and layout, so once you get 
to know the rig dial, you automatically know the software dial.  All 
menu functions can be accessed and controlled through the program.  It 
tells you if the front panel controls are open or being accessed, so on 
many settings, you cannot changes settings on the computer if they are 
being changed on the rig, itself.

	This software has many nice touches, including:

		a) extremely intuitive visual filter band with indicators
		b)  flexible variable band spectrum scope
		c)  multiple CW and Voice keyer recorded message
			(like a contest voice or CW memory keyer)
			accessible on the application UI - just point
			and click to either record or play back.
		d)  Pretty much all the front panel knobs and buttons
			have corresponding buttons and controls on the
			software UI, and even more function and feature
			controls appear on the software UI.
		e)  It has plenty of controls in for form of software buttons
			and knobs, but ALL menu features and controls are
			accessible and easily adjusted on multiple drop-down
			menus that are intuitively labeled and laid out.

			**  	Some controls are much easier to understand,
				and to adjust when using the software application
				because they have nice, intuitive, visualizations.
				For example, filter skirts are shown as a tent
				which changes its dimensions as changes are made.
				(Actually they look like the outline of a Fez...
				you know... that funny Egyptian hat the Saladin
				Shriners wear...)

		f)   ALL FRONT PANEL CONTROLS ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL
			AT ALL TIMES WHETHER OR NOT THE KENWOOD
			CONTROL SOFTWARE APPLICATION IS RUNNING OR NOT.
		
In contrast, the Omni VII does not come with software that allows full 
front panel control functionality while also using computer control 
software.   You only get full software control If you run the rig in 
"computer mode" and not front panel "radio mode."    I don't use the 
One-Plug software control application, but it appears from the manual to 
have as many controls visible and controllable from the software UI. 
But, you lose the ability to simultaneously control the radio from its 
front panel.   You choose your mode, and if you chose "radio mode" you 
loose some computer control functionality.

I do not believe TenTec supplies computer control software that allows 
using the front panel while using the software application.  I think you 
gotta use something else like  N4PY's control program or Ham Radio 
Deluxe (HRD) to do that.

According to the One-Plug manual, the Omni VII's  Ethernet Port is NOT 
available in this mode of operation. However, the RS-232 port is 
available to retrieve a minimal set of information from the radio, and 
also to control a minimal amount of features, as was available in the 
Jupiter in standard transceiver operation. This allows the radio to be 
used with existing control and logging programs that were compatible 
with the Jupiter serial interface. Example programs that have been 
tested with this interface are N4PY, Commander CI-V, and HamRadioDeluxe.


	NOTE --	N4PY's Pegasus Plus computer control software
			application works with both the Omni VII and TS-590s,
			but it looks the same for both radios, and I sorta like
			the way the Kenwood UI mimics the appearance
			of the rig's control dial screen.
	

________________________________________________________
THINGS WHERE IT IS A DRAW - THINGS THAT AR DIFFERENT
BUT EQUALLY EASY TO DO OR LEARN ON BOTH THE
TS-590x AND THE Omni VII
________________________________________________________	

	A)   I think setting the IF filter settings are equally easy to do
		and to learn on both radios.

	B)  VOX settings are pretty much equal to find and use on
		both rigs.

	C)  Basic tuning function - what we do all day - is different
		but equal on both radios.

	D)   Both radios have easily found, and easily used,
		RIT and XIT controls.

	D)	Both radios have been getting good audio reports using
		stock, default settings.  Both have good, pleasant sounding
		receiver audio output, but if I just had to pick one I would
		rather listen to... it would be... er... um... ah... oh crap...
		do I have to pick one?...  the Omni VII.

	E)	Many other functions that do not immediately come to mind.


________________________________________________________
FOOTNOTES AND DISCLAIMERS
________________________________________________________	

	1)   All comments apply solely to SSB operation.  No
		comment is made about CW or Data modes which just
		may work differently.    No comment is made about
		which one works better with a linear amplifier.

	2)  All comments are purely subjective and are subject to
		change as I  a) become more familiar with the way
		BOTH radios work,  and b)  as I become a better
		operator.

	3)  I am still a relatively new, unseasoned operator, with
		much to learn about how radios work, and how to
		best control and adjust them.  This is just my initial
		OPINION and hardly constitutes hard fact.

	4)  All software-related comments are based on using the
		Omni VII in "radio mode" and not "remote mode"
		without reference to possibly greater functionality
		that might be available in "remote mode."

	5)  All comments are made strictly from my memory... which is
		extremely fallible... just ask the XYL...and subject to change
		upon re-reading the user manuals or playing with the radios.

	6.   NO COMMENT IS INTENDED TO START A RANGE WAR OVER
		WHICH COMPANY IS A BETTER COMPANY FOR MAKING
		RADIOS OR PROVIDING SERVICE AFTER THE SALE.

		NOR DO I INTEND TO START A RANGE WAR OVER
		WHICH RADIO IS THE BETTER RADIO.   THEY ARE BOTH
		EXCELLENT RADIOS CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB.  I AM
		HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASES... at least  so far...   ;-)

	7.	As Alfred E. Newman used to say...  "What... me worry?"


------------------

Happy Trails.

=======================  Richards / K8JHR  ======================

On 10/5/2011 07:50, Frank Kirschner wrote:
> Would you please elaborate a bit on what was hard to do on the Kenwood?

I imagine that more knobs puts more features at your fingertips,
but what was it specifically that was difficult?

>   I am considering the Kenwood as an additional rig, so I'm very
interested to know.

____________________________________________________________


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