[TenTec] Urgent OMNI VII Question

[bcarling at cfl.rr.com]

Hello Fellers - perhaps some seasoned TT op can help me learn something here...
I have just acquired a used OMNI VII.

 I know the band conditions are horrible, but I am hearing something that bothers me...

It happens on both CW and SSB. When I listen, the background noise seems to be very 
attenuated (by DSP presumably) - and whenever a signal leaps out and is actually heard, 
it is modulated by noise and has a rather annoying sound to it. I have tried everything to 
make it stop this.

I reduced the RF gain - tried 25, 35, 45 - all about the same but better than with 100.
I tried setting the PB at center and adjusting bandwidth to various settings. I have also tried 
all the different settings for AGC which also makes very little difference. 

It seems like the only signals that don't have this horrible noise modulating them are the S9+  
signals on the quieter bands.

Also - I sometimes notice an intermittent "extra sidetone" on CW that is up about 10 kHz. 

Are these two things fairly normal? The scratchiness was VERY pronouced on the internal 
speaker and slightly better with the external speaker once I got that connected up.

I really don't know what else to try and wonder if I am doing something wrong.

I don't know if I can live with all CW signals sounding so scratchy. None of my other rigs do 
that including a Tentec Omni VI and a Yaesu radio. 

Fortunately the seller has given me the option to return it if I am not satisfied. Then I will only 
be out for the hours spent on it and shipping it round trip  - sigh. I was hoping this would be 
my next dream rig.

Sincerely,

Bry Carling, AF4K