After 3 months with my new Flex 6300 ...

Gary L. Robinson

After the first three months of using my Flex 6300 I am pleased to say - that I am NOT just pleased with it BUT totally ecstatic with this radio!

I have had only a few problems with it AND all have been me just learning the new interface, having a senior moment, or unrelated computer issues.

I feel totally at home with my 6300 and have worked all over the world with it - mostly on 15mtrs where I have a little gain with my 2 el Moxon beam.  Besides most of Europe and the Americas I have had interesting QSO's with Hongkong, Indonesia, China, Kuwait, Bear Island, Gambia, and a host of other DX stations.  And I am mostly a ragchewer so I don't spend hours chasing DX.  I have had QSO's on most bands except 160mtrs (only because I don't have much of an antenna for that band).  It works well with my SB-200 amplifier (which has all the latest mods including one to key modern rigs safely) AND works well with my Elecraft XV144 transverter.  I hope to acquire a 220mhz transverter later this year on next.

The SmartSDR programming API has far exceeded my expectations as far as ease of use and I have had a ball making add on programs and learning how the radio works.  I want to thank Eric (KE5DTO) again for his posting on how to set up callbacks, etc. to get started on using the SmartSDR FlexLib.

The radio is NOT perfect (and no radio is) but the software steadily gets better (and henceforth the radio does too) and the latest updates with an improved noise blanker were marvelous.  And with the ability to write add on programs (or a complete new interface) some "problems" can become a moot point.

My previous rig (for almost 5 years) was a Flex 1500 which I also really loved.  The 6300 is much easier to set up and, of course, beats it hands down in most areas.  For portability and QRP operation the 1500 makes more sense in some ways but that's about the only thing it does a little better.

SDR is still NOT for everyone BUT for those of us who like the advantages of SDR and don't have a problems with using computers - the 6000 Flex series is just plain awesome.

Thanks again to all the guys and gals at Flex for their products, service, and efforts in the SDR field!

---Gary WB8ROL

John n0snx

Gary I ditto everything you said... I have owned a LOT of radios in the past 26 years as a ham... 100"s of them.... Been a Flex user for the last 6 years or so and no other radio has impressed me as much as the 6xxx series radios... When they first came out with the 6300 I decided to get one for the price...Great radio...Then had the opportunity to get a 6500 and haven't been sorry one bit.... I now run the 6500 all the time and the 6300 as a backup....I don't think I could ever go back to a knob radio again.    Me being a ragchew SSB and an ESSB guy for all these years and decided to dabble in the waterfall with some digital...Now running digital with a lenovo thinkpad tablet REMOTE and it's sure has renewed my interest in DXing again... I am having a blast on digital... I didn't think I would like it but I took to it like a duck in water... It is so easy to do with DAX... I know the 6500 is way overkill for digital but hey.... fun if fun... 

Just another PROUD flex owner saying GREAT JOB to FRS.and all the top notch staff they have assembled....

Gary L. Robinson

Hi John! I do a LOT of digital ragchewing. A fair amount of it - ragchewing with DX without the hassle of thousands of stations wanting to break in to work the DX station hihi. My favorite mode, by far, for ragchews is Olivia mode (8/500 and 8/250). Most of the RTTY and PSK bunch just don't like to chat very long - if at all. Olivia is not as popular as RTTY and PSK but most of the Olivia ops do like to chat. And I don't think the 6300 is overkill for digital - though the 6500 might be a little -- BUT, it's nice to monitor multiple digital frequencies and bands simultaneously - with multiple copies of FLDigi (or other digi programs) running at the same time for receive. Makes it easier to find that "rare" DX or a great ragchew. Anyhow, as you said - fun is fun! And the Flex radios keep me engaged and highly interested and involved in numerous aspects of the hobby. AKA FUN!

Peter K1PGV

I don't think the 6500 is overkill for digimodes at all! Everyone needs a great, sensitive, receiver. And the ability to pull those filter skirts around the station you're in QSO with is just as important in PSK or Olivia as it is inSSB. The ability to SEE a whole band... Or multiple bands if you choose... Just great! Add the internal (or external, as I have) GPSDO and your frequency accuracy and stability is guaranteed... Which is important when you're using a mode that's only 33 to 250hz wide and where long QSOs are common. A 6000 series is what makes a lot of my digimode DXimg possible for my very modest station. I've lived for the past several years with just an OCF dipole... And have very happily worked around the world. Fun!!! Peter K1PGV