[TenTec] Any update on a replacement for the Orion II?

[John Henry]

Regarding control interfaces.
Everything TEN-TEC makes from this point on will follow either the Orion II
or the OMNI-VII protocol.
There are minute differences between the Eagle and the Orion protocols. For
instance, the version query, the Eagle returns text to say it is an Eagle
599, the Orion returns 565 or 566. So, yes, the control programs need to
change IF they look for the version name. And when necessary, there may be
other minor changes from rig to rig. e.g. the Eagle does not respond to
second receiver Orion commands. It doesn't have one.
Every attempt is being made to keep them all always on those two protcol
paths, so, hopefully, unless the control program asks "who are you?" with
the ?V command, it should work pretty much using the Orion command set (for
the Eagle/ArgoVI), or the Jupiter command set (for the OMNI-VII).
Sorry for the two branches of commands, but we are where we are and those
were brought out different many many years before my control.
I guess OMNI-RIG should get an update, but I don't know who will do that
for TEN-TEC. I have do have a bone to pick though, another company gets
several volunteers to update those for them. Wonder why...... We do all we
can with our hands as full as they are. This omni-rig request has been on
the reflectors for quite some time. For the Eagle, and other TEN-TEC rigs.
I'm very busy working on a hardware enhancement for one of our current
production rigs, and a software update for the OMNI-VII, new rig
development, etc.  We be very very busy in house.
Orion II replacement? Someday, but not right away, that takes time.

Thanks, and 73,
John Henry, KI4JPL
TEN-TEC Engineering