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Re: [TenTec] re should i buy an orion now

To: doon@infoscientific.com,Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] re should i buy an orion now
From: John Sheeley <wb4qda@yahoo.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 11:49:37 -0700 (PDT)
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Harry
and you think the Orion has problems.
check out this review . on eham.com
MSRP: $$11,500 FTDX 9000
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/4970 

a happy first production owner

John WB4QDA

--- Harry Reed <doon@infoscientific.com> wrote:

> Methinks that people are forgetting the big picture.
> 
> Most, if not all, here want dependability,
> reliability, and repeatability in their rigs - 
> especially ones that costs ~$4000. Is that *really*
> too much to ask? TTs competition doesn't
> seem to think so. If I wanted an experimental rig
> I'd go out and buy a SDR-1000. 
> 
> While the Orion's hardware seems to be up to the
> task (albeit getting a little
> long in the tooth) TT firmware seems to have
> lingering problems. I gather TT software
> engineering has been more than a little taxed trying
> to implement a bug free SDR HF XCVR. 
> Real-time software is a bear unless done exactly
> right - the last 2+ years of upgrades
> has shown that they haven't. Indeed, going from a
> 1.x release to a 2.x release indicates
> that they probably programmed themselves into a
> corner, so to speak. "When all else 
> fails do a rewrite!" Let's see if they can get it
> right with the v2 firmware. If not, maybe 
> they should open up the firmware development to the
> FS/OS software community (ala GNURadio)
> and get it done right HIHI :)
> 
> 
> Please, don't misunderstand me, I'm not bashing TT
> or the Orion. TT seems to be a fine 
> company and the Orion has the potential of being a
> fine rig worth its asking price. I 
> just don't think people are happy in spending ~$4000
> on a SDR whose firmware is still 
> very much beta quality and a work in progress. I'm
> curious what's happening to TTs reputation 
> in all of this? Surely it can't be good. Indeed, one
> has to wonder how many people bear with
> TT and their Orion in the hopes that TT will fix the
> problems and that the Orion will get
> better because they don't want to admit that they
> spent their hard earned $$$ on a subpar, 
> even flaky radio?
> 
> For these reasons I'm holding off my Orion purchase
> until v2 of the firmware comes out and 
> the Orion owners/users/abusers have their say. I
> don't demand a *perfect* radio.
> Just one that doesn't hang or require a HW reset
> because I twiddled a knob the wrong way -
> one that works reliably and predictably when I want
> it and when I need it.
> 
> Harry Reed, AB7YF
> 
> 
> ><<<I just can't see any viable reason to not
> try/own an Orion. Especially
> >any technical reasons.>>>
> 
>  >
>  >I'd go through the reflector archive for the past
> 2-3 years and look 
> at what earlier >purchasers went through.
>  >
>  >If you have a lot of free time to tinker, maybe
> it's okay. For example 
> if you are >retired and have a lot of patience maybe
> it's okay.
>  >
>  >I'm pretty low on time and patience. I want
> dependability. I want to 
> be able to unbox >the rig, power it up, hook an
> antenna to it, ground, 
> mic, key, cans...whatever i >need, adjust collector
> PA current and mic 
> gain, adjust AF/RF gain, tune around, hit >the PTT
> button and start 
> making contacts.
>  >
>  >If it's much more involved than that, or its
> behavior mysteriously 
> changes from one >day to the next on a regular
> basis, then I start 
> loosing interest.
>  >
>  >So the likes and dislikes probably have as much to
> do with operator 
> personality as >anything else.
>  >
>  >rob/k5uj
> 
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> 



                
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