Ron’s Orion II Fix List:

 

See note below about v. 2.038k and 2.039d!

 

1.   Fix S-meter discrepancy 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.

 

2. FIXED in 2.038k! Restore 6 kHz audio bandwidth to AMAs 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.

 

4.  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!

 

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. FIXEDin 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.

 

K 9. Partially Fixed in V. 2.034 ! Fix Monitor on AMThis 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. 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.

 

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 Rolloff is set to 50Hz. This was a big one to get off the list!

 

13.     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.

 

14.  Fixed in 2.037j! Add more clipping to higher levels of speech processorUpdate 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.

 

Note on v. 2.038k:  This is the most “fixed” firmware available as of April 26, 2007.  There was a serious problem with the AM that cropped up in 2.033, as well as artifacts in the Notch and Auto Notch.  Both of those are now fixed.  Other problems you may have heard about involving AM not working at all, or a QSK problem existed in earlier versions but are gone now. 2.038k also fixes a problem with AM TX that caused the carrier to slowly ride up and down as audio levels changed.  It’s now rock stable, and AGC action keep modulation near 100% regardless of input level and with no pumping, distortion or ‘upcutting’ of the audio.  It also fixed the AM receiver problem that was caused by the wrong detection scheme in the DSP.  It’s a dramatic improvement!

 

2.038k also adds an icon that shows which of the four band stack registers is active on each band, as well as an on-screen indicator that shows when the radio is in split mode.  Both very nice additions!

2.039d makes some minor fixes and is highly recommended.  Here are the most recent changes:

Band register selection now remembered on each band.

Modified AGC Slope to give provide maximum gain if FLAT is selected.

Corrected audio roll-off in Voice Recorder.

Modified AGC to make it less sensitive to short duration RF pops.