[Elecraft] Ten-Tec Orion Specs Released

[k6se@juno.com]

For those interested, Ten-Tec has released their specs for the new model
565 Orion HF transceiver.  They looked good enough to me, so I placed my
order for one.  Expected delivery is in October.  The specs are posted at
http://www.tentec.com/TT565.htm .
 
The 5 kHz spacing IMDDR3 spec for the Orion's main receiver is 101 dB,
which is significantly better than the best that the ARRL lab has ever
tested -- a worst-case figure of 88 Db for the Elecraft K2.

Interestingly, the 20 kHz and 5 kHz IMDDR3 specs are the same, apparently
because the roofing filter in the Orion is actually the xtal filter
you've selected to use.

I'm now wondering, in a crowded band with strong signals, if the noise
blankers in the Orion will also outperform other receivers because of the
narrow roofing filters.

I e-mailed them asking why they have not included the BDR specs and their
reply was:
 
"We have a difference of opinion on how BDR is spec'd between our
engineering staff and the ARRL - and this is enough of a difference that
we've elected to leave a BDR spec off the spec sheet, and go with the
number that the ARRL Lab measures when they do a Product Review.  It will
be easy to infer from our other numbers, when published, that the number
is in the same category (higher than anything else available today, at 5
kHz spacing)."

The best BDR spec ever tested by the ARRL lab so far is a worst-case
figure of 126 dB, also for the K2.

73, de Earl, K6SE