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[TenTec] Sweep on Orion II

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Sweep on Orion II
From: CaseKE@aol.com
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 11:58:57 EDT
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Sorry this is so long - the question is short, but the extended story is long.

OK.  This MAY be a senior moment.  I have owned both an Orion and an Orion 
II.  When I look at the sweep on USB and tune such that the PEAK of the signal 
on the sweep is at 0, I must then tune down approximately 1.8 kHz to hear a 
natural voice.  Put differently, when I am listening to a natural voice on USB, 
the peak on the sweep is then showing about 1.8 kHz above 0, of course.

On LSB, the effect is the same, but reversed as would be expected (the sweep 
peak is 1.8 kHz lower than 0 when listening to the natural voice).

On CW, a perfect audible 700 Hz signal is right at the peak - WONDERFUL!

NOW FOR THE QUESTION (I understand already about sidebands, etc., and don't 
need a technical explanation):  HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY?  I WAS TOLD BY TT 
THIS MORNING THAT BOTH THE ORION AND THE ORION II HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS 
AND THAT IT IS OPERATING EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD.  IS THIS TRUE?  I want to recall 
on the Orion and even during the first two months of the Orion II (pre-return 
to the factory to fix another problem - see below) that the peak was right at 
0 when listening to the natural voice of a station, regardless of USB or LSB. 
 Since the current offset bugs me so much, I'm surprised that I never noticed 
it before.  AGAIN, HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY?

IF YOU ARE STILL WITH ME, LET ME TELL YOU WHY I AM ASKING YOU.  When I first 
got my Orion II, I could not make AFSK operate correctly using EXACTLY the 
same setup that worked so well with the Orion where you need to set the PBT at 
+1.96 kHz per TT instructions.  I called TT service about three times and 
finally, after much experimentation and discussion, I discovered that AFSK 
would 
work fine using a PBT setting of -1.96 kHz (minus 1.96 Hz).  During the next 
call 
to TT to report that this was happening and indicated a possible problem, I 
was told that OF COURSE a value of -1.96 kHz should be used and that that was 
how it was on the Orion, also.  Well, I still had my Orion at the time and 
could prove differently.  That seemed to carry NO WEIGHT.  Well, there is more 
to 
the story.  Another problem came up and I had to return the Orion II to the 
factory.  They not only fixed the problem, but when the rig came back, AFSK 
worked perfectly JUST LIKE THE ORION at a PBT setting of +1.96 kHz!!!!!  

What did I learn?
1.  Just like in REAL LIFE, people are somewhat disinclined to listen to the 
facts and to assume that JUST MAYBE the caller has a point and even some hint 
that should be investigated because it may indicate a more pervasive problem.
2.  Just like in REAL LIFE, people's defense mechanisms go sky high right 
away and they seek to justify whatever is the current situation.
3.  IF YOU ARE TICKED OFF THAT I SEEM TO BE BASHING TT, READ THIS ONE.  I 
still think TT is the BEST.  I've been a TT user since 1976 and would rate TT 
9.5 
on a 10 point scale.  I am now, and will continue to be, a repeat buyer.  
Their service, when something goes back to the factory, is prompt and excellent.
4.  I am exceptionally pleased with my Orion II.

73 to all,  Ken K5KC
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