Folks:
I have been playing with the Orion and have it set up in an A/B test with my
756PRO II. I am surprised at the sensitivity of the PRO II as everything I
hear on the Orion, I can hear on the Icom. HOWEVER, on top band, where one
has a legal limit contest station within a mile of them, there is a major
difference. I will explain.
Let me regress a bit before I explain. I used to own a Icom 781. I could
not get within perhaps 25 KHz of my 1.5KW neighbor because he pumped my AGC
and I pumped his. However we both indeed could work in the same segment of
the band if he or I went to say 1803 and the other station went above 1830.
I sold my 781 when the Orion was announced in anticipation of a decrease in
price as the next generation of radio hit the market (Orion and Icom 7800).
However in the interim, I bought into another Icom, the 756PRO II because of
the deals and because I wanted a DSP backup radio. I have been amazed at
the performance of the PRO II until I got my Orion.
In A/B tests on top band with my neighbor, and I am sure this will also be
the case on 80M, with the Orion forced into the 500 Hz position and playing
with the PBT control to narrow it to 100 Hz as well as turning up the
threshold and backing off on the RF gain a bit, I can eliminate his annoying
presence within 800 cycles of my frequency. Why 800 cycles when I have a
500 Hz roofing filter? Well his 781 generates what appears to be phase
noise AND he has some key clicks! Amazing!! However the bottom line is
that close proximity station does not pump my AGC and I can work right next
to him in a contest or on a crowded band without the interference normally
associated with a legal limit neighbor.
What is going to happen? Well my neighbor has an Orion in his future only
he doesn't know it right now!!!
This is a non scientific test but a real one nevertheless. It is the
results of my perceptions. I perceive the Orion to be the radio de jour on
an extremely crowded low frequency band. YMMV.
73,
Charlie, W0YG..>>
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