{"id":53805,"date":"2022-08-28T18:21:20","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T22:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=53805"},"modified":"2022-08-28T18:27:41","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T22:27:41","slug":"guest-post-dans-letter-concerning-the-new-elite-satellit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/guest-post-dans-letter-concerning-the-new-elite-satellit\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Dan’s letter concerning the new Elite Satellit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Dan Robinson, who publishes the following guest post:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>Letter to Eton:\u00a0 Cutting Corners on Elite Satellit Won’t Succeed<\/h2>\n

by Dan Robinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

As SWLing.com readers will recall, weeks before Eton shipped the first group of Elite Satellit receivers I published a commentary<\/a> that asked a key question:\u00a0 would Eton be able to meet the higher standards of the listening community in 2022 when it comes to new advanced portables?<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we all see what the answer to that question was.\u00a0 Eton was forced to recall Elite Satellit radios that had been shipped to major resellers such as Universal Radio, Ham Radio Outlet, and others as defects became all too apparent.<\/p>\n

A radio that had been on its way to me for review was among those recalled.\u00a0 But I recently was able to examine a unit that a friend in the Washington, DC area purchased.\u00a0 What I found I am putting in this commentary as a letter to Eton.<\/p>\n

If the company takes these points seriously, I think there is still hope that the Elite Satellit can join the ranks of respectable multi-band portables \u2013 after Eton has gone back to the drawing board so to speak.\u00a0 However, if Eton continues to cut corners with this receiver, its future is not bright:<\/p>\n

Letter to Eton on the Elite Satellit<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dear Eton,<\/p>\n

MUTING WHILE TUNING<\/b><\/p>\n

As many who purchased or tested the Elite Satellit have remarked, the fact that you decided to release a radio with this issue is beyond comprehension.\u00a0 Tuning on the Elite Satellit is, tragically, an uncomfortable and frustrating experience.\u00a0 This needs to be corrected\/fixed \u2013 you only need to take a look at Tecsun receivers such as the H-501 or PL-990x to know what needs to be done.<\/p>\n

POORLY-IMPLEMENTED PASSBAND TUNING<\/b><\/p>\n

Perhaps even more puzzling than muting, the Elite Satellit I tested had an even more mind-boggling issue.\u00a0 Passband tuning should function to adjust the signal pitch without changing the audio frequency.\u00a0 On the radio I tested, PBT was actually TUNING and changing the frequency.\u00a0 Using PBT on this radio was virtually no different from tuning in SSB, with injected tones heard, until a zero beat was achieved.\u00a0 All you had to do was take a look at a E1 receiver, or any other receiver with well-implemented PBT to understand how real PBT is supposed to function.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As a colleague remarked, the Elite Satellit \u201cseems to be functioning as a BFO.”\u00a0 Obviously, a BFO is not PBT.\u00a0 Moreover, there’s not really any need for a BFO on a receiver that has USB & LSB modes plus 10 Hz tuning.\u201d\u00a0 On top of that, why does PBT work only in SSB and non-synchronous AM?\u00a0 On the E1, PBT is full service, including on non-SYNC AM.\u00a0 All of this needs to be corrected. If the problem involves DSP chip issues, then Eton has a lot of work to do to find a solution.<\/p>\n

LOCKUP ON FM\/HD<\/b><\/p>\n

As others have noted, the receiver locked up when tuning FM\/HD signals, requiring a hard reset of the radio.\u00a0 I could not even tell what HD sub-channels existed on certain frequencies.\u00a0 This needs to be corrected.<\/p>\n

TERRIBLE AGC<\/b><\/p>\n

Again, you had the example of the E1 \u2013 but instead of taking a superb feature on that older receiver which provided the user with AUTO, SLOW, and FAST modes, designers of the Elite Satellit provided only ON or OFF.\u00a0 As well, on the radio I tested AGC response was terrible, with a long delay before audio returned to listenable level.\u00a0 But even if one turns AGC off, is there any way to control RF manually?\u00a0 It appears not, unless I missed something.\u00a0 This needs to be corrected \u2013 I would strongly recommend SLOW, MEDIUM, FAST and OFF options.<\/p>\n

INCONSISTENT DISPLAY ISSUES<\/b><\/p>\n

It’s one thing to have the neat feature of multi-color display \u2013 quite another to ensure QC.\u00a0 On the receiver I tested, the display seemed to suffer from inconsistent coloration.\u00a0 All labels on every radio should be of consistent clear quality.<\/p>\n

ABSENT RECALIBRATION FUNCTION<\/b><\/p>\n

In the E1 receiver, designed and produced in conjunction with R.L. Drake there was a way to access the Master Oscillator adjustable potentiometer, via a small hole visible through the back cabinet of the receiver.\u00a0 Though a very touchy adjustment due to the low quality of the plastic, it nonetheless satisfied users wanting to make such an adjustment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photos published previously here on SWLing.com show a OSC port visible on a main board inside the Elite Satellit.\u00a0 But there is no way to easily access this adjustment point \u2013 doing so requires removing the rear of the cabinet, though according to one highly-capable technician who photographed the interior, removing the cabinet back is easier than with the E1.<\/p>\n

Very late serial numbers of the E1 are reported to have had a MENU option for calibration adjustments, though I have never personally seen a E1 with this feature.\u00a0 Unfortunately, in the Elite Satellit Eton decided to deliver a receiver, at an extremely high price point, that lacks any way to make fine adjustments (even via the menu) \u2013 something that is possible on Tecsun receivers from the H-501x down.<\/p>\n

ONE LESS DIGIT ON READOUT<\/b><\/p>\n

The Elite Satellit has 10 Hz readout on SSB and when in AM Synchronous.\u00a0 But when in non-SYNC AM, the smallest tuning increment is 1 khz.\u00a0 Why Eton?\u00a0 SO, on the Elite Satellit we have lost a digit on the main readout.\u00a0 One can only speculate about why this was done.<\/p>\n

TELESCOPIC ANTENNA DEFECTIVE<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the first things noticed on the Elite Satellit I tested:\u00a0 a telescopic antenna with sections that appeared to be loose, literally shaking as one handled the antenna.\u00a0 Combine this with the fact that the floppy antenna issue from the E1 has not been corrected.\u00a0 It makes one wonder what the Elite Satellit team was thinking.\u00a0 To use a well-known description \u2013 putting a defective telescopic antenna on a portable radio is a \u201crookie mistake\u201d and certainly not something we would expect from Eton at this point.<\/p>\n

FM BLEED THROUGH TO HF BANDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was unable to fully examine this issue, but it has been reported by those who purchased the Elite Satellit.\u00a0 This is something that Eton needs to address as it makes corrections to the receiver.<\/p>\n

BANDWIDTH SELECTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

On shortwave in AM mode, bandwidth selections seem to be nice, but the widest bandwidth setting when in SYNC mode is 4.0 kHz.\u00a0 This is inadequate and needs to be corrected.<\/p>\n

PAL ANTENNA INPUT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why Eton did you stay with the old European style PAL antenna input?\u00a0 Perhaps this was a decision made to appeal primarily to European and other global users \u2013 it certainly does not help with U.S. users.\u00a0 A BNC or even RCA connector would have been better.\u00a0 This was a case where moving away from E1 design would have been wiser.<\/p>\n

OVERALL RECEPTION CAPABILITY<\/strong><\/p>\n

In testing the one Elite Satellit that I was able to get access to, I was not able to come to any conclusions about sensitivity and overall reception capability.\u00a0 I did have a E1 next to the Elite Satellit, and to my ears, the E1 was quieter than the new receiver.\u00a0 But again, I can’t be conclusive on this point and will have to wait until some time in the future when hopefully Eton ships revised radios out to the listening public.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So . . . Eton \u2013 I am sure I reflect the thinking of many in the global listening community in expressing the wish that design and QC problems on the Elite Satellit be corrected. But doing so will require a determination to stop cutting corners.<\/p>\n

It appears that not enough was learned from the E1, which remains a highly-prized possession for many of us.\u00a0 Excellent features, such as true Pass Band Tuning and multi-level AGC were sacrificed.\u00a0 The puzzling decision to release the Elite Satellit with muted tuning indicates insufficient thinking on this issue.<\/p>\n

Finally, Eton, the elephant in the room.\u00a0 With the existing QC and design issues, there is no way that the Elite Satellit deserves a $700 price point.\u00a0 Even if these problems are corrected this works out to roughly two to three times the price of advanced portables by other companies, which have included innovations such as Bluetooth, microSD and dual battery capability.<\/p>\n

Eton still has the an opportunity to produce a revised version of the Elite Satellit that users will be proud to own and use in 2022 and 2023 \u2013 but only if it takes critiques that you have received seriously.<\/p>\n

I urge Eton to each out to key reviewers, and importantly \u2013 when you have addressed the issues mentioned above, by all means send out units for advance assessments, and do that very early in the game.\u00a0 You don’t want and cannot afford a repeat of the initial Elite Satellit disaster.<\/p>\n

Thanks for listening to this input, which is given in the hope that Eton will act on these points and be able to provide the listening community with a receiver that is competitive with the best of what is available today.<\/p>\n

Daniel A. Robinson<\/p>\n

Potomac, MD (USA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who publishes the following guest post: Letter to Eton:\u00a0 Cutting Corners on Elite Satellit Won’t Succeed by Dan Robinson As SWLing.com readers will recall, weeks before Eton shipped the first group of Elite Satellit receivers I published a commentary that asked a key question:\u00a0 would Eton be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Guest Post: Dan's letter concerning the new Elite Satellit","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3194,3,43],"tags":[2635,4342],"class_list":["post-53805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guest-posts","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-dan-robinson","tag-guest-posts"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-dZP","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":53261,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/can-the-eton-elite-satellit-meet-2022-expectations\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":0},"title":"Can the Eton Elite Satellit meet 2022 expectations?","author":"Thomas","date":"July 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, for the following guest commentary: The Elite Satellit: Can Eton Deliver to Radio Users Who Expect Higher QC and Feature Standards? by Dan Robinson It's been many years since the original E1 took the hobby world by storm. Everyone remembers the issues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-1.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50713,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/11\/update-the-elite-satellit\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":1},"title":"Update: The Elite Satellit","author":"Troy Riedel","date":"November 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Guest post by Troy Riedel I have badgered people I know - mainly this site's owner, our friend Thomas. \u00a0Question: does Eton still plan to bring the Elite Satellit to market? Image Credit: Eton Corp I've posted here before (in the Comments section of more than one post) stating \"I'll\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-Elite-Satellit-300x171.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":51576,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/eton-announces-the-new-elite-satellit\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":2},"title":"Eton announces the new Elite Satellit","author":"Thomas","date":"January 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Troy Riedel, who notes that Eton has now placed a splash page image of the new Elite Satellit (above) on their home page. There is no further information yet and the splash page simply links to their current production shortwave models. It does, however,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elite-satellit-scaled-e1642768596426.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38149,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/wow-check-out-the-new-eton-elite-satellit\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":3},"title":"Wow! Check out the new Eton Elite Satellit!","author":"Thomas","date":"June 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brent Levit, who notes a new Eton receiver in the latest\u00a0 Universal Radio print catalog: the Eton Elite Satellit. Raise your hand if you see the similarities between the Elite Satellit and the famous Eton E1 (photo below)? Brent also notes: \"Universal Radio has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-E1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-E1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-E1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53739,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/eton-elite-satellite-update-august-20-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":4},"title":"Eton Elite Satellite Update (August 20, 2022)","author":"Thomas","date":"August 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Eton Elite Satellit Update (August 20, 2022) As many SWLing Post readers have pointed out, Universal Radio has posted the following update to their product page for the Elite Satellit: Our initial allocation of radios arrived 08\/17\/22. Our Q\/C testing detected a problem with the radio. We are working closely\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Noel-Photos-Internal-Satellit-15-225x300.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Noel-Photos-Internal-Satellit-15-225x300.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Noel-Photos-Internal-Satellit-15-225x300.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Noel-Photos-Internal-Satellit-15-225x300.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Noel-Photos-Internal-Satellit-15-225x300.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43321,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/eton-elite-satellit-delayed-until-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":53805,"position":5},"title":"Eton Elite Satellit delayed until 2021","author":"Thomas","date":"May 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers who have pointed out the recent update from Universal Radio regarding the availability of the Eton Elite Satellit. Per Universal Radio: 05\/11\/20 Eton expects this new model to be available in 2021. Beacause of the date uncertainty we are not accepting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-Elite-Satellit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-Elite-Satellit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-Elite-Satellit.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Eton-Elite-Satellit.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53805\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}