Observations after just finishing the ARRL DX SSB Contest...

Ken - NM9P

I just finished the ARRL DX SSB Contest with about 20 hours total operating time.

This small-gun operator scored 336 contacts, 200 multipliers, and over 200,000 points with a 160 meter Offset Fed Dipole at 38 ft. and an elevated vertical for 40/15/10.  It was a personal best in any contest and the highest QSO/mult/point counts in any contest I have ever run.

I know it isn't anything compared to some of you high stakes contest ops, like Stu, but for this S&P'er it was better than I have ever done and met all my personal goals.  The next big contest I hope to have the T-11 up at least 35 ft.  (I just learned that I will need a zoning variance to go any higher and reach my planned 55 ft. It will take a couple of months to get that approved, so I will put it up at 35 and then add two more sections of Rohn 45G after approval.)

What I found helpful....

FlexControl Knob - Don't go contesting without it!  (K6TU's controller would also be handy, but I can't run it until I get some CAT6 cabling between the hamshack and the router.)

Variable tuning steps was very nice!

Brick Wall SSB Filters...Yes!

Superb Dynamic range receiver.  Crunch-proof!

The "Slice Control Panel" made it nice to adjust everything in one place...

The transmit Audio is fantastic, even if it could use a tad more "punch" for the contest.

Receiver is more quiet than any other Rig I have used.  Much less fatigue with the headphones.

Switchable RX EQ was handy on several occasions when digging out a weak one from the noise & interference.

The tab-oriented TX panels were handy, allowing me to put what panels I wanted where I wanted them, but get quick access to additional panels as needed.

The wide pan display.  Changing from my TS-850SAT to the 6500 is like moving from a compact car with small windows to a luxury convertible with the top down.  I can see clearly what is happening in the band, see when I have missed signals that I need to tune back and get, and easily find the next station I need to pounce upon!

Running wide splits with multiple slices and stereo pan in the headphones was a pleasure, especially on 40 meters.

RIT/XIT was very nice.  Thank you!

Bugs and things needed for better SSB performance:

Sometimes when changing bands, (both by CAT and by band buttons) the AGC would "stick" and not follow the setting until it was "jiggled" manually with the mouse.  This was annoying and not helpful.

I would like to be able to customize which filters appear in the slice control panel, and define their upper and lower limits.  This would make fast filter changes possible.  During a SSB contest, I don't need 1.6, 1.8 & 4 K filters.  But I would like to set the 2.4K filter to range from 200 Hz -2600 Hz and not need to slide the adjustment every time I change bands and mode from USB to LSB and back.

TX Profiles are on the roadmap.  All I can say is, "I am waiting patiently!... sort of."

Monitor of DAX output would be nice so I can monitor my VoiceKeyer...

"Quick-record" of Post-EQ/post-processed audio would be really nice in order to load up the Voice Keyer.

It would be nice to have a quick keyboard shortcut to quickly adjust panadapter zoom.

A DX compressor setting would be nice to get a bit more soft clipping/compression for added talk power.  But please don't over-do it.  I got many "Nice Audio" comments during the contest and wouldn't want to mess things up.

Antenna tuner memories/persistence.... I ran two antennas, a dipole and a vertical, and it would be nice to connect them to the ANT1 & ANT2 ports and have the tuner remember tuner settings for each antenna whenever they are selected.

It would be nice to have a keyboard shortcut that advanced the panadapter 3/4 of the way to the left or right.  When using the FlexControl Knob at the edge, the display got so jumpy as it scrolled that I couldn't clearly see the stations I was looking for.... then there is the ubiquitous "overrun" problem that was mitigated by turning off the FIFO buffer on the port connected to the FlexControl Knob.

Added FlexControl functions, such as toggling "active" through multiple slices, switching TX between slices, and "monitor TX frequency" would be handy.

A TX band dockable panel would be nice for quick QSY.

Improved CAT frequency control.  (Though the latest Firmware is much improved over the previous one)

Adding a slice needs to copy all of the mode/filter/agc/DSP info from the A-slice into the new slice.

Swap A/B would let me preset info into slice B and rapidly move it to A when I am ready to grab a new one.

Need a graphic indicator of RIT/XIT frequency on the screen, as has been discussed in a different thread.

Need an Anti-VOX control.

A dockable panel of programmable buttons that I can define for my most-used functions so that they are only a single-click away. (RX ant, TX ant, Swap Slice, Toggle active slice, FAV bands, filter selection, etc.)

Here is one that may not be possible.... allow one of the other jacks in the back to be connected to a second PTT/Footswitch that would automatically transmit on a different slice when pressed instead of the current active TX slice.  It would be like having two transmitters in the same box.  (or possibly use the front panel PTT as a second TX key.)

Fix DAX vs. PTT "keybounce" issues.

All in all, this has become a very strong contesting rig for me, both CW and SSB.  I can hardly wait until other functions on the roadmap are added!  This is really putting the fun into ham radio again.

Thanks FRS for a great (and continually improving) rig!

Ken - NM9P

K9DUR

Ken,

Glad you enjoyed the contest with your 6500.  I sure had fun with my 6700.

Don't you have a 1500?  If so, you can use the record feature in PowerSDR with your 1500 to record the .wav files for VoiceKeyer. until Flex has the quick record features added to SmartSDR,

I second your suggestions about cloning slices & swapping slices.  They would be a GREAT enhancement.

Too bad this contest was one where we couldn't work each other....hi..hi.

73, Ray, K9DUR

k0eoo

Ken, what logging program were you using?  And, how well did the interface between your logging program and the 6500 work?  Dennis, k0eoo

Mike NN9DD

Completely agree with Ken. 641 contacts and only worked about 20 hours as well. I agree with all of what was stated especially the need to have a way two switch the active slice without a mouse. Makes the logging more tedious havering to always switch the mouse around Very satisfied and look forward to future software releases Mike N9DFD

Ken - NM9P

I have been using N3FJP's programs for about 11 years, because they are simple and easy to use and interface easily to ACLog after the contest.  I guess now that .adi format is the standard, it shouldn't make any difference.

(I do wish he would port his voice keyer out to alternate "sound cards" so I could use DAV with them.  But Ray's program is nice.)

The interface seemed to work OK.  SLICE A read to the log, clicking on DX spots sent me to the correct frequency almost all of the time.  Sometimes I needed to click on the "off screen" arrow to get the frequency into the panadapter.

N3FJP's programs won't read Slice B, which is a downer.  But I am used to it.

The DX Spot could be better.  Earlier versions of his programs actually put a band map on the screen and allowed you to automatically filter spots for the band you were working. I miss that, now that I have a rig that will click-tune to a spot.  (I never got an interface built for my older TS-850)  I understand that there ware ways to make N3FJP's software interface via Telnet ports with other spotting programs, such as bandmaster or VE7CC, but I haven't figured that out yet.

I haven't tried N1MM since it was going head to head with CT (anyone remember that?) At the time I found it too confusing for "casual contesting."  It might be time for another look.

I haven't played with HRD either.  I don't want to spend any more money on software for a while.  

Any suggestions?

Mike NN9DD

I use HRD and it works great but it also only reads slice A so when working splits on 40 need to make sure you got the A slice and B slice set upright or you'll show SSB transmissions in the CW bands It has many of the same limitations, the spotter works good by band just a bit of latency at times but worked well Mike N9DFD

k0eoo

Ken,

Thought you might be using N1MM because of all the multipliers.  N1MM puts up band maps for each band and highlights multipliers I am told.  I use DX4WIN and it only sees Slice A but does send Slice B to the QSX freq if one exists...  It also has a nice band map for slice A only if you're in automatic mode, otherwise, you can choose what band you look at.  Both worked good this weekend. 

Dave - WB5NHL

Ken, perhaps if N3FJP was more aware of the number of Flex owners using his software he would consider addressing the voice keyer and Slice B issues. I agree with you it is a great set of programs.

Charles - K5UA

Also have some observations after finishing the ARRL SSB DX contest. Highest score ever for our single transmitter, two operator effort..... 1.93 million points from 1,629 qsos. Would have broken the 2 million point barrier but lost the 40m yagi due to a bad balun in the first hour of the contest. Had to haul up a 40m dipole between the two towers at midnight. Murphy's Law. Here are some things I would like to see in future SSDR releases: 1. I would like to be able to freeze the freq span of a panadapter in the 40m DX window (7.025 - 7.125) for my RX slice. Above the first panadapter, freeze the freq span of a second panadapter for the american phone band (7.125 - 7.300) for my TX slice. That would allow me to confine each slice to the aegment for which it is intended. It gets a little confusing when using split operation and this would simplify the process. The RX slice could not get outside the DX window and the TX slice could not leave the american phone band. 2. My guest operator told me he inadvertently transmitted out of the american phone band momentarily due to RX and TX slice confusion. I thought the Flex would not transmit SSB outside the american phone band? If it did, it shouldn't have that capability. It should be inhibited from doing so. I will check this out tomorrow. 3. Mode specific, user definable filters like in PSDR. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeze? 4. User definable IF shift offsets for each CW and SSB filter that persist until changed by the operator. And maybe, just maybe, use the middle button on the Flex Control to toggle a precise IF shift adjustment using the Flex Control knob to slide the filter up or down to combat QRM. Wouldn't that be nice? 5. Ken had some good suggestions. Without reservations, I can say that the 6000 series radios are indeed contest ready. As for the critics of the 6000 series radios, I just have to smile when I hear or read their snarky comments. Hang onto your rice boxes my friends ..... I don't need any more competition than I already have.

k0eoo

The tide will turn when guys running Flex6000 radio's start winning DX contests....

Tim - W4TME

I just want to remind everyone that this is a "Praise" post.  All of these good ideas need to be in separate "Idea" posts so users can vote them up.  We use this information to write  up feature requests for inclusion in SmartSDR and the number of votes allows us to prioritize and rank them.

James Kennedy-WU5E

I use ACLog 4.6 also

Ken - NM9P

Nice score!  You must have good antennas and high power, and are probably running a frequency instead of S&P like my barefoot station?

In any case, even S&P with low power and moderate antennas the contests I have been running lately have been a heck of a lot of fun.  

They have been the most fun since my first 160 CW test in 1985 with 20 Watts and a makeshift inverted "sort-of-L," which was a wire that started at the ground, went to a standoff up 20 ft on my eves, then up and over a 45-50 ft tree limb, down to a wooden fence and then along the top of the fence for 15 ft. and pruned to resonance.  It had two 65 ft radials lying on the ground under it.  It was the first time I had ever run 160 meters, one of my first CW contests, and I didn't know what I was doing.  Blissful ignorance.  I need to look up those paper logs and see what my score actually was!  (If I can find them.)  

Charles - K5UA

Thanks Ken. Well, I am 100% search and pounce. It's pretty hard to run a frequency from the deep south without stacked yagis up high. I have two 75 foot towers, a 4 ele steppIR and a 2 ele 40m yagi. Nice set-up but pales in comparasion with super-stations all around me. I get beat into Europe by dipoles in the Northeast. And where are 90% of the contest points? Europe!! So if you want to win a contest, better move to the northeast. You can throw a rock and hit Europe from there.

Ken - NM9P

Ray,
I just noticed that you are beating me in the ARRL Centennial Points Challenge - 5242 to my 4290!.  But I am ahead of you in the W1AW Portable contacts 121 to your 108.  (;b)  Actually the count total is slow to keep up.  I am up to about 175 or so now.  You probably are too!  It sure is fun on the 6000.  It is really honing my split CW skills.  And I am really starting to like RTTY on this thing, too, now that DAX is working well!  

Ken - NM9P

Update: I just receiver in today's mail a certificate for first place, Indiana Section, single operator, unlimited, low power. I didn't expect that! Great news after last weeken

Takeshi Yamada

Congratulations!!

Ken - NM9P

I tried to post an addition and picture, but it crashed the forum. This was the ARRL DX SSB 2014 contest. It only took 11 months to get the certificate!

Bill -VA3WTB

Nice work Ken!!

Ken - NM9P

k0eoo

Congratulations Ken!

Dennis, k0eoo

Tim - W4TME

Way to go, Ken!!!

Mike NN9DD

Got mine today as well.

Ken - NM9P

Way to go, Mike!  The Flexes are getting noticed!