|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for Ten-Tec Orion |
|
Reviews: 96
|
Average rating: 4.5/5
|
MSRP: $3,300.00
|
|
Description: The Ten-Tec ORION represents an entirely new
concept in high-performance HF transceivers. Ten-Tec's goal
with this new groundbreaking design is to deliver the finest
performance level to date from an amateur transceiver." Full
measured specifications, pictures, and accessory information
are available on the Ten-Tec ORION website
|
|
More info: http://radio.tentec.com/Amateur
|
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this review.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
|
You can
write your own review of the Ten-Tec Orion.
|
K2ER
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Jan 27, 2010 21:33
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Generally excellent, with some ergonomic issues
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Very few reviews here have attempted to detail some of the annoying quirks of this generally excellent radio. So I will! I have owned the Orion for about 2 months, and used it to rack up 150 DXCC countries in that short time. My previous rig was, for 17 years, a Kenwood TS-450S. Some of its basic features I miss in the Orion. Then again, the Orion kicks it in many other areas.
PROS
- Excellent audio
- Very sensitive receiver
- Tune button very convenient for ant tuner
- Continuously variable DSP bandwidth is great (I love the 900 Hz range for CW)
- Subreceiver is great for negotiating pile-up spreads trying to work DX listening "up"
- Programmable AGC is powerful
- Dual antennas, diversity Rx
- Binaural audio very cool
- Built in keyer
- Analog S-Meter
- DSP noise reduction sometimes helpful
- Excellent QSK and amp relay delay
- General coverage on subreceiver
- Two CW key inputs
- Basic RCA jack for amp keying, no custom cable
NEUTRAL
- Band sweep is not really useful to me
- Spot button is convenient but encourages obsession with "perfect" Tx frequency
CONS
Memory Functions
- Memories store only one VFO. This makes storing a split setup cumbersome. You must store VFO A and VFO B to separate memories, and of course, restore them separately too.
- No distinct VFO vs. Memory modal operation. Must restore memory frequencies to VFO in order to use them. This means you must save your current VFO settings to separate memory locations if you wish to restore them later.
- No direct numeric access to memory locations. You must scroll through them all using the MULTI knob, and it is very slow. When the rig is put into memory recall mode, the keypad is ignored. Why not allow it to be used to select a memory location?
Operating
- You cannot monitor your Tx frequency when using XIT. Also, no direct display of RIT/XIT frequency, just the offsets.
- On SSB, mic gain and average power seem erratic from band to band; lack of confidence that ALC is adjusted properly.
Keypad
Direct keypad frequency validation logic is cumbersome. You cannot type ENTER 7 and have it go to 7.000 MHz. That will be interpreted as 7x.xxx (70 MHz) and will fail. Likewise, ENTER 7004 will be interpreted as 70.040 and will fail. Must use a leading zero or trailing decimal for single digit MHz value. When entry fails, an annoying message "Frequency Not Supported" displays for a few seemingly interminable seconds. Rig should just ignore it and restore the current VFO frequency.
Ergonomics
- Almost complete lack of color in buttons, display, and lights to distinguish controls and aid operation.
- No tactile tuning feedback, i.e. it would be helpful to have detents on tuning knob to ease precise tuning by counting clicks. Or a separate knob/mode for that behavior.
- Significant audio volume difference between headphones & speaker outputs
- SSB monitor not loud enough to be effective
- Bandwidth / Passband display graphic difficult to interpret
- Rig outputs no sidetone when neither VFO is selected for Tx. To hear one's key before transmitting, one must hold down the PWR button, which turns it off. But in this mode, the rig still keys the amplifier. Go figure!
Feature Hype
Roofing filters are sometimes not as effective as the hype claims. I heard an S9+40 CW signal on a frequency, and even with the narrowest roofing filter switched in, S-meter still deflected to nearly S-9 with audible "clicks" as far away as 4 KHz in either direction.
|
|
W2DWL
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Nov 8, 2009 16:28
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Could be better
|
Time owned: months
|
|
The radio could be one of the best I have ever used, with its excellent filtering and hot receive and pass band tuning; but with all the bells and whistles you would think Ten Tec would have a better manual. They should hired a professional writer. To even find how to get into memory mode has been a nightmare. So we don't use it. So what good is all the bells and whistles if you can't read how to use them. Also, I had some problems with the 2nd receive as it works when it wants to work. To justify what this rig cost it needs some help. The Jupiter is a better rig for the money and ease of operation.
|
|
N2FQ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Sep 26, 2009 19:27
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
FB CW Rig
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Being a Jupiter owner with it's simple menu system
and QSK, I jumped at the opportunity when
an Orion I came on the market. As has been mentioned, what a super CW machine. Lots of
flexibility with antenna selections, dual
receivers, QSK and again the simple menu,
straight forward firmware upgrades, etc.
I haven't had the need to contact TT since
it's been working flawlessly. It does
what they say it does and very well.
Aesthetically pleasing according to the xyl,
a win win.
|
|
PA1AP
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Mar 28, 2009 04:08
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
great design
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Have been using the Orion for a couple of months now and I keep being amazed by its performance.
The concept behind the programmable AGC beats all other compromised AGC implementations I have seen so far. They have answered the question of moving the AGC threshold to a level above the band noise, which means the signals you hear (above the band noise) are not distored by AGC compression as is the case with most other rigs out there. This combined with very good front-end and good filter shape factors makes casual communication as well contest conditions a pleasure to work with...
I found the rig very easy to use and learning curve has been short. Menu's are well organized and one does not have to dive into multiple sub menu's to get something arranged.
The orion might not have the best looks (its huge) but i got very attached to its straightforward operational model and all buttons and knobs are positioned exactly where they should be.
With the dual receiver, working split is a no brainer and while tuning into the frequencies you dont have to miss anything. Sometimes i find myself listning to the dx station on sub rx and the pile-up on main rx. Swapping sub rx with main rx just requires pushing two buttons. Same applies for the transmit frequency which can be attached to either sub or main frequency by pushing one button. And all is clearly displayed by the button led's.
The rig has its special behavior and sometimes the firmware would give up on me. Running firmware 1.372 provides excellent receiving functions (RF AGC, RF Notch/NR) however there are certain conditions which would result in the need for a power cycle. Running firmware 2.x some of the great features as available in 1.37x are changed and dont work as well but refresh / control performance has been improved significantly. Ten-tec announced that an update will be released soon. Looking forward to that.
73, pa1ap
|
|
K4DZR
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 17, 2008 17:50
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
GREAT RIG FOR ME!
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I have used the Orion long enough to be comfortable with its many functions. The menu system is easy to learn and easy to use. I have operated SSB, CW and AM with great reports. The receive audio is smooth. The built in speaker is FB but I fill the room with quality audio with an outboard speaker. I have all the optional filters installed so it has been fun playing with the various bandwidth, PBT and filter settings. If you like trying different setting for different conditions, you will love this radio. The noise blanker has worked well at times. I use the memory frequencies often when switching bands. Memory frequencies are recalled in a "small" sub screen at the bottom of the main screen. The built in memory keyer works well including the voice memory system. CW QSK is FB although the relay is a "tad" more noisy than my Omni VI. As others have said, read and study the manual. You will be frustrated somewhat if you don't(as with many modern transceivers). The TenTec reflector has some good reading also. The rig works great with Ham Radio Deluxe and also with DxLab Suites. With the latter, clicking on a DX spot sets the Orion to the proper mode & frequency. If the spot is operating split, the Orion automatically goes to split function and all you do is call. I have version 2.062a firmware installed. It works well for me. This is a great operating and sounding radio and the "pre-owned" prices are good. Have fun if you try one!
'73, Jerry K4DZR
|
|
AA3YW
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Dec 5, 2007 11:11
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
TT Orion One Nice Rig 5.0 for me!
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I've been using my Orion every day for 3 years now, including many contests and traffic nets. My rig has never been back to the factory for any updates or repairs. It is solid and reliable and the main receiver is exceptional. I receive many compliments on my audio all the time and many hams went out and purchase Orion's after hearing mine on the air. I also agree that the combination of tight roofing filters plus dsp i.f. makes for a truly bulletproof front-end, and 100hz cw selectivity that doesn't ring at all.
It's worth saying this is a great ssb radio. I hear signals with this rig that I could not hear with a TS-870 or a IC-756Pro II.
The only thing I think needs a little work is the NR function for SSB, CW works great.
|
|
N1EU
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Dec 5, 2007 09:24
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Superb receiver, versatile radio
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I've been using my Orion intensively for 4 years now, including many top 10 finishes in DX and 160M contests. My rig has never been back to the factory for any updates or repairs. It is solid and reliable and the main receiver is exceptional. There are many soundclips of the Orion in tough receiving condx on my Web site at n1eu.com. The combination of tight roofing filters plus dsp i.f. makes for a truly bulletproof front-end, and 100hz cw selectivity that doesn't ring at all.
It's worth saying also that the Orion is a fantastic ssb radio. Not only does it have exceptional fidelity on rx and tx, it will also go very narrow during contest condx and maintain intelligibility better than any radio I've used - I typically use 1350hz ssb selectivity during tough ssb contests.
The only real weakness I find in operating the Orion is the simpler/lower performing subreceiver. If Ten-Tec would provide two equally superb receivers, I would buy an Orion III on the spot.
|
|
AC5E
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 10, 2007 09:51
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great radio - but there are things to know
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
My first production run Orion is helping me hunt 40 Meter CW DX as I type. The Orion is indeed a great rig. And it's a greater rig if the latest firmware update is installed.
Yes, there have been a lot of updates since day one. Some of those firmware versions were prone to crashing, and not all of Orions have been updated. If you have an Orion with earlier than 2.062a firmware you need to go to rfsquared.com and install the latest update. It takes ten minutes, tops. Since I upgraded the firmware, the longest single run without a power down was 49 hours - no problems. And no crashes.
I did have one non-firmware related "flakiness" problem when I first got the rig. I noticed the dial lamp flickered when I transmitted, checked and found a bad power supply lead with excessive voltage drop. Fixed that problem, and fixed the odd "state" shifts and general flakiness that had puzzled me.
Failures? I have had none. Not one. Nada. Zip. And as far as I can tell from talking to Orion owners actual parts failures have been rare. But Ten Tec does put the entire owners manual and schematic on line and encourages self help.
The Orion does not work on low supply voltage? True, but it's not a lot of trouble to add a 7th lead acid cell in series with a deep cycle battery in parallel with the supply. I suspect we are going to find that low voltage sensitivity a common feature of all of the new "part computer, part radio" hybrids that are coming out now.
Bottom line - the Orion is the best performing radio on the market, but it's not the be all and end all of radios. I suspect Ten Tec will follow the Omni VII with an Orion III a few years down the pike. And that will be an even better radio.
73 Pete Allen AC5E
|
|
NP2L
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Nov 10, 2007 06:43
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent with flaws
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
This radio is outstanding from an operating standpoint. I operate mostly cw - dxing and contests. I have two comments. 1) I had to return it twice for repair. Once for repeated 2nd receiver failure and once for several minor complaints including failure of one of the keying circuits. I am now experiencing a problem with the BW/PBT push button switch not making contact. Perhaps I can fix it myself. One complaint I have about this and other Ten-Tec products is the inability of the rig and particularly the display to operate at voltages less than 13v. This limits its usefullness in emergency condition such as we experience here in the VI. My Yaesu rig works fine down to almost 11 volts with reduced power. I queried the factory about this with no response. I've owned the rig for 3 years and except for the BW switch problem which I can get around with the CUT control, it is serving me well.
|
|
K3MD
|
Rating: 0/5
|
Sep 7, 2007 12:56
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Works well when working
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
Worked a guy running a "new" used Orion 1 last night, and saw I had no review of the Orion here. I was advised to get the Orion from one of my contesting buddies, as it had the best receiver available. The design I found very ergonomic, the signal path design was superior to the Japeanese up-conversion radios, the noise reduction worked well, and the radio did seem well built, extremely immune to receiver overload.
That is the positive side.
The negative:
1. Rig went dead when originally turned on, they said there was nothing wrong with it, I did the wrong reset.
2. The most vexing problem: rig would auto-mute on receive or transmit every 2 to 4 hours of contesting, requiring reset procedure (takes 1 minute). This inevitably happened at the best rate of the contest, messing up the rate.
3. Ten Tec suggested that it was due to RF overload from linear use or poor grounding. When it happend twice during the NAQP, 100 watts, 10 hours, I sold the radio. The guy I sold it to did not send it back to me.
4. There are a good number of contesters who love this radio and have not had this problem... it may have been my individual unit.
5. A radio advertised for contesting can NOT need a reset itself during the contest! There are too many "normal" problems with blown baluns, loose antenna connections, running on the wrong antenna, RF feedback into the computer system, etc., to be able to tolerate this.
6. Owned 8 months. Have no idea if the II version is better, I am not going to buy it.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
