THANK YOU

dlwarnberg

Thank you FLEX radio and specially Tim and Matt for providing me the opportunity to upgrade my 6300 to the 6500.. I can not believe what a difference there is between the two.  Before it was just numbers on a page about differences between the two, not that I have experienced what those numbers really mean in real terms.. all I can say is THANK YOU!!

Keep up the great work

Have a Great Thanksgiving

73's
David, KK4QOE

Mark_WS7M

I have to count in on this too.  I did the same upgrade, 6300 to 6500.  While I've not had time to really dig into the radio I too must offer my thanks to Flex for supporting your customers.

My 6300 was 20 days old and you gave me a chance to trade it in at 100% assuming it passes inspection.  That is unheard of in my experience.  Like I said in another thread it was like Flex gave me a radio for free for 20 to try out!

Thank you!  

Jay -- N0FB

David, as a 6300 owner who is anticipating doing the same upgrade in January, what are the differences that you have noticed.  
Congrats on your new acquisition.

dlwarnberg

Jay, biggest standouts for me.. much better receive on the 6500 v 6300.. I think maybe I see it more then most would as I'm in an HOA and limited on antenna selection.  The integrated antenna tuner is FAST, did not have that in the 6300.  Made a few contacts tonight with guys running POWER and I'm barefoot, 100 watts.. one reported 20 over and his buddy was running power with a S7 report... not sure how that was possible but I can honestly say... the upgrade was well worth the money..

Before it was just numbers on paper..


Hope this helps.. if you were closer I'd say come over and see for yourself.. 

David

Corey/ KC0YNS

If it weren't for the fact that I'm waiting to see how much the Flex amplifiers are going to cost I'd consider trading up to the 6500 also....My hopes are to have the funds available for the Amp,  Not a chance of funding both the upgrade and the Amplifier...  Let's not forget the Maestro, Put my deposit in long ago, Plus the accessories, That's a given!!  .... If I could only talk Gerald into setting up a payment plan,  Without my wife finding out!!   

EA4GLI

Wait until they decide to give us a 2m/70cm Full Duplex add on or a ethernet based QRP replacement for the 1500. 

Burt Fisher

Much better receive? In what respect?

dlwarnberg

Well Burt in technical terms it's hard to describe.. but to the "ear test" I can say it "seems" to me like I can hear better, I can pull out stations down in the noise, I don't have anything definitive right now (hard proof) but with a few more weeks of testing I will have more information for you...

Example... tonight people complaining about the band and how bad it is, I have no (ZERO) amp here.. everyone I'm talking to has an amp running.. does that mean receive or transmit... dunno.. still testing..

I guess a better example they are for the most part astounded I am running barefoot and I can pick out some that are doing the same....

Burt... lets set a time, frequency and date when we can get together and see if we can make contact???... 

Burt Fisher

There is a psychological component to affirm your decision to spend the money so I will be interested in actual results  I have not been on the air since Nov 1 but would be glad to meet you.

W7NGA

I also traded my 6300 for the 6500 but wanted to come to the defense of the 6300. I find very little difference in the receive performance. The enhanced pre-selector and front-end filter options on the 6500 generally aren't noticed in my low-noise, low-interference environment on top of a mountain, and on an island no less! I love the extra slices, but truthfully ... two slices allowed me to monitor the entire 15-meter spectrum with one, and my operating AM window up at the end of the band with the other. 

The transmitter audio chain seems a bit more refined on the 6500 however. I am enjoying the benefits of the balanced line input. Additionally, I have noticed RF ingress to be far less problematic on the 6500 than using the 6300 ACC input. The powered-speaker port is far less sensitive to crosstalk and RF on the 6500. If you don't use the Bose Companion II speakers ... buy them immediately! Beautiful receive audio.

I listen on the bands and hear discussions about new radios and I have to chuckle. The Flex 6000 receivers with the filtering scheme and configurable passband is so powerful ... and the 6300 is the best bargain going in my opinion.

Really enjoying my new 6500 ...

73's

W7NGA  dan
San Juan Island, Wa.

dlwarnberg

Here is one thing I can honestly say it receives better.. I'm a MARS operator, the digital program we use is a bear to get set.. I had it set to receive through SmartSDR and DAX controls on the 6300, I had to have an signal of S5 or better signal to decode the message... with NO changes, and the 6500 running I am now catching and decoding messages when they are below my noise level, completely inaudible and still decode the message...

 

Cal Spreitzer - N3CAL

I'd also like to thank Tim and Matt at Flex!  I just received my Flex 6500 upgrade today!  I'm very happy.  It's all hooked up and purring like a kitten!  Thanks again.

73 de Cal/N3CAL

EA4GLI

Me too, both Tim and Matt are exceptional.
Matt has dealt with all my Flex purchases all the way to the 6700 and has made it possible for me to get all the equipment into Barbados which is no easy task. They offered a good price on the 6300 but I end up selling to another ham. Keep up the good work guys!

EA4GLI

I also live in an island and I also can't tell the big difference between the 6300 and the 6700. As a matter of fact I had them side by side and I did A/B tests with my antenna and anything above 40m... not a big difference, if any. The 6300 is still a great deal.

I have however been doing more on 80m lately and Diversity helps in my situation and I can see how more than 2 receivers is a great thing to have.

I feel the 6700 should have a full feature 2m amp, with at least 50w. If one can be added for $350 from DEMI doesn't seem far fetch to get it all bundle in the 6700...even as an option. But I digress....

One thing I wanted to point out about the 6300 and maybe some people haven't realized this... You can have two panadapter open on different bands, lets say 20 and 10m. You can then close the slice B on the second panadapter but keep it open wide (7Mhz) which can let you see 15m, 12m and 10m (CW) and then have the two slices on the first panadapter on 20m working split. It's like having 3 receivers, 2 with sound and one visual only for openings.