Hi Bob......
Sounds like a K3?
Whoa......that'll get the boys started!!
73 John K4NP
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Carroll" <w2wg@comcast.net>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 7:25 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion firmware gripes!
> As is Barry, I am waiting for the Orion III which I figure could be
> targeted
> for the next year or two. I am pretty happy with my Orion 1 at the
> moment,
> perhaps because it is one TenTec swapped me when after a couple of years
> we
> could not resolve the flaky RIT problem. This "new" Orion 1 seems to be
> almost trouble free as compared to the terribly buggy first one I bought,
> which seemed to have experienced just about every strange problem I could
> imagine. Anyway, despite limitations noted on this reflector for 1.373
> and
> the various V2 releases I am a pretty happy camper, especially when for
> some
> reason I go back to my sentimental favorite, an FT1000MP, for a few days.
> In a contest or on 160m there is no comparison between the two.
>
> I have to compliment TenTec for working through the problems with me. The
> problems were very frustrating for me to deal with, and I am sure TenTec
> was
> frustrated with dealing my recurring problems, but they stuck with me and
> got them resolved.
>
> On my list for the Orion III are the following:
>
> 1)Totally stable firmware of course
> 2)Thoroughly optimized gain distribution
> 3)AGC which is not adversely affected by lightning crashes or other QRN
> "pops" (several on-line resources address this for digital AGC in sets
> other
> than the Orion)
> 4) Left and right constant level line outputs which are not affected by
> how
> the main and subreceiver are set up audio gain-wise.
> 5)An architecture so that the internal antenna tuner which can be used on
> either antenna port
> 6) The availability as an option of ordering two "main" receivers instead
> of
> a main and a sub. The sub just can't handle sifting through a massive
> pileup looking for that weak split signal. Ad to that no subreceiver
> "blowby" which appears to be a digital imaging problem as noted on this
> reflector.
> 7) More audio gain built in (my Orion 1 comes close to full AF output at
> about 75% of indicated full range)
> 8) The ability to select "Pod Controls VFO A" or "Pod Controls VFO B" from
> the pod so there is no need to go into a menu to change this.
> 9) A careful look at the board soldering process. The cause of the flaky
> RIT problem which quite a few of us have encountered is unknown, but quite
> a
> few of us are pretty sure it is a soldering problem of some sort of other.
> The last time I talked to Paul he did not agree with this--but at least
> the
> last time we talked he had not found the culprit either. I know there are
> other areas--such as on the power distribution board where Ten Tec
> resolders
> target areas to clear SOME flaky display problems. I have never seen a
> joint that looked suspicious, but given the experience at least with the
> Orion I, I think taking a look at how to do things better would be
> warranted--or maybe an improved process is already in place for the Orion
> 2.
> 10) Concentration on improving the QSK. I know there are limits in a DSP
> machine--and various limits have been noticeable in the various releases
> of
> the firmware--but somewhere around 30wpm the ability to hear between
> letters
> starts to evaporate--and then there is the statement that external keyers
> cannot be used above some lower limit which I forget. My experience has
> been that you can key externally at higher speeds but that the QSK backs
> off
> to "listen between the words." To me that is a limitation for an
> otherwise
> superb CW machine.
> 11) A headphone output which won't blow the AF amp if you plug in a mono
> headset--or if you mistakenly plug a key into the headphone jack.
> 12) Why would you plug a key into the headphone jack? Because the black
> embossing on a black cabinet is very hard to see in a low light situation.
> Its good not to have white labeling which will rub off with use, but the
> embossing needs to be made more visible.
>
> Finally, a number of us have been waiting for that legal limit solid state
> Elecraft amp which was shown at Dayton a number of years ago but which is
> still not available. I am convinced that tube amps are entering their
> swan
> song days. I notice things like the 4CX800 used in the very nice ACOM amp
> being unavailable, the 3-500Z dwindling down to one reputable
> manufacturer--who is farming it out, and the horribly escalating prices
> for
> "real" 8877's and 3CX800's. Those tubes will be around for a number of
> years, but it looks as though their prices could soon price them out of
> the
> ham market. It seems to me that TenTec has an opportunity to get ahead of
> the wave and bring out a reliable state of the art solid state legal limit
> amp for a lot less than the price of a top of the line autotune tube amp
> (almost $10k--grab one before they go up).
>
>
>
> I'd be interested in hearing what you want to see in the Orion III.
>
> Bob W2WG
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of Barry N1EU
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:42 PM
> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion firmware gripes!
>
> On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 10:17 PM, Sain'T Tom <dxhawg@windstream.net>
> wrote:
>> I'm waiting on the next Omni to make my technological update.
>>
>
>
> Similarly, I'm waiting on the Orion III to make my next firmware update.
>
> Planning on sticking with v1.373b5 until the O3. I have no
> expectation that my v2 pet peeve (subrx filter blowby) is ever going
> to get fixed.
>
> 73,
> Barry N1EU
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