[TenTec] Three Items

[John Rippey <w3uls@3n.net>]

1.  Recently, Dave Heil wrote:

"I sold my Omni VI, option 3 to help finance the Orion. I'm not sorry that 
I did so."

I'm glad he did so. I now own Dave's OMNI VI. On CW, it is one fine radio. 
Last night I worked AB9DU/VE1 on Cape Breton Island on 20 SSB through a 
pileup on the first try, so it cannot be all bad on phone either. I have 
made direct comparisons of the OMNI with an IC-746PRO and an FT-920. The 
latter shines for its ergonomics--I just think its dandy for CW. Where it 
doesn't shine is in its receiver's front end. Either the 746PRO or the OMNI 
beats it hands down. Perhaps the INRAD cascaded filter board mod would 
bring it up to snuff; I don't know.

As to the IC-746PRO, it is one beautiful radio. It includes some great CW 
features, including a narrow CW bandwidth--quite a bit narrower than the 
OMNI's, very good QSK, a versatile internal memory keyer, and lots of 
filtering flexibility with a robust front end that holds up well in 
comparison with the OMNI VI. Of course, it is a very modern rig, with 
software-controlled circuitry replacing analog circuits a la the ORION, and 
it's built like a tank. (I believe the spectral purity problem on SSB 
transmit has been addressed, and there have been some reports of a failed 
diode in the power supply which are being fixed under warranty.) So why am 
I not using the IC-746PRO? Because (a) it's footprint is quite small and 
that means a lot of controls are scrunched up and some just aren't 
there--most especially a "spot" button for tuning CW. Zero-beating a CW sig 
with the IC-746PRO is a three-step process, and that's annoying. (The 
FT-920 is hands-down winner for easy zero-beating--it has a visual 
indicator AND a "spot" button.) And (b) the IC-746PRO does not provide a 
readout on the display for either CW pitch or keyer speed. Again, annoying, 
because it does so many things so well.

So the long-in-the-tooth OMNI VI seems to have worked its way into first 
place on the desk.

2.  My thanks to those who have responded so helpfully to my previous 
posted questions about SWR, etc.

3.  Rumor has it that the FCC is (finally!) moving ahead with action on 
petititons by the ARRL and yours truly to greatly expand Novice/Tech 
Plus/Tech-with-code certificates HF CW privileges. These were put out for 
comment in early 2002. It seems to me that whatever the FCC does in this 
regard, and I expect a favorable response, should preclude the need for any 
early action on the NCVEC's petition to end code testing for HF access. The 
new subband privileges will need time to ferment and in the meantime the 
code/no code issue can be put on the back burner.

73,
John, W3ULS

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