While at Ham-Com I stopped by the Ten-Tec booth to see what was going
on. Not a lot of folks there at the time so I got to fiddle with the knobs
on the Orion. Nice radio, looks good and feels good!
I am troubled by the display on it though... I noticed while tuning around
that the numbers change so fast that you can't read them like when tuning
my Paragon, it's just a blur. So I stepped over to the Jupiter and noticed
the same thing. I'm not sure if it's because they're display models, or
not. I must admit I didn't like it, but I don't have much to compare it
too. Later I checked out another manufacturers radios with LCD displays
and noticed a tuning appearance that one would see on a more conventional
radio. It could've been the tuning speed as well on the Ten-Tec rigs.
Any of you Jupiter owners notice this... or maybe I was dehydrated at the
time :^) Anyway, the Orion sure seems to be a nice radio unless you must
have a color display. Personally, now that the VI+'s are available and
more in-line with my price range I'll be looking there. I'm not that much
of an operator to warrant the bucks that the Orion dictate, but some of you
will have a ball with it!
The 516 seems to be a nice little radio and I'm sure the electronics inside
are fabulous, but man am I disappointed in the ABS plastic main knob. As
much as I try to overlook the aesthetics of a good radio, it troubles me to
pay $795 for plastic that looks like something from a toy. A miniature
version of the knobs used on the big Ten-Tec rigs would have been far more
fitting. It seems folks like the knobs on the Yaesu's a lot -- maybe
something like that would put the touches on a fine radio. Maybe even
contract SGC's knobs since they're an American company... just thinking out
loud.
Lastly, a few Triton's and a good looking Paragon for sale in the
market. Not as much Ten-Tec gear in comparison to the other manufacturers
like I just saw at Dayton though... that was Ten-Tec heaven.
73,
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R. Eric Sluder, W5WLW
North Texas, USA
resluder@coserv.net
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