SmartSDR v1.4 Update Posted

Nick - W2NER

I would love to but with things the way they are in my personal life, that's just not possible.   I have too much going on with 5 kids and two grandchildren and a daughter that is going through chemotherapy to take time away.  If you want to send me the NDA I would be happy to sign it and send or fax it back to you.  I do have a fax and you can email me or call me if you like.  Just let me know how to contact you offline.

Gerald-K5SDR

Use my {first name or call sign}@flexradio.com.  Send me your phone number when you do.

Nick - W2NER

on its way

Bill -VA3WTB

If you read the post, some of the guys on here won the contest with their Flex. Or ranked very high.

EA4GLI

I actually think is the other way around, Dean. Show me one thread in one board anywhere in the internet where the owner of any of the currently available radios in the market takes the time to answer the concerns, questions, etc... of users and non-users, about his product and on a weekend!!

Let me know where I can have a discussion with a Yaesu executive about the next firmware that will be available in any of their radios! 

I am very disappointed that out of the thousands of threads on this board, it is this specific one, the one that you will use to base you next radio purchase decision.

Finally, I do not think that the dissenting voices are being fair to FLex, but that is my opinion. However, they are free to voice it here, like your are.

A couple of days ago someone raised the idea of implementing some type of ID verification process to post in here, Flex actually turn the idea down mentioning the need to keep the voices of everyone free and uncensored including haters, trolls and anonymous posters.

The top defender of dissenting voices is Flex. Go figure!

I am trying to figure out then how is it that this thread in particular has actually done anything negative for Flex.

Dave - W6OVP

Hello Dean - 8P6SH.  Welcome to FLEX. 

Please do not let the nature of this thread conceal the love we all have for FLEX radios. We Americans (mostly) are contentious by nature, for the unsatisfactory reason THAT WE CAN! But we all meet on the air or at the club and are best of friends.

As the owner of 4 different SDR transceivers this past year my sincere advice is for you to IMMEDIATELY BUY A FLEX 1500 (new or used) and give SDR a try. It is an inexpensive little jewel and comes with OUTSTANDING SOFTWARE (especially for the SDR Beginner or Intermediate.) If your experience with the FLEX 1500 does not make your socks zip up and down then you do not belong in SDR.

But if you do that, I predict you will be back here before this year is out as the proud owner of a FLEX 6000.

Go for it!

Best Wishes,
Dave  W6OVP@arrl.net
(Copy to dmsthill@gmail.com )

8P6SH

Gerald,

No. It isn't important. I have myself not used FM probably for 20 years. I was simply making the point that those who are somewhat "angered" may actually have a reasonable issue and should not simply be dismissed out of hand. I don't have any interest in much of this.

in terms of contesting I think there are for me two main issues. Most contesters myself included have a more significant investment in the antennas, automation and auto-switching architecture for the station than the actual investment in radios. Secondly, not unlike the clusters, the screens provide way too much information (for a contester) - I want simple ways to adjust the rig without missing a beat logging. (A couple options do this well it would seem)

Ideally, having built this infrastructure based on legacy radios, I want to essentially place SDR on top of that infrastructure and have everything work predictably and reliably with little effort.

I change out most of my switching gear to microham devices branded stuff several years ago. I do believe that replacing my current rigs with Flex's would probably work right away - except for the changes I might need to make in terms of my computer(s). I've been for several years building my own systems based on AMD chips and would probably be more comfy with Intel chips for the Flex rigs. Not that I have any evidence but just a gut feeling based on everything i've read so far. My 1280x1024 monitors would probably also need an update. I would also have to build custom cables to interface the rigs to the MK2R+. uHam doesn't fully support Flex. I suspect that the day i can buy a 37 pin cable for the 6K series, you'll see a flood of orders)

And I think that's the problem - the use of SDR means a (possible) rethink of most things and just for one example - it seems possible that some kind of specialised software might be capable of replacing my MK2R+ for example - but I don't write software so it's probably a question of waiting until someone comes along sees the potential and creates the product - which I'd be willing to buy.

Indeed, I started out logging in contests with paperlogs and dupesheets and then used one of the spreadsheets to do something similar but then CT broke the mould by creating a new (at least to me) paradigm. I figure that this new SDR contest paradigm is a single product that does everything and maybe allows you to see or hide the panadapters etc.

Truth be told I have no real idea what that new paradigm is but what I do know is that there is a reason why the mainstream contesters (read as the ones in first place SOAB, M/S M/2 and M/M in CQWW ARRLDX etc) have not dumped their legacy rigs and bought Flex or Anan rigs. I don't think it's just performance. It's also ergonomics and backward compatibility with all that other stuff they have.

These are but a few thoughts. I've had the pleasure of operating from 8P9EH's Flex 6300 and it's a great experience but in the end I think it will be the software support for contesting that will win over more converts.

So for example if I were VP Contest Integration at Flex - I'd talk with one of the major or maybe all the major contest software developers to figure out what does a logger for a Flex 6k series look like. I'd try and get together some of the contest guns in a few focus group type discussions to understand what they see themselves as needing - and figuring a roadmap to get there.

My take is that basically smartsdr functionality currently resides within my legacy radio (for better or worse) so smartsdr is really only the essential software to get a Flex 6K to work.

Now we actually need the software to make the radio/smartsdr unit yield me maximum points in a contest.

Hope I'm making sense.

Best 73

Dean - 8P6SH

WJ7U

Just curious how many folks use HF FM on a regular basis. I don't. Certainly not for contests!

I fully support the direction Flex have chosen for their software releases going forward. While I'l admit to a bit of (childlike) disappointment to not having 1.4 available today, I would prefer a stable, bug-free version when it is ready. As others have eloquently stated, ham radio is a hobby, unlike a business, where missing a committed deliverable from a vendor potentially could result in lost revenue.

Flex, please don't let the negativity of a small but vocal minority dissuade you from, while not advertising hard deliverable dates, possibly giving some type of estimate. Possibly quarterly granularity?

Thanks, and looking forward to 1.4 goodness.

Mike
WJ7U

Ken - NM9P

Gerald. First, thanks for all the excellent work on SSDR. I do appreciate it. Unfortunately, many hams seem to confuse a goal with a promise and treat it as a contract. I know this has been a tough week for you all. I admit I am frustrated at the delays, but I am sure not as frustrated as you and your team are. I am glad to receive updates and timelines from FRS and have always taken them as "snapshots" taken during the dreaming and planning stages, and not hard and fast commitments to demanding and, sometimes, spoiled customers. Spoiled in the sense that the first many software updates were on time, if not early, and contained not only what was hoped, but a few extra "Easter eggs" as well. As the updates become more and more complex, and timelines become more fluid, I hope that you will not let the impatience and intolerance of a few spoil the excitement of the team, or ruin the chances for "dreaming" for a large number of users who understand the fluidity of your software development task, and the intricacies of your business model, and for whom those updates and goals stimulate a great deal of creativity and excitement. I, for one, would love to receive additional timelines and progress reports, and accept them as the hopes and intentions of your staff, understanding that "stuff happens and things change." I accept, however that you will do what you feel is best for the company, and for the morale of you valuable staff....as you should. Take care and pass my appreciation and admiration to your staff, and your family. Ken - NM9P

EA4GLI

@Dean,

This last post makes more sense now. 
I think that having a company where you have the chance to actually say:

"So for example if I were VP Contest Integration at Flex - I'd talk with one of the major or maybe all the major contest software developers to figure out what does a logger for a Flex 6k series look like. I'd try and get together some of the contest guns in a few focus group type discussions to understand what they see themselves as needing - and figuring a roadmap to get there."

and have your comment reach the owner of the company and the development team is a great asset. 

If Flex decided not to share a Roadmap with dates, ideas and future features there wouldn't be a reason to complain. And it is too bad if the outcome of this particular delay will be exactly that, a more obscure approach to disclosing the future to the users.

It makes sense to stop giving specific dates, it makes sense for Flex, for us and for any company, there is very little benefit, and as we can see, a ton of detriment to do so.

But I don't want to loose the direct connection to the owner, the developers, other users, etc... it is exciting where Flex is going.
 

Ken - NM9P

LOL.  Burt, it was the only selfie I had on my computer when I added my avatar over a year ago.  It was my clergy picture for the church directory.  Since then I have thought about changing it several times, but Avatars are kind of like call signs... everyone knows me by this one now, and it is hard to change.  Perhaps it can represent what I hope to be... a voice of calm reason in an often tempestuous sea of opinions and emotions!  ha ha!  (or hi hi! for the CW ops).  <grin>

 (BTW, I only wear a coat and tie once a week for Sunday worship, and for weddings, funerals, and when I have a meeting with the Bishop, which is seldom!  I'm actually a pretty laid back guy!)  

Ken - NM9P

Howard. I would love to stop buy if I ever get to San Diego again. I was in Orange COunty about 9 years ago for a leadership workshop and spend my free day visiting the Mission at Capistrano and at the beach at Pt. La Holla. I enjoyed the drive in my rented 3 cylinder Chevy.

Ken - NM9P

Howard. I would love to stop buy if I ever get to San Diego again. I was in Orange COunty about 9 years ago for a leadership workshop and spend my free day visiting the Mission at Capistrano and at the beach at Pt. La Holla. I enjoyed the drive in my rented 3 cylinder Chevy.

Ken - NM9P

Aw, c'mon Gerald.  Are the lines too long at Franklin's?  (;o)  
An invitation to Texas style BBQ is almost too much to resist.  I have searched all over this part of the country and haven't found any really good stuff since I finished my 4-year graduate degree at SMU in 1985 and moved back to Indiana!

Ken - NM9P

No except by mistake... But in my rag chew group of flexers on 3.817 I sometimes give a nostalgic nod to my Elmer - WA9TPZ (SK) and identify with "This is radio free Washington, Indiana, NM9P."

Bill -VA3WTB

As Gerald said the 1.4 is by far the biggest and most complicated release to date. They would  not have known this a while back. It is clear this release has surprised them as well as the complexity.

But going foreword it is not the end of the world, we still have our radios and working very well.

Dale KB5VE

Ok I have sat back and watched this for a while. I have owned every flex radio made ,some more than one. In fact I have owned 9 Flex radios.currently I have the 6500 #50 on the bottom. As Gerald knows I have an opinion and wants and desires out of my 6500 some of which are not available yet and I would like to have them "right now" but guess what there are a lot more important things I would like right now and I probably won't get them soon either. That is life. At this time we are very close to having the radio that I was promised in the initial flyer that I bought my radio from.

Ok I really feel both sides are right, Flex is working hard to give Dale the radio he saw in the flyers. Believe me I know they want to give it to me and I feel they will!

But let me say this I have run businesses for 45 years employing up to 300 people under my guidance. Flex remember with out these customers you have no business the customer is King but The customer is not always right! But he is still the customer. If you bought a radio with features that were promised but not available then you have a choice 1. Wait while they are made ready or 2 sell the radio and move on. All the name calling and hard feeling are not worth it. I love what my flex 6500 will do now and I know it will be better in the future if I ever feel it is a subpar radio I will sell it and move on, it's just a radio I am not married to it!

So Gerald communications or no communications that's you choice but I taught a management course called Modelnetics here is a model that fits this situation:

I am not as bad as you think I am, I am not as good as I think I am but I am what I think you think I am.

Read this over a couple of times and see if you get the drift I have lived by this model for years and it has served me well, oh by the way the other side of this should think about using it.

Coders keep working I still have a want list!g

KY6LA_Howard

I would love to have you at my station.... R U going to Dayton this year?

Ken - NM9P

I am hoping to.  My work schedule is still fluid and uncertain.  We have some major "mission & vision" planning & evaluation consultation things ahead and I don't have those dates nailed down yet...(waiting on judicatory staff schedules)  Otherwise I would have already taken you up on the offer to grab one of the rooms in your reserved block at the hotel.  It may be a rather spontaneous decision.  But it is only about a 3 1/2 hour drive for me.

Dale KB5VE

Wow Bill you mean a Flex employee is not all knowing, I guess they are just human like we are. I agree it was harder than they thought so that makes them one of us, but I bet my boss will not take that excuses, I will though.

Bill -VA3WTB

Lol Dale, if this was something done before than it would be all done by now. But they are working on things new, a new radio and new software platform, even they learn as they go..

Bill -VA3WTB

But Burt who cares when its ready, just enjoy your radio, you will get it when it's ready

Bill -VA3WTB

Wow Steve, I'm sure glad things turned out the way they did.
From Canada EH

Bill -VA3WTB

So they were wrong, who cares!!!

DrTeeth

I would not advise calling it an 'alpha', that means the release is MONTHS away, unless that is the case :-(. I would expect you to be calling the latest binaries 'release candidates' by now :-).

Jay -- N0FB

Guy, alpha is just a label which is used in many different ways and doesn't have any inherent meaning unto itself.  FRS can use the term as they choose...or use another word/label if they want.  They could have just as easily chosen to name their phase of development "Fred".  

Oooo...I like that.  SSDR is currently in the Fred phase of development.  I think I'll refer to it going forward as 1.4 being in the Fred testing until release to production.  ;-)  73

Gerald-K5SDR

Jay is correct.  You can't read anything into the word alpha.  We use the term until the day we do the public release.  I really like Fred though.

With regard to the color of the waterfall, you can make it whatever you want.  You can even set it up for color blind mode.  

Gerald-K5SDR

I am too old to stand in line at Franklin's!  Obama butted into line the last time he came to town.  He did buy the next couple of people's lunch but not the other hundred in the line.  ;>)

Nick - W2NER

I want to extend my thanks to Gerald for reaching out to me and the informative conversation we had this afternoon.  Flex has many great things planned for the future and many good things to come very soon.  It was a very enlightening conversation and Gerald has shed allot of light on the entire 1.4 release along with anything going forward.  I want to say that Gerald's character and genuine passion for the HAM hobby is something every company should have within it.  The kind of customer support, satisfaction and overall desire to make things right along with offering a great product is something MANY of the companies could learn from.

I apologize for stating anything that made Flex appear in a negative light as that was not my intent. I have more respect and support for them now then ever.


Gerald, you're an inspiring person in many ways.  The electric energy you bring to the table is something you're born with and you're going light up the HAM world..

KY6LA_Howard

Burt

I thought your other Avatar gave your MUCH more character than any common comic book character....