TT Orion 565 on 160m & optimal setting - part III. by OK1RR

Preferred Orion 565 settings by OK1RR

 

Some Orion newbies have troubles to set up their new toy correctly. However, any setting is a very subjective matter, I would try to show a good start point. Some of my settings may seem enormous and many other Orion guys will disagree - but i prefer CW at higher speeds (> 35 WPM), low pitch (390 Hertz) and quite narrow filters (~ 150 Hertz default, controlled by my new logging software, CQRlog for Linux by Petr, OK2CQR - to be published soon under GPL license, therefore free!). I hate SSB (don't ask me for a phone sked on eQSL.cc, please!) where tons of no-coders with VHF-only operating experience became a nightmare. My plans include some RTTY which might affect my preferred radio settings in particular only.

 

Another thing which dictate my settings is headphones I'm using - KOSS SB-40 (affordably priced, comfortably to wear, excellent frequency response and sensitivity, dynamic boom mic, good separation from external noises and rugged construction).

 

I don't have the 302 Series Remote Encoder/Keypad and any of T-T Microphones. My radio is equipped with all T-T filters (250 Hz, 500 Hz and 1.8 kHz). I prefer the internal keyer which seems to have better QSK than my trusty Logikey MK III (oh, of course, QSK is very important to me). I have also the T-T 963 Switching Power Supply. The power cable is on both ends wound on small ferrite toroids (I used 5 turns on 1" dia yellow/white toroids, probably from a computer power supply, it seems like 26 stuff). This choking is a must unless you want RF in your power cable, which in my radio destroyed a capacitor in the antenna tuner).

 

So, after more than a year of intensive trials and manual reading I set my radio as follows:

 

MENUS

 

Menu item: TX

Internal tuner	disabled
Transmitter	on
Keying Loop 1	off
Keying Loop 2	off
EXT T/R Delay 1	0 %
EXT T/R Delay 2	0 %
Transverter	off
160M Antenna	---
80M Antenna	---
60M Antenna	---
160M Antenna	---
40M Antenna	---
30M Antenna	---
20M Antenna	---
17M Antenna	---
15M Antenna	---
12M Antenna	---
10M Antenna	---
Amp Key Tracks	Key Line

Notes: The Internal tuner is quite good in its matching capabilities but I dislike it - it is loud, slow and there are no memories, so any band change needs a new tuning procedure. I want to ask T-T engineers why they didn't include the memories - is it too expensive? Unfortunately LDG stopped their production of OT-11P which is fully integrated with the Orion and has all the bells and whistles you can expect in so advanced radio like Orion.

 

Menu item: CW

CW QSK Delay	0 %
Internal Keyer	on
CW Weighting	83 %
Sidetone Pitch	390 Hz
CW Rise/Fall	3 ms
SSB: CW Jack PTT	off
PTT in CW as	Key
Keyer Mode	B

Notes: The CW Rise/Fall of 3 ms is not optimal but at 6 ms the radio warns Max. 40 WPM External keying. I hardly run under 20 WPM but quite frequently over 40 WPM, sometimes also with external keyer (Logikey MK III). My tests shows that 50 WPM with Rise/Fall above 4 ms starts to sound choppy also with internal keyer. So, my 3 ms seems rather aggressive but nobody complained about my clicks.

 

Menu item: VOX

VOX Trip Level	10 %
Anti-Vox Level	20 %
VOX Hang	0.04 sec

Notes: Honestly said, I never used VOX. I'm hardly on SSB and if trying this less-preferred mode, I'm using foot switch.

 

Menu item: RX

Sweep Range	72 kHz
Main AGC:	Hang	00.00 s
[prog]	Decay	91 dB/s
Threshold	8.93 uV
Sub AGC:	Hang	00.00 s
[prog]	Decay	91 dB/s
Threshold	8.93 uV
PBT Track	on
BW Track	on
Hardware NB	off
Main RX Sql	-127 dBm
Sub RX Sql	-127 dBm
PBT/BW Step	10 Hz
AGC Slope	2:10 dB

Notes: other AGC settings (slow/med/fast) are defaults. I assume that [prog] settings are my individual and other are factory defaults. I use mostly my [prog] settings which are good for low band DXing. Don't switch Hardware NB on in the menu! Your receiver might seem very poor in spite of intermodulation parameters! Sweep range is rather individual, I dont't like the sweep option very much. The Sql settings are minimal.

 

Menu item: Filtr

Xtal Filter	Auto
Enable 1.8 kHz	Yes
Enable 500 Hz	Yes
500 Hz C. F. Adj	-20 Hz
Enable 250 Hz	Yes
250 Hz C. F. Adj	-20 Hz
DSP Filter Length	199 Taps

Notes: The Xtal Filter AUTO option is a bit risky under harsh contest environment. Both 500 and 250 Hz slots have an additional amplifier equalizing the filter insertion loss which causes worse IP of about 6 dB. In a contest, it is worth to change this option to 1 kHz. On low bands, sometimes a DSP Filter Length reduction to 124 or 104 Taps might result in a better S/N ratio and improved readability.

 

AUDIO

Left:
Both->

Right:
Main->

Spkr:
Both->

BinRX:
off->

TX EQ:
-15 dB

RX EQ:
0 dB

SUBEQ:
0 dB

 

This settings allows to monitor my transmitting frequency in the left ear. I find it very comfortable because it is similar to my SO2R contest setup if using it. I recommend to experiment a bit here. Sometimes I'm using also the Binaural RX which make wonders in very noisy environment with lowered taps of DSP Filter.

 

 

73, Petr OK1RP

...-.-