[SFDXA] More from Charlotte on the Ten Tec Orion

[William Shirley]

Ok.. Where are the digi photos??

Just kidding... but would like to see what John, IQ, is talking about...


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Marx" <bmarx@bellsouth.net>
To: "aSFDXA" <SFDXA@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 12:00 PM
Subject: [SFDXA] More from Charlotte on the Ten Tec Orion


> John Mann W4MAN Associate SFDXA Club Member sends this:
>
> "Here is another person that looked at it with the idea of maybe buying
one
> in the future. Take care
>
> Well, here are very brief first impressions of the prototype Orion, fresh
from the Charlotte Hamfest today.  For those of us used to
> YaesKenCom aesthetics, this thing is butt ugly.  It looks like a cheap
stereo receiver with a display worthy of my sixth grader'
> design class.  Hate to be crude, but if they don't make this thing look
better, I suspect they will only sell to the hardest
> dyed-in-the-wool TenTec fans, those guys who've grown accustomed to that
"brewed up in someone's garage" look, and who maybe even
> appreciate the different look to the gear.  It has a dull black face,
gaudy shiny polished knob surrounds, and a crude looking
> monochromatic LCD panel. It really looks cludged together.
>
> It does have decent control layout, with two identical large tuning knobs
(unfortunately with the bright shiny knobs).
>
> As far as performance, if it does what the handout promises, it will best
any amateur transceiver on the market.  I talked with
> Scott about it at some length, and I was impressed by his willingness to
listen.  This radio seems to have been designed by
> listening to what contesters and weak signal operators want and need and
they're definitely not through with the design yet.  I even
> recommended to him that they do something about the radio's looks, and he
indicated that was on the table too.
>
> I wouldn't really care that much how it looked, but I suspect they need to
sell a lot of these to make money on them, and I just
> don't think they will unless they do something about it.
>
> Sitting right next to the Orion was the RX-340, which was the BEST LOOKING
piece of ham gear I've ever seen.  It looks like a
> Watkins-Johnson HF-1000, with fantastic ergonomics, panel layout, display,
sub-displays with tiny red leds, and rack mount handles.
> I told Scott that the ORION needed to look more like this radio, and
several bystanders rejoined YEAH!!!  Maybe he'll listen.
>
> Sorry I don't have more factual info on performance specs.  All the
material handed out there is identical to what's on the website.
> There was a great deal of excitement about the rig at Charlotte, and I am
excited too.
> TenTec is definitely still listening, and they plan on bringing the rig to
> Dayton,
> > as well.  It will be some time later before we can buy one.
> > I hope they seriously consider improving the aesthetics.  Mike N4GU was
> > there and took some pictures which he will put on his website soon.  If
he
> > doesn't post about it here, I'll get the URL and post it.
> > 73,
> John K4IQ"
>
>
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