[TenTec] Reasons to buy an OM7 instead of an Eagle

Wed Jul 9 23:59:40 EDT 2014

On 75M SSB with a 1/2 wave coax fed dipole, I frequently have the RF Gain at 
30 to 35 %.  When the station transmits, I hear them.  When they stop, I 
hear nothing.  Almost as good as 2M FM but without the squelch tail.

73
Bob, K4TAX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "R. Eric Sluder via TenTec" <tentec at contesting.com>
To: <n4py3 at earthlink.net>; "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" 
<tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 10:51 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Reasons to buy an OM7 instead of an Eagle

>I run the radio with 50% rf gain.
>
> Eric
> W9WLW
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jul 9, 2014, at 10:59 PM, Carl Moreschi <n4py3 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> That sounds like the RF gain was just set too high in the Omni VII.  I 
>> have both radios here and I like the Omni VII much better.  The Omni VII 
>> is more convenient to use the controls.  It's also more sensitive for 
>> hearing weak signals on 6 meters.
>>
>> Carl Moreschi N4PY
>> 58 Hogwood Rd
>> Louisburg, NC 27549
>> www.n4py.com
>>
>>> On 7/9/2014 10:49 PM, R. Eric Sluder via TenTec wrote:
>>> Nice response Rick.
>>>
>>> Having both radios I'll say the OM7 receiver isn't capable of dealing 
>>> with interference like the Eagle can do.  Broadcast band interference on 
>>> 160 meters is a good example.  Atmospheric noise (including lightning 
>>> pulses) are stronger in my OM7 verses the Eagle.  It maybe because the 
>>> Eagle is a down converted receiver with a less broad front end whereas 
>>> the OM7 has a broader front end (20 Khz I believe) and is up converted, 
>>> plus the DSP isn't of the same vintage of the Eagle (just guessing).
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>> Eric
>>> W9WLW
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Jul 9, 2014, at 5:10 PM, "Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP"<Rick at DJ0IP.de> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I was just asked off list for reasons to warrant spending the extra 
>>>> bread on
>>>> an OM7 instead of an Eagle.
>>>> Ha!  I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying "none, there aren't 
>>>> any!"
>>>> (hi)
>>>>
>>>> There are of course 2 or 3 minor reasons and I've created my list 
>>>> below.
>>>> Perhaps someone else more familiar with the OM7 than I am can think of 
>>>> other
>>>> reasons that I have forgotten.
>>>> Grateful to any additional tips.
>>>>
>>>> (and to the OM who asked me this question, if you do not subscribe to 
>>>> the
>>>> tentec group at contesting.com, send me another email and I will 
>>>> forward you
>>>> any replies we get).
>>>> ==========================================================
>>>>
>>>> Hi OM, (name withheld)
>>>>
>>>> You do realize of course that you have posed that question to a man in 
>>>> love
>>>> with his Eagle!  (hi)
>>>> OK, but I will try and be objective on this.
>>>>
>>>> The Eagle's better receiver is really only noticeable in BIG contests 
>>>> where
>>>> a good operator is willing to dive into the middle of the heaviest 
>>>> pile-up
>>>> on the band to work whatever DX multiplier is under all the rumble. 
>>>> Apart
>>>> from that, there is not a lot of difference in the two receivers. 
>>>> However
>>>> when the going gets tough, the Eagle will outshine the Omni 7.
>>>>
>>>> I'll start with the only other negative of the OM7 over the Eagle: it 
>>>> has
>>>> only one knob for AF and RF gain.  Not the end of the world but 
>>>> separate
>>>> knobs would have been better.
>>>>
>>>> And of course if you go backpacking, I'd rather carry an Eagle!  (hi)
>>>> Same applies for mobile operations.
>>>>
>>>> Now here is my short list of features the OM7 has which the Eagle does 
>>>> not:
>>>>
>>>> . A larger read out, including an S-Meter that you can actually see and 
>>>> read
>>>>
>>>> . Better interfacing to old amplifiers (or new Ameritron amplifiers) in 
>>>> CW
>>>> mode.  The OM7 has adjustable hang delay on the tail end of the signal. 
>>>> The
>>>> Eagle does not have this feature and if you have one of these amps, you
>>>> absolutely need it.  With the Eagle, you must purchase the Model 318 
>>>> Amp
>>>> Keyer for a hundred bucks.
>>>>
>>>> . Interfacing to Ten-Tec full QSK amplifiers (dual-cable keying).  The 
>>>> Eagle
>>>> does not have this.  If you don't have a full QSK linear with this 
>>>> keying
>>>> loop circuitry, it doesn't matter.
>>>>
>>>> . A band scope (though it's not the greatest)
>>>>
>>>> . Larger heat sink on the back side for cooling the final transistors. 
>>>> You
>>>> really do not need a fan unless you are running RTTY.  The Eagle 
>>>> doesn't
>>>> have this so it must rely on a fan. It is not terribly loud but it is
>>>> audible.
>>>>
>>>> . Direct frequency entry keypad
>>>>
>>>> . Curtis mode A and B keying.  It's fixed on the Eagle, but I have no 
>>>> idea
>>>> which one.  Somehow I never paid any attention to that stuff.  I just 
>>>> key
>>>> whatever they throw at me and it somehow seems to always work.
>>>>
>>>> . Two spare RCA phono plugs AND an internal provision to connect two 
>>>> coax
>>>> cables to these to be used as connection for a pre-selector or noise
>>>> cancelor.
>>>>
>>>> . A serial port.
>>>>
>>>> . Connection for the POD (the remote VFO knob).  I sometimes miss this 
>>>> on my
>>>> Eagle.
>>>>
>>>> . 2 antenna jacks
>>>>
>>>> . Ethernet connection
>>>>
>>>> . AUX RX (antenna) - an input for a receive-only antenna (uses one of 
>>>> the
>>>> two ANT connections)
>>>>
>>>> . Adjustable bandwidth on SSB
>>>>
>>>> . Adjustable RX and TX equalizers
>>>>
>>>> . CTCSS for FM
>>>>
>>>> . Adjustable CW (keying) weighting
>>>>
>>>> . SPOT (for spotting in CW) - which I personally feel is worthless
>>>>
>>>> . Adjustable rise/fall time on CW.  A fancy option but I don't feel it 
>>>> is
>>>> necessary.  The Eagle's CW signal is just fine.
>>>>
>>>> . FSK X Data (if you are into RTTY)
>>>>
>>>> . VFO Speed Shift which basically speeds up the tuning rate by a factor 
>>>> of 4
>>>> when you turn the VFO knob real fast.  Many people like this feature a 
>>>> lot.
>>>>
>>>> . A very comfortable software menu (probably the very best in the 
>>>> industry)
>>>>
>>>> . OmniRig support (very important for many 3rd party software programs)
>>>>
>>>> . A dedicated RIT/XIT knob (using the RIT on the Eagle is very clumsy)
>>>>
>>>> . And of course REMOTE CONTROL (over the Internet)
>>>>
>>>> That's all that comes to mind right now, but keep in mind that I do not 
>>>> own
>>>> an OM7 and the last time I even saw or used one was in 2007.  That was 
>>>> 7
>>>> years ago. and my old grey cells "ain't what they used to be".
>>>>
>>>> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
>>>> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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