[TenTec] Orion II has ended production

Mon Jul 1 04:08:22 EDT 2013

Joe, don't just "take a look", use your ears and "listen" to the K3.

I did, and I compared it to an Eagle, side by side for about a month.
I sold the K3.  Crappy audio.
And NO, the firmware update did not fix it.  It just improved it.
It's still bad audio.

73
Rick, DJ0IP

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe W2KJ
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 3:23 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production

Take a look at the Elecraft K3...it's receiver(s) are at the top of the charts.

I have a K3 and really enjoy using it...best receiver I have used in 51 years of hamming...oh, and the QSK ain't bad either (grin).

I sold my Orion a while back after being disappointed that Ten Tec didn't really follow up on firmware updates for many months after bugs were discovered and reported.

With John Henry back in the company hopefully that won't be the case anymore.

Interested in what Ten Tec will follow the Orion family with.

			73, Joe W2KJ

> That's my biggest concern that firmware development will cease...
> 
> 
> 
> I hope until Ten-Tec has a replacement for it’s flagship it will continue to develop firmware releases for the Orion.  I also hope the sub receiver upgrade will continue to be available for a while...been saving my pennies for that addition to my Orion II.
> 
> 
> 
> It’s ashamed really...there is not another product in the market positioned where the Orion II sits.  One has to spend a considerable amount of money above the cost of the Orion II to purchase a desktop transceiver (non-PC based) with the feature set the Orion II possesses.  With Icom it’s the 7800 at $13000.00 or with Yaesu it’s the 5000 at I don’t know how much.  (they dropped the 2000)  Now Kenwood has the 990 but it’s too new to be fully sorted out and it’s a few K$ more than the OII....
> 
> 
> 
> There are many radios out there...but few with dual receivers and dual tuning knobs which has become a must have in a DX radio for me....  Don’t do point and click radio’s either....
> 
> 
> 
> Just a personal thing...
> 
> 
> 
> Guess that makes the Elecraft K3 the winner....at lease one can start basic and grow it to the level of the radios mentioned above....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cecil Acuff
> Gulfport MS
> K5DL
> 
> 
> From: Kim Elmore
> Sent: ‎June‎ ‎29‎, ‎2013 ‎4‎:‎06‎ ‎PM
> To: Bob Gibson; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> CC: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
> 
> 
> All radios cease production at some point, so this was inevitable. It doesn't make our radios worthless or perform any worse. 
> 
> What's not clear is how much additional firmware development there will be in the future. I hope TenTec doesn't cease all development, but their resources are limited and we can't expect firmware development to continue indefinitely. Someday, firmware support will have to end. 
> 
> Kim N5OP
> 
> "People that make music together cannot be enemies, at least as long 
> as the music lasts." -- Paul Hindemith
> 
> On Jun 29, 2013, at 15:54, Bob Gibson <w5rg at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> I wish I had known this two weeks ago when I bought a new one!!
>> 
>> Bob Gibson W5RG
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> From: PC Anderson <xtraham58 at hotmail.com>
>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 2:30 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II has ended production
>> 
>> 
>> Looks like my comments were blocked.
>> Andy W3LI
>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Thanks for the heads up Ron.
>>> 
>>> Guess I'm shaking my head at why they couldn't "Eaglize" the Orion 
>>> RF design and update the controller/display/etc and end up with an Orion III.
>>> I love the Orion form factor.
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> Barry N1EU
>>> 
>>> On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 6:14 PM, Ron Castro <ronc at sonic.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I just got this in the TenTec newsletter:
>>>> 
>>>> "On a rather sad note, about the time you read this message, we 
>>>> will have sold out of the last 566 Orion II transceiver.  
>>>> Unfortunately, due to the availability of some very critical parts 
>>>> plus skyrocketing prices for difficult components, the staff at 
>>>> TEN-TEC decided to discontinue this product.  This does not mean we 
>>>> will not trade or sell used and demo Orion's and Orion II models.  
>>>> We will continue service and support this product as we have done 
>>>> in the past with all TEN-TEC products.  Is a new Orion III on the 
>>>> horizon?  There are plans for several new TEN-TEC products lined up 
>>>> for the future but at this time no concise decision has been made 
>>>> for another Orion transceiver."
>>>> 
>>>> All good things come to an end...
>>>> 
>>>>           Ron Castro
>>>>            N6IE
>>>>     www.N6IE.com
>>>> 
>>>> Member:
>>>>                       ARRL
>>>>      Redwood Empire DX Assn.
>>>>  Northern California Contest Club
>>>> Northern California DX Foundation
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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