| K0MU |
Rating:  |
2010-02-07 | |
| OK |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Ergonomics:
Overall a "4." The radio is very intuitive and easy to operate.
Receiver Performance:
Overall a "4." The sound is pleasing to my ear, close signals are easily differentiated. CW reception under close conditions is very good (I wish it had a cw zero beat visual indicator like some other rigs). An interesting note is that the radio can decode Digital Radio Mondiale simply by feeding the widest audio to your soundcard (no IF output necessary). The Noise Blanker works quite well. The Noise Reduction works surprisingly well. I find myself using the RF Gain control more often than with my other radios.
Transmitter Performance:
Overall a "3." Many compliments on my audio and there are several adjustments for equalizer etc. I have had occasional reports that my TX frequency is off by 100 Hz as if the XIT is on. Turning on an off the radio fixes this (this could not be reproduced by the factory unfortunately)
QSK (T/R) relay is surprisingly noisy even though considering the QST review describes it as "...absolutely no audible relay clatter..." The QSK performs great otherwise but I find that with the relay noise, it is much more enjoyable if I wear headphones.
Hook up and Computer interface:
The radio includes a phono jack pigtail for easy integration with your computer. I tried the ethernet connection a few times but I don't have enough experience with it to give it a rating.
Reliability:
Overall a "2." During the warranty period, the unit required two trips back to the factory. Once was for an intermittent display problem (broken solder connection) and the other was a defective part in the microphone input.
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| IN3ACV |
Rating: |
2009-12-23 | |
| T-T Omni VII |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Una radio eccezionale !!!!
Grande ricevitore, ottima sensibilità e
selettività.
T-T all the best !!!
in3acv, Luca |
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| N6QPU |
Rating: |
2009-12-05 | |
| Great Transceiver |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have an Omni VI and loved the audio. I had a Yaesu FT-2000 PEP and was never happy with it so I traded it in on an Omni VII. Best trade i have ever made. The Omni VII is smaller and the display is very nice. The audio is wonderful and the radio is easy to use and that is a BIG plus. American made and great service if you have a question about this rig. The Omni VII is a keeper. The only thing I don't like is the small plastic knobs but that is not enough to change the rating. Buy American and be happy.
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| K0FTC |
Rating: |
2009-11-19 | |
| O7, 610 USB Keyer, N4PY software, remote operation |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Ten Tec Omni VII in combination with N4PY software, and 610 USB keyer is an outstanding system of technology that allows the CW op to use the wonderful RX capabilities of the radio to pull weak signals out of the mud, use N4PY software to interface with the radio through computer SDR type screens for complete radio control, and the ability through the O7 remote capability to use the 610 USB keyer to use a paddle to do it all from anywhere with internet access. Combined with N4PY's designed/built device for dual RX with the RX320, one can either dual tone a signal, or listen to a favorite broadcast station while scanning for DX. Any question to either Paul/Stan at Ten Tec or Carl at N4PY is quickly, professionally and respectfully addressed. Maybe an Orion some day, but this system is a wonderful experience for this radio operator. |
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| KC7YTK |
Rating: |
2009-10-02 | |
| Excellent Rig |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
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 |
Rating: |
2009-08-19 | |
| One heck of a good transceiver! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
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 |
Rating: |
2009-07-19 | |
| Flawless Remote Operation |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
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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| KB9RDS |
Rating: |
2009-05-31 | |
| Quality USA Made rig |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
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 |
Rating: |
2009-05-15 | |
| Best mid-priced radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| 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 |
Rating: |
2009-05-11 | |
| To know it is to love it : ) |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| 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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