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You can
write your own review of the Ten-Tec Omni-VII.
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KC7YTK
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 2, 2009 21:25
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Excellent Rig
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Purchased 10 months ago because I wanted a rig with 100W on 6m, and I would rather have a radio on the desk than the cash losing value in the markets-nuf said there. I had been looking into a 'big rig' for some time as my other HF radios are a 50w and a 20w (both Ten-Tecs...Yeh!) and I was seriously looking at the FT2000D, then this came on the market from TT, and the performance reviews/specs were a bit better than Yaesu's, and it is American made. A big plus. Anyway...
Verry quiet reciever, good noise reduction, blanker, auto notch, manual notch, and the rf gain controll. Used wisely together these controlls can really quiet the QRM and QRN, makes NETs on 80m comfortable to listen to and I can still hear the weak ones who are under the noise and get them relayed when no one else hears them. I like how each band has a button, so I can change bands as I please. The display is large and easy to read, and it gives a plethora of settings info at a glance without being confusing. The menue is truely simple to navigate and simple to change settings for personal preference. Everything I want and need during operating is available at the touch of a button and twist of a knob-verry well thought out and planned. The auto tuner works great. It has even gotten good matches on antennas that should have been a bit beyond its stated range.
Nits.-verry few.
For the money, they could have made the knobs out of something other than plastic. The Argo V I have has a main tuning knob made of cast zinc. It was 1/4 the price, I would have preferred the tuning knob have a heavier feel. The other little knobs would compliment the rig if they were made of sturdier stuff than plastic, and the grey collers were polished nickle-or brushed aluminum at the least; That would look high class. I also think the steel case could be a bit thicker, it would make it feel sturdier and give it another couple of pounds of heft-I won't throw my back out that easily.
Over all, I really enjoy this rig, it has moved the other two back to their boxes for now, (a pair and a spare-all Ten Tecs-as it should be). I have a 130' off center fed dipole at 30' for hf and a wire j-pole for 6 coming into the back of it and a refurbished D-104 mic on a T-UG8 stand, and have always recieved glowing audio reports. This baby performs. Nuf said
KC7YTK
mike
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K1FPV
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 19, 2009 07:47
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One heck of a good transceiver!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Patriotism? NOT!! Yes, it is nice to see an American made product do so well, but I've run side by side comparisons between my Omni VII and my FT-2000, Ten-Tec Jupiter and my Orion II.
The receiver is very quiet....quieter than my Orion II much as with my Jupiter too. Sensitivity is about the same on all 4 transceivers. The Orion II does much better than the others with strong, close-in QRM, though the Omni VII comes in a close second, followed by the FT-2000(with all updates) and finally the Jupiter.
All 4 radios have excellent transmit audio when adjusted properly and the CW keying waveforms are good too. I find the Omni VII is a close second to the Orion. The fact that it is an American made rig is a plus. I have nothing against the foreign manufacturers, but lets face it....good is good! Plus, when it comes to service, Ten-Tec is second to none! My Orion II is over 2 years old, well out of warranty, yet since there was a small design problem requiring a couple of new components, Ten-Tec furnished them to me free of charge. Would Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood do that? NOT!
Ten-Tec knows how to treat customers and that is something in these days of sell lots of product, make money and to heck with the customer service!
Ten-Tec has a winner with the Omni VII.
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K0OK
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 19, 2009 09:00
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Flawless Remote Operation
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is an update to my Dec 07 review.
I have been using my Omni VII as a remote base, controlled over the internet, for the last six months. The operation has been flawless. The built in remote capability, exceptional receiver combined the internal tuner, which will tune just about any antenna, make this an excellent choice for a remote base.
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KB6HRT
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 18, 2009 10:34
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Very Good Radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Tried A Omni-VII and founded it to be a fine radio when compared to my ICOM PRO3. On my antenna system it hears stations a far a little stronger that my ICOM and if you want to do a little tuning you can really bring then in nice that a real plus for DXing. I took advantage of Ten-Tec 30 offer and sent the radio back, only because I have all ICOM equipment, but if I were starting out over again I think Ten-Tec would be a major player in my station. Very GOOD radio!...........KB6HRT
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KB9RDS
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Rating: 5/5
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May 31, 2009 13:23
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Quality USA Made rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I purchased the Omni-VII at Dayton this year after reviewing all the other rigs there. I came into the funds thru an estate and could buy any rig I choose to buy. I am buying this rig to replace an FT-840 in the shack.
1st. All the other rigs in this catagory are very close in specs. and general price. The only difference I find is all the little toys on the rig and the cosmetics. I am not putting any other rig down as they all are good performers, but this rig stands out from the rest for me.
2nd. The service from Ten-Tec is outstanding even by non ten-tec users. 2years ago I took a tour of their plant in Tenn., and was impressed with there setup.
3rd. A standard for me is that it is made in the USA. In the midst of an economic down turn, that means a lot for me as it hopefully will keep an American working in a place where one of best hf radios are made (food for thought). This was the deciding factor in my decision to buy the omni-VII.
Got the radio in the week after Dayton and put it on the air at W9IMS event station for this years 500 mile race, where it got a fair workout and then put it in my shack for my use. Love the rig and Ten-Tec please keep making it in the USA.
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NN9Q
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Rating: 5/5
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May 15, 2009 11:38
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Best mid-priced radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This is an excellent radio. It’s receive audio is the best I have ever encountered; the filtering and selectivity are as the ARRL and Sherwood tests show – among the best. If you don’t mind pushing the button the band scope is very good. Just hit it more than once. Using the notch filter with the PBT enables greater reduction in close in signal rejection. I have worked two SSB stations ( both at about S7) 1.1Khz apart with no trouble!!! The overall ergonomics are among the best. This is a very quiet radio. Learn to turn down the RF gain and you will only hear voice or CW – nothing else. The NR works well. Negatives – The NB is substantially less effective than the ICOM analogue units, as for example on the 740, 751, 761, 765 etc. This is a real problem for me because of line noise. I think the PBT should have an exponential curve so it is easier to dial in the extreme settings on the pass band very quickly. The AGC has only three settings – not like the IC 740 with a continual variable setting. But the AGC does not pump. Overall, at its price level this is the best buy on the market; it competes well with radios that costs a lot more, and blows away all other mid priced radios – because it retains real filters in the IF.
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K1REX
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Rating: 5/5
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May 11, 2009 12:59
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To know it is to love it : )
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The Omni-VII combines a range of performance - both on receive and transmit - that is highly effective and user friendly - all this in a integrated, ergonomic package. The rig is well thought out and ruggedly constructed. Most radios I have used (the list is too long to recount) provide the initial surge of "Wow!" followed by the downward slope of dissatisfaction and disillusionment (a little like romance, this). However the Omni-VII, in my experience, has become dearer and more wonderful the longer I use it - can't say that about too many things in life! It is very easy and rewarding to live with - high performance without "high maintenance." I highly recommend it.
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K3XI
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 14, 2009 20:58
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Outstanding!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have had many rigs over the past 35 years. I must say the Ten-Tec Omni 7 is by far the best I have had. The Performance Of this radio does not come close to my other rigs. I certainly got my moneys worth. If I were to buy a second rig it would be another Omni 7
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W7TEA
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 23, 2009 18:35
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still great
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Mine is a very early O7 and I've never had an issue or a problem. I am fortunate to also have a K3 and love that rig as well. The Omni VII is so simple, direct and intuitive. For CW DXing (I don't contest) I believe the 300 hz Collins filter is also necessary. The CW filters act as bandpass filters as well as roofing filters because the DSP is filtering is somewhat broad--and that may be why this rig sound so good. In any case, this is a rig I love dearly.
Gary W7TEA
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K9NZ
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 22, 2009 15:32
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Good Radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have had the opportunity to have a Omni VII with the 500 hrz. roofing filter and newest firmware in the shack for a little while and have put it though the paces in the ARRL DX contest. This is my findings so far, The Omni VII is very easy to use and has a great front panel lay out, the menu is very easy to use and there is no dsp ring in the filters. I like the radio, but have found that it is not a contest radio or a radio that I would want to try and dig out a weak signals on 160 meters. In the presence of strong signals, say s-8 or better within a Khz. or so I just could not get rid of the Qrm. I ran a A/b with my Elecraft K3, also with the 500 hrz. filter the K3 alway came away the winner. I find only a few of the calls of the many reveiws on this fine radio in DX-pedition logs and then SSB. The Omni has very good audio and a fun radio to use, If you are a net operator or a casual HF'er and want great audio and a very nice radio, you will not go wrong with this radio. But for serious Cw and contest work I think the K3 is more in line with what I expect in a radio.
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