Hi,
I have to agree with all of the Positive comments about the Ten Tec Fest.
Each year The Ten Tec Fest is better and better. The forums were great and as
always the Ten Tec Staff was helpful and courteous. I don't know how they
keep their composure after so many questions and conversations throughout the
Fest period. For people like Scott and Stan, this must be a real Marathon ! !
Did anyone listen to the audio on the Orion carefully? WOW ! ! ! I design
audio amps and preamps and audio is my thing. I was totally amazed with the
dynamic range and tonal purity coming from the internal speaker. I would
expect little improvement in having an external speaker. Although, there
might be some slight improvement in the low end range. I have listened to
almost every HF rig manufactured in the last 40 years and the Orion audio has
the best audio that I have heard to date. I have modified my Omni 6+ and
Corsair II's to improve the audio but man, the Orion Blows them away big time
! !
I had initially booed the Orion due to it's SMT infested design but this rig
is something else. As much as I hate SMT devices due to their difficulty to
replace in the field and the fear of not being able to get replacement parts
a decade down the road, I may have to have an Orion for it's performance
characteristics.
The IP2, IP3 and sensitivity specifications look very impressive as well
which should make it a great Contest or DX or QRO or QRP or front end for
Moon Bounce or whatever rig. Don't think it will be up to backpacking
though...The second receiver with general coverage will be nice for listening
to a ball game when band conditions are poor... I was not too impressed with
the display as it seemed somewhat dim outside in the tent. I am sure inside
with room light, the display will be plenty bright enough...
The Orion is the first Ten Tec rig that was not intuitively obvious for me to
use. It will require a little time with the manual, not yet available, to
understand. However, as several of us were pushing buttons and turning knobs
like a bunch of monkeys trying to fly a 747, we were finally able to set
passband, frequency, sensitivity and actually make a Q with some fellow
involved with a county hunter special event station on 20 meters. I still
love the simplicity to performance ratio previously available as standard
equipment on all Ten Tec rigs but as they say the times are a changing. For
now I will keep my Corsair II's and Omni 6+'s but they will have to move over
to make room for my Orion that I will order as soon as I can figure out how
to break the news to my Wife. Got to come up with a good excuse to justify,
yet another Ten Tec Toy ! !
I am open to any helpful suggestions with this one. After all, 2) Omni C's,
4) Corsair II's, 2) Paragon II's, 2)Omni 6+
s, 2) Centurions, 2) Triton IV's, Not to mention the old stuff like my RX
10's and TX 100's have been absolutely necessary to my survival and well
being so far. At least that's been my story to my wife... I must be sick ! !
The new Heil/Ten Tec Microphone and VibroPlex/Ten Tec paddle was great Idea
and teaming up with these other Top Notch Companies should do a lot to
improve the fit and finish issues that many people have complained about for
years. I am sure there are folks equally loyal to the JA rig manufacturers
but I do believe that some will abandon ship and jump aboard with Ten Tec
soon. After all, it's the best game in town and maybe soon, the best game
anywhere ! !
It is really very refreshing to see a US company forge ahead in a technology
field that had all but been lost the Japanese. GO TEN TEC ! ! ! ! !
73,
Glenn WA4AOS
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