SmartSDR v1.0.0 is now available for download for use with your FLEX-6700 and FLEX-6500 Signature Se

Steve-N5AC

Installing SmartSDR for Windows no longer installs SmartSDR CAT automatically due to a virtual com port driver dependency that requires SmartSDR CAT to be uninstalled and the PC rebooted before a SmartSDR CAT can be installed. If you have previously installed SmartSDR CAT, please follow the instructions in the release notes for first uninstalling the previous version before installing SmartSDR CAT, detailed below and in the release notes. There are several sub-procedures described below that are outlined in greater detail in the SmartSDR v1.0.0 Release Notes. Make sure you review the Release Notes before updating the FLEX-6000 radio software and SmartSDR CAT. =============================== Upgrading SmartSDR for Windows =============================== 1.) Shut down SmartSDR for Windows if running. 2.) If SmartSDR CAT is running, close it too 3.) Power cycle the FLEX-6000 by pressing the front panel power button, waiting several seconds and then pressing it again to reboot the radio. Wait until the radio has finished booting before continuing. 4.) Run the SmartSDR v1.0.0 Installer: SmartSDR v1.0.0 5.) At the end of the installation process, display the release notes (A PDF reader is required) and run SmartSDR for Windows. 6.) You should see your FLEX-6000 in the chooser indicating that an upgrade is required. If you have never done a FLEX-6000 software upgrade, you may what to review the FLEX-6000 Upgrade procedure on page 7 in the Release Notes which can be also found in the Windows Start Menu -> FlexRadio Systems -> SmartSDR v1.0.0 -> Release Notes folder. 7.) After the FLEX-6000 software has upgraded, you should see the radio in the SmartSDR Radio Chooser indicating it is "Available". If after 5 minutes or so and you do not see the radio become "Available" (the yellow Update bard will have completely traversed to the right hand side), power off the radio using the Power button and power it back on. 8.) You can now run SmartSDR v1.0.0 ======================= Upgrading SmartSDR CAT ======================= 1.) If SmartSDR for Windows is running, shut it down now. 2.) Follow the procedure "Uninstalling SmartSDR CAT" starting on page 7 in the SmartSDR v1.0.0 Release Notes. Make sure to reboot the PC when done (this is very important). 3.) Follow the procedure "Installing SmartSDR CAT" starting on page 8 in the SmartSDR v1.0.0 Release Notes. 4.) Start SmartSDR CAT by selecting the SmartSDR CAT program from the Windows Start Menu -> FlexRadio Systems program folder 5.) If needed, configure the virtual com ports as per the SmartSDR CAT documentation ============================= Release Specific Information ============================= Please review the Known Issues, Caveats and Limitations section in the SmartSDR for Windows Release Notes on page 5 for a comprehensive listing of release specific information regarding the operation of your FLEX-6000 Signature Series SDR. ==================================== Where to Download SmartSDR v1.0.0 ==================================== SmartSDR for Windows v1.0.0 is a large download. It is approximately 80 MB in size. You can download SmartSDR for Windows from: SmartSDR v1.0.0 The SmartSDR 1.0 Software Manual can be downloaded from: SmartSDR Software Manual v1.0.0 Additional user examples and how-to scenarios will be added as time progresses. The FLEX-6000 Signature Series Hardware Reference Guide can be downloaded from: FLEX-6000 Hardware Reference Guide ========================================= New Features, Enhancements and Bug Fixes ========================================= Below is a list of new features, enhancements and bug fixes in SmartSDR v1.0.0 SmartSDR for Windows:

• Initial release of SmartSDR for Windows
• Ability to create four (4) Panadapters / Slice Receivers for the FLEX-6700
• Ability to create two (2) Panadapters / Slice Receivers for the FLEX-6500
• High resolution Panadapter spectrum display
• Variable display frame rate settings per panadapter
• Demodulation Modes: AM, CW, USB, LSB, DIGU and DIGL
• Quick Select “favorite” demodulation mode feature per slice
• Demodulation mode specific Preset filters
• DSP Capabilities: ANF, NB and NR
• AGC Modes: Fast, Medium, Slow and Off with AGC Threshold control
• Individual Slice receiver audio gain, mute and left/right pan controls
• Individual Master audio mute and gain controls for Speaker and headphone outputs
• S-Meter with dBm readout for each Slice receiver
• Individual Antenna selection capabilities for Panadapters and Slice Receivers
• Direct keyboard entry for changing slice frequency
• FlexControl and mouse scroll wheel for changing the Active Slice frequency
• Quick QSK feature for creating a Slice receiver in a ham band
• Real-time metering for signal strength, RF power, SWR, mic level and mic compression
• Operational Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) with manual TUNE capability
• Multiple microphone and audio input selections
• Microphone boost, compression and monitor controls
• VOX for “PTT free” operation
• Separate 8-band TX and RX Equalizers (EQs)
• Variable low and high cut transmit filter setting up to 10 kHz for each side band
• Quick Set Mic bias voltage feature on front panel mic connector for condenser mic elements
• Full break QSK CW operation
• CW operation with either straight key or paddles
• Iambic A and B internal keyer with paddle swap feature
• Internal keyer with speeds up to 100 WPM and user configurable delay settings
• CW Sidetone volume and variable pitch control
• Full GPS readout with automatic Maidenhead grid square calculation for GPSDO enabled FLEX-6000s
• Modification of transmit frequency ranges for IARU region 3, Japan and certain EU countries
• MARS capable (requires a valid MARS license)

K6OZY

Congratulations FRS! Job well done.

Dale KB5VE

Great job

Al_NN4ZZ

I noticed the new version of CAT is 1.1.7 in the release notes which is the same version (1.1.7) I have loaded from 0.16.4 preview software. Is it really new? In other words do we need to uninstall and re install it? Regards, Al / NN4ZZ

Steve-N5AC

No need to reinstall

Steve Conklin

Congratulations!

George KF2T

So far, looking good! The laggy master volume control is still there for me, though.

Dale KB5VE

After blindly using the radio since it was released I now read a manual and guess what, I could almost have written it!!!!!!!! I cannot believe how much I have discovered by just using the radio. I have played with all the controls and set the much audio, went to all bands, it is just like Christmas . The nb,NR work great. I know they are work in progress but very impressive. Ok enough I have people to talk to. For the first time I can tell them I have a new radio because it is truly a new radio. Gerald and flex nerds great job you will make a lot of fellow nerds very happy. Sit back and smile your baby is walking and talking, on its own!

Eric-KE5DTO

Was this mentioned in another community topic? If so, could you provide link please? Thanks.

Andrew O'Brien

Any digital mode decode applications within it or is third party software required for digital operations ?

Ken - NM9P

I did anyway! just to make sure, before I read this. hi hi.

Richard G7EIX

Thank you everyone involved. Installing now.

Ken - NM9P

I have a laggy master volume control, too.

George KF2T

Hi Eric, I mentioned it earlier but didn't see a response/fix for that issue. The audio distortion while dragging the panadapter (also mentioned) seems nicely fixed.

Ken - NM9P

Thanks! Total time required from beginning of download, uninstall SSDR & S-CAT, reboot computer and rig, install SmartSDR, read release notes, Install SmartCAT, power up rig, open SSDR, update RIG software, configure SmartCAT, and start operating.... 42 minutes.... no issues.... couldn't be simpler! Now the fun begins! Reports and reviews will follow on another posting, probably tomorrow night.

Richard G7EIX

Dude! What took you so long!? :-) Seriously though - they could not have made it any simpler - a wonderful job all round. Now I have to justify another late night in the shack to the wife.

Keith - AE5XN

I'd like to thank everyone on the Flex team for the undoubtedly long hours and intense dedication for the 1.0 release. Congratulations! I really like the little peak indicators on the audio level meter - nice touch! Keith - AE5XN

Alan --- N5MSE

Thanks to everyone that worked so hard. Have downloaded and installing now. What a great radio.

Ed baker

great >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ken - NM9P

I probably spent more time reading stuff than anything else! That and waiting for the computer to reboot twice and double checking that all the old software was fully uninstalled....

Paul

Thank you everyone! Have downloaded and installed SmartSDR However the SmartCAT installation file is not in the SmartSDR folder? Any suggestions?

Paul

Never mind, I found it.

Arnie

I have eagerly installed 1.o but having a problem. When I fire it up, I get a screen saying I need to update the software in my radio. I click the "UPDATE" button and the yellow progress bar runs to completion, but nothing further happens after that. How long should I let it sit after the progress bar goes all the way to the right? What to do? Tnx es 73 de Arnie W8DU p.s. This is a W7 computer

Arnie

Ok... got it. I guess it was necessary to power cycle the radio before installing. Now it works!

Marv

Thanks to a great team! Install went great and all works great. I'll see you in Belton! Thanks again Marv W0ZK

Richard, N7HX

Page 13 of the new software manual says that the mouse wheel tunes in 10 Hz steps. My mouse wheel tunes in 50 Hz steps. Anyway to change this?

Steve K9ZW

Arnie - I had a similar hitch, which cleared nicely when I did two things: -- Powered Everything Down after removing SmartCAT - Radio, Computer, Power Supplies - all of it. -- Disable the GPS prior to doing the Update. I then had to power down everything to get a "happy start" of all components. Figured this out after two runs of the progress bar and watching the machines do nothing for enough time that I feel silly now. Also I needed to do the full power-down to get rid of a phantom duplicate in the radio selector - these are the same radio, which software both said was ready and needing update! Screen shots in a comment below. 73 Steve K9ZW

Steve K9ZW

Interesting artifact when updating to v1.0, as the selector recognized my radio twice. (XP Box) I could highlight either one: I didn't think to try and actually run the radio before hard booting everything. I also needed to do the full power-down to avoid phantom Upgrades as the software said the radio was being upgraded while the radio did nothing. I also needed to disable my GPS before the Upgrade would properly start. All issues eventually completely handled by deep-cycle hard booting everything. 73 Steve K9ZW

AG7T - Scott

Nice... and congratulations on the big 1.0... I did uninstall everything SMARTSDR, SMARTCAT... I rebooted the PC... I installed SMARTSDR 1.0.0 and updated the radio and that works ok. The SMARTCAT installer file is not in the installation directory. Should I go back and install 16.0.4 to get it? 73, Scott AG7T

DonS

Go to Start/All Programs/FlexRadioSystems/SmartSDR CAT and that will install the CAT software.

VA7LWE

Congratulations to everyone at FRS. V1 is a huge milestone. Thanks for all the hard work. I'm sure everyone is proud of the accomplishments so far... though releases are often a bit of an anticlimax - especially when the whole team has given 110% for months! No doubt some folks will get at least a little R&R before the craziness starts up again (to some extent). All the best marketing the radio generally. I'm really excited about where the 6x00 can take us in terms of a HF rig 'for the 21st century'. There's still more bread-and-butter features to come of course, but surely some truly exciting stuff in the mix for the future!