Omni VI Model 563

• ARRL (Must be an ARRL member and logged in to view.)

• Manual errata
• AGC Modification by G3TXQ
• IMD2 / RX Antenna Isolation / Mic Preamp Mods
• PA0FRI's Omni 6 Mods
• Key Click Mod by W9AC
• RIT Mod
• Aux Rx Antenna Input / PIN Diode Mod
• Product Detector IMD Mod/Update
• Eradicating Birdies from the Omni 6 (+)
• Varying Keyer Speed Fix
• Improving Frequency Stability for Older Omni VI's
• Replacing Meter Lamps
• Using WWV to Calibrate
• Omni VI Power Up Buzz
• Noise Blanker Mod
• Inrad Roofing Filter Mod
• SSB RX Audio: Inrad Audio Mod & DSP Bypass Mod
• Audio Level Spread Mod
• Keyer Control Mod
• Frequency Jump Fix
• Omni VI Logic Firmware Update - Manual Addendum - February 27, 1996

• Archived Ten-Tec Web Page - Filter Selection Help
• Comments on the Omni VI Series Filter by Ken Brown, N6KB
• Aux Antenna Comments by W4PA
• Option 1, 2, & 3 Upgrades - 563 / 564 Differences
• MacLoggerDX - Support for this package can be found here and here
• TRX Manager - Support for this package can be found here

Sales Brochure (1.45 MB)

From the Ten Tec Reflector December 11, 1996

The main difference between the (now discontinued) Paragon II and the Omni-VI is the way the receiver is set up. The Paragon II, like all Japanese rigs, uses a microprocessor synthesizer for frequency generation. The Omni-VI (and Omni-V) use a short range PLL (500 kHz) mixed with crystal local oscillators for each ham band. While the sensitivity and selectivity specs are similar between the two, the Omni-VI has better overall rx performance than the Paragon II. The phase noise performance of the Omni-VI vs. Paragon II is -20db better as well. (Might as well add here that the phase noise performance is significantly better than the Japanese rigs, and our specs for rx sensitivity have yet to be matched, even by the IF-DSP transceivers). The Omni-VI also has the option for crystal filtering in both the 1st and 2nd IF, while the Paragon series is 2nd IF only.

Trade off: No general coverage receiver in the Omni-VI.

The predecessor to the Omni-V and Omni-VI were the Corsair and Corsair II, which used a similar rx scheme, utilizing a PTO rather than the PLL.

73, Scott Robbins W4PA at Ten-Tec

• Modes: USB, LSB, FSK or AFSK, FM built-in
• Frequency Range: All ham bands 160 through 10 meters. Twelve 500 KHz segments with 30 KHz overshoot at upper and lower band edges.
• Display: 7 digit to 10 Hz resolution, 0.56" LED, 2 secondary 0.3" displays for clock, memory chanhel and offset.
• Frequency Control: LO generated with a crystal oscillator mixed with a low noise 4.97 - 5.53 MHz phase locked loop.
• Offset Tuning: +/- 9.99 KHz, receive and transmit, Dual VFO's with Split mode.
• Memories: 100 duplex memories, battery backup, one scratch pad.
• PC Interface: Serial port operation of receive and transmit. Includes two line and RS-232 interface. Runs at 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, or 19200 baud.
• Frequency Accuracy: +/- 50 Hz @ 25 degrees C.
• Antenna: 50 ohm unbalanced.
• Remote Band Switching: Selects antenna or other station accessories.
• Power Required: 2 A receive, 20 A transmit @ 12-14 VDC.
• Construction: 20 G10 epoxy glass PC boards, most field replaceable. Extruded aluminum fron panel, alumninum chassis, texture painted top & bottom, snap up stainless stell bail.
• Dimensions: HWD 5.75" x 14.75" x 17" - 14.6 x 37.5 x 43.2 cm.
• Weight: 16 lbs - 7.25 kg.

• RF Output: 0 - 100 watts, ALC stablilized.
• DC Input: Maximum 250 watts @ 14VDC. 100% duty cycle for up to 20 minutes. Continuous duty with customer supplied air cooling of rear panel heat sink.
• Microphone Input: 200 - 50K Ohms, accepts microphones with 5 mV (-62dB) output. Polarizing voltage for electrets provided.
• Speech Processor: Adjustable compression level.
• T/R Switching: PTT or VOX on SSB, switchable FAST or SLOW QSK on CW, delay on SLOW is adjustable.
• Iambic Keyer: adjustable 8 - 40 WPM, type A or B, weight adjustable from keypad.
• CW Offset: programmable 400 - 990 Hz, DSP generated, sidetone automatically matches offset, volume adjustable independent of AF gain control.
• FSK Shift: 170 Hz.
• FM Deviation: +/- 5 KHz.
• Metering: Switchable to forward power, SWR, collector current or audio processing level on SSB.
• SSB Generation: Balanced modulator followed by 9 MHz, 8 pole crystal ladder filter.
• Carrier Suppression: 60 dB typical.
• Unwanted Sideband Suppression:60 dB typical at 1.5 KHz tone.
• Third Order Intermod:30 dB below two tone at 100 watts PEP.
• Spurious Output: Better than 45 dB below peak power output.

• Sensitivity: 0.15 uV for 10 dB signal to noise ratio at 2.4 KHz bandwidth. In FM, 0.3 uV for 12 dB SINAD at 15 KHz bandwidth.
• Selectivity: Standard 16 pole filter, 20 to 24 poles cascaded depending on options selected.

• Dynamic Range: 97 dB @ 2.4 KHz bandwidth at 20 KHz spacing, 100 dB+ with CW filters.
• Third Order Intercept: +10 dBm
• Noise Floor: -133 dBm @ 2.4 KHz bandwidth.
• Phase Noise: -122 dBc @ 1 KHz, -138dBc @ 20 KHz.
• S-Meter: Calibrated to 50 uV at S9.
• Attenuator: -20 dB.
• Passband Tuning: +/- 1.2 KHz.
• I-F Frequencies: 1st I-F 9 MHz, 2nd I-F 6.3 MHz (passband tuning IF), 2nd I-F for FM 455 KHz.
• Noise Blanker: adjustable threshold.
• Automatic DSP Notch Filter: Eliminates multiple heterodynes, notch depth automatically selected for each.
• Manual Notch Filter: 250 Hz to 2.2 KHz, greater than 50 dB.
• CW DSP Filter: Low pass audio filter selectable in 5 steps, 1400 Hz, 1200 Hz, 1000 Hz, 800 Hz, 600 Hz, or may be disengaged.
• Receive Recovery Time: less than 20 ms including split mode.
• Squelch Sensitivity: Less than 0.6 uV
• Image Rejection: >90 dB.
• Audio: 1.5 watts @ 4 ohms with less than 2% distortion, built-in speaker, separate fixed output 1 mw @ 600 ohms.
• Separate RX Antenna Input: 50 ohm phono jack, front panel selectable.