Ron’s Orion II Fix List:

Note that 2.044A has replaced 2.043B as of 6/10/2010.  Differences are noted below

1.   Fix S-meter discrepancy Some improvement noted in 2.043B that causes readings to be 2-3 S-Units low below S-9 and up to 22 dB high above S-9.  Make menu option to automatically reduce reading 12 dB when preamp is on, and to increase reading 6 dB when Main RX and Sub RX are sharing the same antenna. Basic inaccuracy could be fixed by silk-screening a new meter face with the correct calibrations, which would also be an opportunity to fix a frequent complaint that the meter “clanks” on the end-stop when keyed at 100% power.  By making full-scale power 120% on the meter and lowering the forward power calibration control in the radio, this would be fixed.  Also, the power calibrations could be drawn to how they really register on the meter and give a true forward power read-out. Noted that in 2.043B S-1 to S-9 are substantially 3 dB/per S-Unit calibrations.  The generally agreed-on standard is 6 dB/per S-Unit, however this is not chiseled in stone and many radio use the 3-dB standard.  There is some non-linearity over S-9, but I need to to more careful testing to verify this.  At least the current version makes more sense.

2. FIXED in 2.038k! Restore 6 kHz audio bandwidth to AM.  As implemented in the original Orion, “BW: 6000” meant 6 kHz audio bandwidth, or 12 kHz total bandwidth.  Now it indicates total bandwidth, which is limited to a little over 4.5 kHz of recovered audio. Fixed in 2.038k! BW now extends to 9000 Hz, and sounds spectacular. Also fixed was the AM detector which caused distortion in all earlier versions. AM receive now compares favorably with my old TS-870 and Collins KWM-380.

3. “Talk Power” Problem: The ALC seems to have very fast attack and very slow release characteristics and seems to be a result of the software ALC overriding the hardware ALC (Yes! It has both).  While this may be great to prevent CW key-clicks, the parameters result in what looks like a very low average output on SSB.  Many folks think something is wrong with the radio. Reducing attack and increasing release constants when in SSB mode should fix this problem.  NOTE:  2.043B has not yet been tested for this problem.  Early tests seem to indicate that this has improved, but more observation is needed.  PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE MADE ANY COMPARISONS WITH OTHER RIGS WHILE USING THE NEW FIRMWARE!

4. FIXED in 2.043B PBT and BW: One stays in the band register and the other does not.  So you set your BW at 2.4 kHz and PBT at +250 on a crowded band like 20.  Switch down to 75 m for your rag-chew and the 3.0 setting you had there kicks in, but the +250 PBT travels with you.  Set it to 0, later go back to 20, and the BW goes back to 2.4, but the PBT stays at 0.  Not a major flaw, but life would be easier if either both changed or neither changed!  In 2.043B, the band registers remember both BW and PBT settings.

5. VFO Encode Rate:  Someone suggested this on the TT reflector: allow for the tuning rate to be “SLOW” for CW and “FAST” for all other modes!  I like it!

6. Multi Encode Rate:  Various functions such as NR, NB, AN and SP have a 1-9 range.  When turning the Multi knob, 9 ‘clicks’ represents only about 25 degrees of turn of the knob for the whole range.  A slight re-programming of the encoder could spread that around over maybe 270 degrees, much like an analog ‘pot’ would work.

7. FIXED in 2.038k! Fix AM Receive Distortion: It sounds like it overdrive somewhere in the receiver chain and can be heard on both the main and sub receivers.  It’s not just selective fading since it can be heard on local commercial broadcast stations heard on the sub.  Click here for audio clips of the problem and its solution! TT says they will make address the problem more fully in a future update.

8.    Automatic Notch and Manual Notch:  Change from just eliminating the sound of the carrier to causing the AGC and S-meter to behave as if the carrier or other QRM was actually removed from the IF.  The original Orion with v 1 firmware works this way…v 2 broke it. Word filtering from folks who have talked to TT as of early August 2006 is that TT can’t fix the problem without introducing what they consider is unacceptable noise in the IF, but that they were still working on it.  Later reports from the factory as of early September, 2006 seem to indicate that they have given up hope of fixing this problem.  "Audio AGC" was introduced in later versions which addressed the problem, however the feature was "not ready for prime time and was withdrawn 2.043B.  Perhaps this will be looked at again in a later update.

9. Partially Fixed in V. 2.034 ! Fix Monitor on AM.  This has never worked in the Orion 2 and does not work in the original Orion with version 2 firmware.  I did apparently work in V 1 of the original Orion.  You can now hear yourself in the headphones on AM, however, the quality leaves a lot to be desired.  There is an annoying digital “ringing” (aliasing) on the high end.  Fortunately, this is not how it sounds on the air.  This same sound is heard on the FM monitor.  v. 2.037j improves the ringing a bit, but does not eliminate it.

10. FIXED in 2.043B! Low level in CW Sidetone, low headphones level: Several of us complaining that the CW sidetone makes only 50 mV, unloaded, on the headphone output at 100% setting, which is OK, but could be louder.  In general, most headphones require that the gain be cranked way up, and when you pull the plug on the headphones, you get blasted out by the speaker.  Raise the bridge or lower the water, but they should be more in line.

11. Funny sound in CW Sidetone: It only happens when the Sub Receiver is routed to the headphones, and as best I can describe, it sounds like echo. I have noticed that changing the Rise/Fall timing effects this, with longer times having more echo and what sounds like increased CW weighting.  NOTE this only happens when both MAIN and SUB are selected in both sides of the headphones.

☺12. Fixed in v. 2.037j! Fix Transmit Frequency Response (SSB): Restore response curve so that 50 Hz is off 6dB as in specifications when LF Roll off is set to 50Hz. This was a big one to get off the list!

13.  FIXED in 2.043B! Fix offset between Main RX and Sub RX.  Currently they are a constant at 6 Hz different regardless of band.  This may be a DSP issue that can be trimmed +- several Hz for synchronization in a menu item adjustment.  I believe this is caused by the clock crystal, Y3 on the A7 ‘SHARC’ board being slightly off frequency.  This crystal is the timing for the two CODEC chips. Adding a menu item to tweak the sub receiver frequency in DSP would fix this, I believe.  There was a problem in the firmware that caused this difference.  2.043B got rid of just about all of it.  The receivers are still not "phase locked", but they are now with less than 1 Hz different, which is fine for diversity RX.

☺ 14. Fixed in 2.037j! Add more clipping to higher levels of speech processor.  Update 4/28/06: V 2.033 has improved the processing, but the attack/release constants and compression ratios need to be more aggressive on the audio peaks so that the speech processor functions as a real RF “Clipper” not just a fast AGC.  The SP in the new version does what it’s supposed to do…increase average power output and intelligibility using clipping. My early tests show it can keep pace with my old Alpha Vomax, which is pretty good!  Another big one to get off the list….

☺15: Fixed by factory! RF Feedback getting into headphone cable.  I used to need an external ferrite loop to keep RFI out of the headphone cable, but in January, 2007, I got an e-mail from Jack Burchfield at the factory about a hardware ‘fix’ in the form of a small board that plugs in series with the internal cable from the headphone jack to the audio board.  He sent me a prototype to install on my O2 and it worked!  Absolutely no RFI!  It takes about a half hour to install and requires dropping (but not disassembling) the front panel.  No soldering required.  All the new O2’s will have them when they leave the factory, and anyone else who encounters the problem can contact the factory and get the board free

     16:  NEW PROBLEM in 2.043B: Side Tone distorts in speaker when set > 30.   I don't hear this on headphones, but it's definitely in the speakers.  TT is aware of the problem and working on it.  UPDATE:  2.044A partially fixes this problem as it now occurs only when the setting is >60-80.  

     17:  Users report NR in V 2.043B still not right.  It works, and I don't have any really good digital NR to compare it to.  It's a 'work in progress'.  2.044A improves the function of NR be removing the "crackling" that had been reported.  The noise does not seem to be all that much reduced, but there is some action that should make copy of weak stations easier.  More work is being done on this.

     18:  Feature suggestion:  Allow adjustment by menu of power used in TUNE mode.  It's supposed to be 20 Watts, but it's actually (on mine) 21 Watts.  Doesn't sound like a big deal, but my ACOM 2000 amp want 10 to 20 Watts of power in tune...but NOT 21 Watts!  Slows me down in contests....