[TenTec] TS590SG Sherwood numbers = Orion

Wed Dec 10 23:49:16 EST 2014

Well, let me clarify a couple of points - I loved my Orion.  It still worked perfectly the day I sold it, a few months ago.  I didn't sell it because I thought it was no longer useful or a terrific radio.  But, instead, I have grown disenchanted with the radio hobby and have hardly been on in the last 4-5 years.  I've been looking for something to "push" me to do something different and get re-emerged.  So, I finally made good on a promise I made to Gerald Youngblood two years ago when he announced the Flex-6000 line of products.  I bought one of their Flex-6500 SDR's.  Big change.  I'm still absorbing all the things that are different and how to make good use of it in DXing and contesting.  I think TT did a terrific job on the Orion, and I've worked some of my best DX on it.  But I don't have the room or the budget for two high end radios, and if I kept the Orion, I'd continue to default to it, so I swallowed hard and made the jump.  I didn't get a K3 because the ergonomics of the radio just don't work for me.  They have also done a magnificent job of engineering that line.  I have to say, how lucky are we that between TenTec, Flex, and Elecraft we have three terrific companies right here nearby.  (Flex is literally 3 miles away from me.)

I did purchase an Argonaut VI so I could stay on the reflector - hi, hi!  Good bunch of guys here.

	73, Duane

Duane Calvin, AC5AA
Austin, Texas
www.ac5aa.com  

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Billy Cox
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 9:41 PM
To: ac5aa at ac5aa.com; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Cc: Paul Gates; n4py3 at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [TenTec] TS590SG Sherwood numbers = Orion

The Orion platform for a short time had everyone's attention,
from DXers like ON4UN to being used by many serious contest 
stations ... sadly most due to what Duane noted below ... 
have since moved on/over to the K3 platform.

I just spent 48 hours in the CQWW CW, with 5 other ops using
a TS-590S (not SG) and an Orion II ... frankly the TS-590S 
did much better than I expected and having logged almost 5000 
QSOs as a team that weekend, none of the ops had complaints 
about the performance of either rig. 

I as well as others are likely waiting and watching to see 
IF and WHEN Ten-Tec replaces the Orion with another similar 
level contest and/or DXing radio. Rumors say they will not.

If not, the TS590SG may end up becoming even more the rig of 
choice. I hope Ten-Tec gains back market share and not be 
pushed even further into the noise on this by not offering a 
comparable or even better product for this level of performance.

(Sorry, the Eagle is NOT considered to be contest grade overall 
due to reasons posted here and on the Eagle forum ... is it 
missing key features, or how it does things like RIT is not 
well accepted.) It has been out for several years and still 
has no traction with most serious contesters. Yes, there are a 
very few, a very few. It has a great RX, and is a good rig, but 
is limited in other ways that are expected for contesting/DXing.)

For a general purpose rig, I am certain it works very well, and
again it was not designed to be a top tier Orion type radio.

While I don't think we want to go into deep details on the 
TS590xx platform on the Ten-Tec forum, as a person who has 
invested into more than one top line Ten-Tec radio, both which 
are no longer being made ...  I would like to know what and 
when TenTec will have a similar level new product or if the
new owners have decided to walk away from this market?

BTW, I do agree with others that the Orion platform is still
a great bargain for a used high performance radio. We will
have to see how service/firmware updates and the replacement
parts will impact that, but for now, it is a great bargain.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all.

73 de Billy, AA4NU

----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Calvin" <ac5aa1 at gmail.com>
To: n4py3 at earthlink.net, "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>, "Paul Gates" <paulgates80 at yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 8:50:59 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] TS590SG Sherwood numbers = Orion

 . . . and I think the "terrible time" Paul mentions after the Orion came
out had more to do with TT managing expectations of potential and real
customers.  Everybody wanted all of "their" ideas included.  They also
struggled with updates that broke functions that had worked previously -
clearly a case of inadequate regression testing, but then I think they
underestimated the size of the coding and maintenance job the Orion would
bring.  I was VERY pleased with mine, and when I sold it a few months ago,
it was still one of the best radios on the market.  There aren't many
available that have it's feature set and overall performance!

	73, Duane 

Duane Calvin, AC5AA
Austin, Texas
www.ac5aa.com  

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl
Moreschi
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 8:39 PM
To: Paul Gates; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] TS590SG Sherwood numbers = Orion

The RX320 was their first SDR, followed by the Pegasus, Jupiter, and 
then Orion.  The Orion was a great radio even when it came out.  I 
bought one as soon as they came out and loved it.

Carl Moreschi N4PY
58 Hogwood Rd
Louisburg, NC 27549
www.n4py.com

On 12/10/2014 9:31 PM, Paul Gates via TenTec wrote:
> I  have not forgotten the terrible time that TenTec had with the first
Orion that they came out with. I think that was the first SDR they came out
with. Perhaps I am wrong.\\
> Paul Gates, KW4BD
>
>       On Wednesday, December 10, 2014 8:11 PM, R. Eric Sluder via
TenTec<tentec at contesting.com>  wrote:
>
>
>
>   I agree Carl, and I am normally rather open minded about OT discussions,
but this is way out there.
>
> 73
>
> -Eric
> W9WLW
>
> Sent from an iPhone
>
>> On Dec 10, 2014, at 8:09 PM, Carl Moreschi<n4py3 at earthlink.net>  wrote:
>>
>> Why is the Kenwood radio being discussed on this forum?
>>
>> Carl Moreschi N4PY
>> 58 Hogwood Rd
>> Louisburg, NC 27549
>> www.n4py.com
>>
>>> On 12/10/2014 7:25 PM, Don Rasmussen via TenTec wrote:
>>> I read the upconversion is on 10m and 12m, also anytime the selected
bandwidth is>2.7Khz.
>>> But - it does not have a second receiver or dual watch.
>>>
>>>
>>> SG includes roofing filters. Probably a good value and a hassle free
setup for guys that might find themselves on a contest band but  not
contesting themselves...
>>>
>>>
>>> ================================
>>>
>>> On the WARC bands and 10M, the Kenwood rx uses upconversion and
performance isn't close to the Orion. Barry N1EU
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