getting very disallusion with my flex

Tony Hateley

every day theres another problem,i seem to be spending more and more time sorting out dax or something else,just getting fed up with it,at least my old radio worked from the time I turned on until I turned it off,maybe its a bridge to far for an old man like me

George O'Brien

Tony,

Don't give up just yet.  We are on the cusp of getting SmartSDR version 1.4.  It makes using DAX easier through an improved human machine interface.  In other words, it tells you what you need to do to fix the DAX connection you are trying to make.

Finally, the Elmers in the community, like Al, NN4ZZ, Ken, NM9P, Howard, KY6LA are all ready to jump in and help you.  Just describe clearly what you are trying to do and what's not working for you.  It also helps if you can capture a screen shot.

KY6LA_Howard

Always glad to help  - my 6700 is virtually trouble free.. most issues are related to not being set up correctly in the first place.

.. like George says.. capture and post a screenshot

Shift---> PrintScreen will capture the screenshot into your clipboard
(Unfortunately the community needs an actual file to upload not the clipboard)

Then open up a program like paint and PASTE the screen shot into the program from the clipboard
Then save it by some name you will recognize - .GIF is a good format

Upload it to the community....

Let us help you

Ken - NM9P

Windows versions from Vista on up also have a neat utility called "snipping tool" that will freeze the screen, and allow you to highlight a piece and save it as a picture file. It is quicker and easier than the shift>printScreen method. I have been playing computers since the late 70's and I just discovered this tool about 9 months ago.....'Doh..... And, yes, we are here to help.

KY6LA_Howard

DOH!   

I have been playing with computers since 1958 and I just discovered this tool

 - RIGHT NOW

Thanks Ken!

DrTeeth

For my screenshots and screencasts, I use ScreenPresso. I have paid for the 'pro' version and the developer is very responsive to ideas and fixes. I also have WinSnap which is also an excellent screenshot tool.

DrTeeth

I feel your pain. I have had the Flex 6300 for about 2 months now and have learnt its quirks. I get frustrated by not knowing exactly how persistence and profiles work - several  settings seem to have a mind of their own. The number of times I have output from my digi mode program and no RF up the spout, sigh. It used to take me a while to figure out what had happened (initially it was "oh *&^%, the rig is borked") but it is a couple of minutes now.

It is operator error at my QTH mixed with a lack of documentation - one expects something to work a certain way and finds the hard way it does not.

Do NOT give up. Once you realise that the rig is not broken you will take things in your stride.

As the FRS SDRs are rapidly developing and original, the documentation needs to step up a notch. There is too much of the "pressing **** enables the BBB feature" without saying why one should would want to do that or what setting to use. Personally, I think we need better tailored advice rather than finding advice that only applies to legacy radios.

Just my 2 pence worth.

[Deleted User]

Yup . . . . Wait and Wait and Wait and Wait for next update to fix bugs and create new ones.

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Tony,
Although I'm not a designated Elmer, I'm always glad to help if I can.  But as a "CW only" operator my area of knowledge is somewhat limited.   The good news is there are a lot of folks here and someone can help with almost any issue.   And the FRS team is very good about responding either here or via the help desk.   So there is a lot of support available.

As George and others have noted, a picture is worth a thousand words when reporting a problem.   So it's a good idea to get familiar with one of the screen snapshot tools.  The windows "snipping tool" application is free and works fine.    I use a paid tool called HyperSnap with more options but that is not really necessary. 

Sometimes a video is even better.  There are also some good and free video tools if you want to try one.  HyperCam is the one I use and its free.  

http://www.hyperionics.com

FWIW, I think FRS realizes there are some of the nagging issues like DAX reliability and DSP that is not as good as it could be.   The V1.4 and V1.5 releases are focused on addressing them.   And testing is getting more focus now which should also help. 

All considered the 6000 is a great radio and getting better all the time. 

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

 

Tim - W4TME

Tony - I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulties with DAX.  I see that you have not utilized the HelpDesk to request technical support or assistance for your issue.  We would love the oppertunity to help.

I recommend you submit a support ticket via our HelpDesk (http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/home) so our Support Engineers can assign you a case number and investigate your issue further. 
Opening a HelpDesk support ticket will ensure our highest level of customer service we can provide.  For details on how to submit a HelpDesk support ticket, please refer to the following URL: http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118688-How-to-Submit-a-Request-for-Technical-Supp...  

np2g

Sometimes we inflict injury to ourselves .I also believe a flex  is not for everyone. 

Since the flex is a SOFTWARE  radio  any upgrade  or fix or woops!! is the result of IMPROVEMENT . 

DAX is one of these improvements ....  Can it get better ?Everything and anything  can get better . 


If you wish status Quo   There are other radios out there . Of course the upgrades/ corrections/improvements  come in years or new models  . 

Steve K9ZW

Hi Tony

Where in the UK are you located?  Perhaps one of us who travels could lend you hand? 

Expect to be in Cumbria and Gloucestershire myself in the next several months.

It is a different experience working with a computer drive radio - and sharing what works well sometimes is best done in person.

73

Steve

K9ZW

Neal_K3NC

I can help you regardless of where you live, as long as you have a decent internet connection and will install Teamviewer!

DrTeeth

I am very new to FlexRadio but seem to have most quirks licked. Can visit if close to Barnet, North London.

Steve W6SDM

I built my first transmitter out of old military surplus and junk appliance parts.  Talk about having things go wrong!  Just getting RF out without smoking something, wiping out Ozzie and Harriet on the neighbor's TV, or blowing a fuse and ticking off my parents, was a challenge.  As our radios become more capable, they also become more complex. 

Even a skilled concert pianist is going to be miffed by a Moog synthesizer the first time he encounters one.  Part of the "fun" is figuring out the problems, at least to me anyway.  Being on the cutting edge of development of the next generation of amateur radio transceivers is, to me, well worth the occasional frustration of figuring out the occasional problem or working around a few bugs.

The difference is that when I was trying to get 75 watts out of a 6146, I didn't have a whole staff of experienced helpers at my online disposal.  I haven't seen a problem with the Flex yet, going back to my experience with the 3000 and PowerSDR, that hasn't been fixed by the community or corrected by Flex on a future release. 

Tony Hateley

im in Newcastle upon tyne

James T. Whitehead

Flex as done a great job with the 6000 Series and allowing the SmartSDR software to run well on most computer systems regardless of the operating system and hardware!! But that means you need to have a computer system that is running well. I built a system specifically for my Flex Radios. If I started having problems with the Flex my 1st. thought would be my computer - and if possible have a backup computer.

DrTeeth

All you need is to have a separate **** version of Windows on the same PC on which to test. A copy of the hardware is not needed. Multibooting is invaluable for testing purposes for both suspected hardware and software issues.

Len

Amen

Steve W6SDM

I feel the same way, Burt.  I could have just as easily bought a box radio that didn't have all the things Flex will eventually have - and then bought another box radio when those features finally were available. 

[Deleted User]

Mine was sold today for my asking price. Being shipped tomorrow. And yes I did get $2700 with the tuner option and flex control.

Walt - KZ1F

Well, there actually is a known bug with DAX where the transmit doesn't occur because the radio does not see the data there. Tony, I believe that is fixed in 1.4. However, the easiest thing to do is bring up the DAX applet, and toggle the channel you have defined to use until it shows the signal. This does not happen that often. However be sure, as you switch bands that a channel is actually specified under the DAX icon in the reticle. More often than not when DAX isn't working for me, that is the issue. And it just takes getting used to. One suggestion, rather than letting these issue build up, as they occur, issue a problem that clearly articulates what you are seeing. One by one they will all get answered and your opinion of the radio will improve. It is a really great radio but as all modern radios now-a-days they take getting used to.  This is where a hard copy of the instructions would help. There are those among us that would rather curl up with an instruction manual than stare at a monitor and navigate around via hyperlinks.

Dale KB5VE

Burt I have number 50 and I agree it still lacks some of the items mentioned when I bought mine. But I bought it knowing what I was  getting. Flex was very above board with me and I could wait or join in the development. I chose the development and have never regreted it.  I am not defending Flex because I want remote over WAN but I do believe it is a great platform. I have told every one that flex is not for everybody andif you are considering one find some one to show it to you and expect to spend at least two hours playing with it.

Good luck , Dale

Steve W6SDM

Lewis and Clark would have had a much more comfortable trip if they had used Jeeps instead of blazing the trail on foot.  However, because they chose to go across the country on foot, we now have Jeeps and Interstate highways.  

Something about being an explorer and trail blazer appeals to me, especially when I don't have to fight bears and Indians in the process.  But then I used to make my transmitters and receivers out of old television and radio parts and grind my crystals using Ajax.  More than once the acrid smell of an exploded electrolytic filled the house, causing my parents to add coverage to their homeowners policy.

When I hear the guys at Flex talk about science projects, it gives me goose bumps.  I wait anxiously to see what's going to be coming my way next.  I feel privileged to be part of it even if it doesn't work the way it's supposed to each and every time.  After all, before it was invented and implemented, it didn't even  exist. I am hearing complaints about things that didn't even exist a couple of years ago.

More than once the Lewis and Clark expedition walked into  box canyons or found themselves on the edge of a cliff.  Being an explorer isn't for everyone.  Neither is owning a Flex.