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Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware 2.044A PTT

To: <geraldj@weather.net>, "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware 2.044A PTT
From: "Ron Castro" <ronc@sonic.net>
Reply-to: Ron Castro <ronc@sonic.net>, Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:30:33 -0700
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
That would almost be the case for standard pulse-width modulation or plate 
modulation, except for positive peaks > 100% which is common in commercial 
broadcasting (The FCC allows 125% peak positive modulation, but it's 
possible to do much more).  In this case, Doug Smith, the original software 
engineer on the Orion designed a DSP circuit that actually increased the 
carrier as the modulation pushed past a certain point.  There was a detailed 
explanation in his website, but unfortunately the site is gone.  There may 
be articles about this in QEX.

BTW, although the agreed-on standard for an S-Unit is 6 dB, many radios, 
including  the Orion II with the newest firmware in, use 3 dB.  The late 
Jerry Cebik had an excellent article on the genesis of the S-Unit and the 
RST system, but that's gone from the web too.

            Ron  N6IE
       www.N6IE.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson" <geraldj@weather.net>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2010 6:53 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware 2.044A PTT


> If the carrier stays at 14.5 watts, the peaks can only be 58 watts for
> full modulation. As a practical manner, the difference between 80 watts
> and 100 watts can only be measured locally, not at any distance where 1
> S unit is 6 db, a power change by a factor of 4.
>
> 73, Jerry, K0CQ
>
> On 6/12/2010 8:30 AM, Rsoifer@aol.com wrote:
>> Tnx Ron,
>>
>> That seems a bit low to me.  The peaks should be closer to 100 watts, 
>> no?
>>
>> 73, Ray W2RS
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 6/12/2010 12:03:13 A.M. GMT Standard Time,
>> ronc@sonic.net writes:
>>
>> I'm  seeing 14.5 Watts with no modulation and mod peaks 60 to 80  Watts.
>>
>> Ron   N6IE
>> www.N6IE.com
>>
>> ----- Original Message  -----
>> From:<Rsoifer@aol.com>
>> To:<tentec@contesting.com>
>> Sent: Friday, June 11, 2010 1:16  PM
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware 2.044A PTT
>>
>>
>>>   John,
>>>
>>> I don't have a true peak-reading wattmeter, so I can't  measure the PEP
>>> output.  Jim may be right about  controlled-carrier; I can't  tell. 
>>> When
>>> using
>>> TUNE  and PWR, I get 95 watts, but only 11 watts with  PTT and no 
>>> speech.
>>>
>>> 73 Ray
>>>
>>>
>>> In a message dated  6/11/2010 7:01:47 P.M. GMT Standard Time,
>>> wb4qda@yahoo.com  writes:
>>>
>>> Ray
>>> When I speak into the Micrphone  with  the mode set to  AM ,I  modulates
>> up
>>> to 80 watts .Tune is 21  watts and tune then the   PWR I get 95 watts
>>>   output.
>>> 73
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----   Original Message ----
>>> From: "Rsoifer@aol.com"<Rsoifer@aol.com>
>>> To: tentec@contesting.com
>>> Sent: Fri,  June 11,  2010 10:38:22 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware  2.044A  Released
>>>
>>> John,
>>>
>>> Funny thing about  that.  With the mode set  to AM, when I hit Tune and
>>>   then
>>> Pwr I get full output like you did,  but if I hit the PTT  button 
>>> instead,
>>> all I get is 11 watts on the  Bird.  It  worked fine with 2.041XT.
>>>
>>> 73  Ray
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> In a  message dated 6/11/2010  3:22:43 P.M. GMT Standard Time,
>>> wb4qda@yahoo.com  writes:
>>>
>>> Ray
>>> I just tested my O2 on  AM  max  output was 80 warrs on an Alpha watt
>>> meter
>>> also about   the same reading on a LP-100A watt meter with the Power set
>>>   to
>>>
>>> 100%
>>> using the new fearmware version 2.044A
>>>   73
>>> John   wb4qda
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original  Message ----
>>> From: "Rsoifer@aol.com"<Rsoifer@aol.com>
>>> To: ronc@sonic.net;  w5pny@arrl.net;   tentec@contesting.com
>>> Sent: Fri, June 11,  2010 8:36:18 AM
>>> Subject:  Re:  [TenTec] Orion 2 Firmware  2.044A Released
>>>
>>> Ron,
>>>
>>> The NR   problem  has been fixed (!) but the old low-output problem on 
>>> AM
>>>   is
>>>
>>>
>>> back.  Mine measures 11 watts carrier power,  max.  It   worked  fine 
>>> with
>>>   2.041XT.
>>>
>>> 73 Ray W2RS
>>>
>>>
>>> In a   message  dated 6/11/2010 2:17:05 A.M. GMT Standard Time,
>>>   ronc@sonic.net
>>> writes:
>>>
>>> I have  adjusted the  "Wish  List" for the Orion II to  reflect the 
>>> newest
>>> version  of  the  firmware.  It's at  www.N6IE.com
>>>
>>>   Ron   N6IE
>>> www.N6IE.com
>>>
>>> ----- Original   Message -----
>>> From:  "Harry G McGavran  Jr"<w5pny@arrl.net>
>>> To:<tentec@contesting.com>
>>>   Sent:  Thursday, June 10, 2010 5:50  PM
>>> Subject: Re:  [TenTec] Orion 2  Firmware  2.044A   Released
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> With this one I can set   the  side-tone  level all the way
>>>> up to 65 before the  pops  begin,  and by the time  one
>>>> gets past 80 on  towards 99 the  distortion on  the
>>>> side-tone  is  still really bad -- BUT --  for me at
>>>>   least, levels are  50-60 are  all I need and that  is
>>>> now  distortion  free, at least with a 610 Hz   sidetone
>>>> which is  the  only one I tested or use.  I  also  am
>>>>   using the speaker and  not headphones for  this.
>>>> Since  one  gets the side-tone every time  the  SPOT
>>>>   button is used, the side-tone  distortion was    really
>>>> objectionable with 2.043B.
>>>>
>>>>   The  NR  seems  better too, but most all the time I  don't
>>>> really need it  --  and  it's nice not to  have artifacts that
>>>> sound like NR  action on the   side-tone which the side-tone
>>>> is set to   50-60.
>>>>
>>>>   There  are a few CAT wierdnesses  here and  there, but the 
>>>> reliability
>>>> of  sending a  strings of "*"  commands seems  better.
>>>>
>>>>   Unless  something else crops  up, I think I can  live with  this
>>>>    release...
>>>>
>>>> 73  --
>>>>
>>>>   Harry,    W5PNY
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   --
>>>>
>>>>   Harry G. McGavran,  Jr.
>>>>
>>>> E-mail:    w5pny@arrl.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>
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