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Re: [TenTec] PARAGON vs OMNI V VI VI+

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] PARAGON vs OMNI V VI VI+
From: "kartooo@netzero.net" <kartooo@netzero.net>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2006 02:00:54 GMT
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
hi Ken,
Thank you very much for the info. It does make for a more expensive radio to 
build. I had a TS-870 and realized the difference between the dsp in the if as 
opposed to the dsp in the audio stage. Not much but subtle. i had the ic proII 
also. I buy my radios used and re-sell sometimes making a few $$ somtimes 
loosing a few $$ and just consider it rental on a rig i had fun using for a 
while. After owning many many rigs throughout the years I have come to realize 
that a $200 radio like a TS520 still gets the job done like a $3,000 radio. 
When it comes to a crowded band with strong close in signals and qrn the big $$ 
radio is a pleasure and the low $$ is very very rough if not impossible to copy 
the weak ones. It's a challenge and teaches one to use all the knobs to the 
best of their ability. I now like the middle class rigs and have been exploring 
tentec rigs for about a year now. My paragon fits the bill perfect for my hf 
needs and i like the broadcast band recieve. I also own a
  526 that is fun when 6 is open and on a weekly 6 meter net. I have a delta 
580 i use in my truck mobile. I thing i have finally found satisfaction with 
these rigs and will not part with them like i have in the past with various jap 
rigs. Can't justify a move to an omni VI, i'm too happy where i'm at now but i 
was curious as to what the difference was.

Larry N1YW

-- Ken Brown <ken.d.brown@verizon.net> wrote:
Hi Larry,

The Paragon is a general coverage rig, and the Omni VI is not. Being 
general coverage requires wider bandpass filters in the receiver front 
end, given the same number of bands to cover 160 meters to 10 meters. In 
fact the Paragons use eight low pass filters to cover 100 kHz to 30 MHz, 
using a single filter for 10 and 12 meters, another 17 and 15 meters, 
and one for 40 and 30 meters. The Omni VI has nine dedicated bandpass 
filters, one for each amateur band from 160 to 10 meters. In most 
situations this will not make a noticeable difference. However in the 
presence of strong out of band signals or interference sources the Omni 
VI first mixer has less total power input to deal with. So in a multiple 
transmitter contest station environment, or near SWBC transmitters the 
Omni VI would likely have a lower minimum discernible signal.

The 9 MHz IF (first IF in the Omni VI and second IF in the Paragon) has 
6.0 kHz and 2.4 kHz BW filters in the Paragon, whereas the Omni VI has a 
2.4 kHz and one or two optional narrow filters (depending on version of 
Omni VI) , one of which can be cascaded with the default 2.4 filter. The 
Omni VI does not have AM mode, so does not need the 6.0 filter. This is 
another reason that the following IF stages have less total power to 
deal with, and are less likely to be driven in to nonlinearity, making 
reception of weak signals amongst strong signals in a crowded band better.

The first local oscillator in the Omni is also much different, covering 
smaller band segments and using a much less complicated phase locked 
loop system. The result is that the first LO in the Omni VI is probably 
quieter. Also the Omni VI does not even have the second LO that the 
Paragon has, another possible source of noise.

Version 2, 3 and Plus Omni VIs also have DSP noise reduction (in the 
audio, not in the last IF like an Orion, TS-870 and other newer JA rigs) 
which the Paragons do not have.

For the mostly rag chewing ham, these differences will not often be 
noticed, and lack of general coverage in the Omnis may be a reason to 
own a Paragon instead. For a contest operator or a low band DX operator, 
the differences may very well be noticed. They are all excellent rigs.

DE N6KB

   kartooo@netzero.net wrote:
> Hi,
> Never see anything about the paragon vs other rigs on here. I just recently 
> purchased a paragon and i love it. I use it only on ssb and i have all the 
> filters and gehiel chip. I have owned the top end yaesu,kenwood,icom stuff in 
> the past but really like the simple straight fwd working of the paragon and 
> it's looks. I have owned maybe 15 to 20 used rigs and always get bored and 
> re-sell. The paragon is a keeper for sure.I know the later omni's carry a 
> bigger price tag onn the used market but why ? the cabinet and layout look 
> the same as the paragon. what are the extra features and do they really add 
> that much more value to the radio ?
>
> TNX.
> Larry N1YW
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
>   


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