I guess I'm easy. I have been adding up all of the things Orion has to
offer (the pan-stereo audio, diversity reception etc.) and I concluded that
TT is continuing their reputation for offering high-value products at a fair
price. I know $3300 is a lot of green stamps; I'd have to trade in my whole
station to make the nut so I don't see myself getting one (soon), but if
this thing really delivers, think about what that 3.3K gets you--almost two
rigs in one; SO2R effect without a lot of extra outboard gear, and some
receiver technology that you previously had to pay much more for by buying a
commercial grade receiver.
I have been away from HF for many years and have just recently fixed up a
station on the low bands. Some of the items on some folk's shopping lists
are things I never had and don't miss because they became standard during
the 18 or so years I was qrt. While I don't care about tuners, color
displays (they make me feel like I'm looking at a cartoon) and so on, I'll
take everyone's word for it and accept that these things are needed now to
compete in the marketplace.
I was very surprised by all the different want lists--I guess the day will
come when the assy. lines will be robotic and you will be able to get a rig
made to order within a price range. You'll order from a web page and click
on all the stuff you want from a menu plus color knobs, screw type etc.,
with a 100 things to choose from and hardly any two rigs will be the same.
Isn't it kind of like that now when you buy a Dell win-box from their web
site? If this sounds crabby that's not my intent--I genuinely think it
would be great if we could pick the way we want to zero-beat a station,
color display or b&w, and so on and click on order. But it's pie in the sky
stuff I guess, like having a ham geosync. satellite. Anyway, I don't think
there are any dummies in Sevierville so I'm reasonably sure they'll get most
of Orion right by the time it officially hits the market (color disp may be
iffy but there's always Orion II).
Rob Atkinson
K5UJ
St. Charles IL
VI/3
Corsair II (Last one in the Jan. used sale!)
k5uj@hotmail.com
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