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[TenTec] Orion 1 & 2 "Talk Power" problem

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Subject: [TenTec] Orion 1 & 2 "Talk Power" problem
From: "Ron Castro" <ronc@sonic.net>
Reply-to: Ron Castro <ronc@sonic.net>,Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 10:19:36 -0800
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
I have had a couple of people contact me off-list a problem with the v. 2.x 
Orions regarding the ability to drive external amplifiers to normal average 
power levels in SSB.  I have referred to this as the "Talk Power" problem.  A 
few weeks ago, I looked at the SSB wave form under normal speech on a spectrum 
analyzer and found that very few voice peaks approached the output level 
reached when measuring CW output for the same power-level setting.  This 
appears to be a result of an extremely slow release time in the ALC circuit.  
This may be great for preventing CW key-clicks, but looks like very low average 
power output in SSB.

I'm wondering if the ALC is controlled by the CPU or if this is a purely 
hardware-related function.  Looking at the schematic (A5 ALC.pdf in the O2 
schematics), it looks to me like R9 and C5 set the timing, and if my math is 
right, that combination (470 k and 4.7 mf) should result in an 8.7 dB "release" 
over a period of 2.2 seconds.  If the control is actually digital or combined 
with a digital override, then the time constants can be completely different.  
I sounds to me like very fast attack and very slow release.

Has anyone else noticed this problem and what thoughts do you have on it?  
Also, does anyone know what parameter R-19 in the schematic adjusts?

      Ron N6IE
 www.N6IE.com
(Formerly N6AHA)
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