[TenTec] FW: orion vs. orion II

[Mark van Wijk]

I have had both Orion models and believe there is some small audible difference.

For my Orion fw 1.375b, using the 600Hz Inrad crystal filter at the 1K pos,  I very much like its 100Hz  (actually it is about 155Hz) for reading the weakest signals on 160m. CW. The OII using fw 3.XX and 4-pole 300Hz, offers a slightly tighter DSP filter. 

The ORION is the only RX for which I can manually (VFO)scan the 160m band at 100Hz DSP BW, totally ringing-free and not missing any tiny CW signal. Normally you would scan the band at wider BW for sure and I often forget to return to 200-400Hz BW when scanning the band.  It is THAT good.  I "blame" the Orion's ability to read weak signals so well because of their 'analog shaped' DSP filtercurve.

See filter-curves  at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pa5mw/sets/72157632258734283

Here you will find sound curves 0-2000Hz showing 300Hz set filter curves for the TS590, IC746(2x400Hz crystal without and with DSP-Wide), OII, Orion and tow different K2's at 400Hz without and with 120Hz analog APF

73

Mark, PA5MW

> Op 26 maart 2018 om 11:31 schreef Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com>:
> 
> The only thing the xtal filtering accomplishes in the Orion is to prevent
> overload of the ADC by off-channel signals. 4 Poles is plenty.
> 
> No, the filter skirts are determined by the number of taps of the dsp
> filtering, adjustable in the Orion's menu, not by the xtal filtering.
> 
> As I listed in the TenTec wiki article I linked earlier, the Orion II is
> generally a more reliable radio as they age and that's why I give it a
> slight nod.
> 
> 73, Barry N1EU
> 
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> On Mon, Mar 26, 2018 at 3:05 AM, MadScientist1948 <dukeshifi at comcast.net>
> wrote:
> 
> > The Orion is a really great choice (either version).
> > 
> > The color screen on the O2, while sort of coarse compared with the display
> > on its contemporary, the Icom 756 Pro 2 or 3, is sure a lot more pleasant
> > to use than the older monochrome displays on the O1. Also, it seems that
> > the color displays are more reliable than the monochrome ones.
> > 
> > I have had maybe 10 Orion and 5 Orion 2 radios here over the years. I have
> > also repaired many of them.
> > 
> > Unless I missed something, I had thought that the O2 used 4 pole roofing
> > filters while the O1 used the older 8 pole Omni 6 type filters.
> > 
> > Generally, more poles provide better skirt slopes…
> > 
> > Thus I would appreciate it if someone might elucidate on the reason for
> > the perception that the O2 has better filtering…
> > 
> > My recollection is that Ten Tec, in their advertising for the O2 and its
> > accessories, stated that they had discovered a way to produce the filters
> > at lower cost (which was reflected in lower prices for the accessory
> > filters relative to the older filters).
> > 
> > It seems to me that this “discovery” consisted mainly of using half as
> > many crystals in the filters.
> > 
> > The Ten Tec’s credit, the newer filters do have shielded metal housings
> > whereas the older filters were “open air” designs, leaving some room for
> > unplanned leakage around the filters.
> > 
> > Gary
> > 
> > > On Mar 25, 2018, at 9:43 PM, Michael Tortorella <w2iy at verizon.net>
> > > wrote:
> > > 
> > > Thank you to everyone who replied, both on- and off-list, with useful
> > > information. The consensus seems to be that performance of the two is
> > > pretty much the same, you get a pretty color display with the II and a
> > > different (maybe slightly better but not much difference in the real
> > > world)
> > > filtering system. Definitely on my short list for a new xcvr.
> > > 73
> > > Mike W2IY
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Michael
> > > Tortorella
> > > Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2018 11:04 PM
> > > To: tentec at contesting.com
> > > Subject: [TenTec] orion vs. orion II
> > > 
> > > Hello everyone,
> > > 
> > > I am thinking about jumping into the more modern world, and would be
> > > grateful for any comments from the list concerning comparing the Orion
> > > 565
> > > and Orion II 566.
> > > 
> > > Thanks and 73
> > > 
> > > Mike W2IY
> > > 
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