Maestro - How Does It Work From Here? (Delivery, Signatures, Software..)

Steve K9ZW

The invoice/accessory/payment system is really slick.

Now what happens next? 

• Do we get an email ahead or on dispatch? 

• Will a signature be needed on arrival to receive the unit? 

• Usual software update process (announcement here and at the main website) or anything different this time?

• Are there any "How To" videos or information available ahead of time?

Kind of the obvious stuff - thought I'd ask if an official update on the process was available rather than clogging up the phone lines asking what are likely the same questions everyone else has.

Thank you and 73

Steve K9ZW

Steve-N5AC

We'll be posting a manual for Maestro in the next day or two so you can read up on how things work in detail.  We are currently sending out email surveys in order of the orders we've taken.  The survey provides all the information about finalizing the order, options that are available, etc.  The software update process is different for Maestro.  When you turn on the unit, it automatically checks the Internet, if available, and tells you if there is an update available.  If one is available and you select it, Maestro will automatically download the update and update itself and the radio if necessary.  Up to five complete versions of the Maestro/Radio software can be held on Maestro at a time and you can go between any of these without the Internet, if desired.

We are getting a lot of emails/calls about when you will get the email about your Maestro.  We're working through them as fast as we can and it will take many weeks to get through everyone so patience on your end would be appreciated.  You will receive another email with the tracking number when your Maestro ships.

Lewis Cheek

Steve, FWIW, maybe not much. I'm sure FRS has developed some sort of timeline for filling orders and shipping. I would expect process to improve once system is up and running, assuming long lead items ( options ) are in stock or delivery schedule from vendors known. Granted, delays can occur, but I expect FRS is on vendors backs to meet schedule.

One way to reduce phone calls and emails asking, Where am I in "Q", when will it ship, etc. would be to publish some general timetable based on when order was received by FRS.

I don't expect my Maestro anytime soon, as my order was placed in early Nov., and understand lots of orders will ship before mine.

I will say, if delivery of Maestro is done like the Flex-6300, i.e. guys going to Dayton get units before folks in line for shipping, I'll not have a smile on my face.

Lew
N4CO

Steven Hess

I'm glad to hear it will take weeks to get through them all. I was getting worried as I hadn't seen an email yet. I am sure you are all hands on the operation. That bit there is some important information that would put a lot of folk at ease about their pre order.  

VK7WH Winston

Regarding the last paragraph Lew, I strongly agree with you, and I'm sure everyone else would agree with you too!

Corey/ KC0YNS

In regards as when to expect your Maestro, That's why I was liking it when folks were posting when they were receiving their invoice and what day they ordered it....Allows one to get an idea as to when you might expect an Email....I keep looking every 30 minutes or so...My Maestro pre-order was placed on 5/16 & I'm anxiously awaiting..  

Walt

On the other hand - I think if Flex shows up at a large ham show and does NOT have radios and maestros ready to sell to the impulse-buyer that has $5000 - $6000 (+) to spend that moment, they will have lost a sale. 

Of course, I think FRS needs a different way of selling things, and that is, never announce anything until you have 100 of them sitting on the shelf with the software already in a v1.0 condition - ready to fly off the deck.  If people have have to wait for the next production run, I think they can handle that - if people have to wait a year until the hardware and software are even developed, then they get a little grumpy.  I waited 16 months for my Flex-1500 a long time ago.

But that's just me.

Good luck with the new addition !   And have a few pints while your waiting . .
 

KD8K

I ordered via the Web around 5:30 pm 5/15 and have yet to receive the email. It looks like they may have received a lot of orders at Dayton.

Lewis Cheek

Walt, it's a double edge sword, and FRS will receive a cut no matter what and I understand that. Never the less it makes for unhappy customers either way. From comments provided with respect to Flex-6300 and Dayton, FRS ships whatever Dayton stock out like three weeks in advance. That's like NOW. 

Best thing to do is just reschedule Dayton, that works for me as I'll not be going.

Lew N4CO

Corey/ KC0YNS

Thanks for letting me know, Seems like the activity on the other post have stopped. Once you get the lucky Email it shouldn't be long before mine comes.

Gerald-K5SDR

We are processing in order of when the original order was received (FIFO).  There will be no units available for pick up at Dayton unless we have completely fulfilled the backlog by then.  Given the huge backlog, remaining days until Dayton and the factory run rate, I doubt that will happen.  

No, we do not plan to publish a timetable list because that will take time away from actually doing the invoicing and shipments.  In other words it would slow down your order.  The fastest way to get your order is to be patient.  As the old saying goes, "A watched **** never boils."  

Lewis Cheek

Didn't seem like a good idea after I walked away, considering all the issues with past timelines.

Lew N4CO

Gerald-K5SDR

Walt, we tried having a few hundred on the shelf when we announced the FLEX-6300.  We significantly under foretasted the demand and sold out in just over a week.  Then people got mad because we were out of stock for several months (lead time on components can be up to 14 weeks) and then had a backlog that we had to fill.  Your pre-order helps us to plan our supply chain and production flow so that we can fulfill initial demand.  

Ernest

Walt,  what is your point?
When items are advertised and you are told that is not going to be available until X, Y and Z year.  What's your beef?
I, like many others are waiting; and you know what: I will be the happiest individual on whatever day it gets here. 
The wait is not an issue.I knew that this product was being designed and the software was being developed.
Hey, FRS if you need more time ... Don't hesitate and don't bother to tell me. I rather have it right than right away (now) 
Signed, awaiting Maestor.

Robert -- N5IKD

It will be a while before I see the one I reserved on 6/12.

Steve K9ZW

Thank you Steve N5AC and Gerald K5SDR

Appreciate your taking time to answer questions.

Will watch, but ever so patiently, for the shipment email and for announcements on when manuals are ready. 

The more I think of it, I should say I <<really appreciate>> your making time to pass on information, as you certainly do above and beyond in doing so.

Unless you need this thread kept open, it certainly could be closed as you've passed on:

• Orders are being final processed in a FIFO list (First In - First Out - aka Natural Order) sequence.

• It will take a week or so to get through that process on all the orders.

• Later a tracking information email will come out when the order ships.

• The Maestro will guide the upgrade process.

• Manuals will be available online soon.

• Stock beyond Pre-Ordered stock is available (FIFO again) once Pre-Orders are filled.

And a bit more if one reads things a second time!

Again thank you and 73

Steve K9ZW

Corey/ KC0YNS

Robert , You might be surprised. Once the onslaught of last years Dayton orders are filled I'm betting the process speeds up.. I know that Gerald said don't watch a **** ready to boil, .. Just hard not to be excited!!!

Steve-N5AC

I do want to comment, briefly, on the FLEX-6300.  I'm not sure everyone knows what happened there, but responding to feedback we built a sizable portion of the first production run before we announced.  Because of the timing, when we announced we had to have already shipped anything for sale to Dayton.  I don't remember the numbers, but we shipped a bunch of radios to Dayton and then experienced the huge volumes of purchases online.  By the time we got to Dayton, we had way oversold our production run, shipped everything we could from Austin and still needed more units.  We had also already told people we would have units for sale at Dayton.  

Wanting to do the right thing, we printed labels for redirecting shipment of many of the units we shipped to Dayton to the folks that had ordered online.  We opened the huge shipping container before Dayton, pulled out radios, put on labels to ship and then took them to a UPS store in our rent cars to get them to those folks that ordered online, but that we could not fulfill yet because of the sellout in Austin.  This is why some of the early 6300 purchasers received a shipping label that had Dayton as the point of shipment.

There's never a perfect answer to predicting what you will sell and we do the best we can.  The preorder model works better than the guessing model for some products, in our opinion.

Rob G6EIH

Great products tend to suffer from growing pains and FRS do communicate very well.

Field of Dreams, "If you build it, he will come" he being the Maestro.

KD8K

Received the email a few hours after the above post :-)

Corey/ KC0YNS

Congratulations, I too received the Email... Yippee!!

AB9UU

Just curious.  How many pre-orders where there?

Gerald-K5SDR

A whole bunch!

km9r.mike

Cool beans : )

Walt

Gerald and N5AC Steve - thanks for the background.  Seems like you have already tried a few business models and this one is the best as you get new technology into the mainstream.   As for me, I bought the 1500 after reading all the trash-talking from some guy in the SDR forum on e-ham.  I figured no company could be that bad and I was right.  Loved the little 1500 when I got it and refuse to give it up.  I love the 6500 even more and thank you guys for leading hams into new technology that a person can just buy off-the-shelf, plug it in and get on the air.

Ernest - no point, really, just suggesting a dif. sales model, but is seems that this way is the best by past history by FRS so full steam ahead.

Enough internet for now - I only have access every 5-7 days, and so will not be able to make any more replys.  But a big thank you to FRS to take the time for the background info and all you have done for the hobby.  I think you are setting a bar that the others are just now looking to jump over, and I really do not think they will make it for some time, if ever.

Back to the pint and a good read . .

Jd Dupuy

You folks shipped mine from Dayton. That was pretty amazing and a first class act on Flex's part. When I received the shipping notification and it said it was coming from Dayton Ohio I thought, Huh? You folks will work through this Maestro demand just fine. Making great products and getting them into the hands of anxious customers will always be the challenge! Thank you for all your hard work.....

VE6KWA

>>> We opened the huge shipping container before Dayton, pulled out radios, put on labels to ship and then took them to a UPS store in our rent cars to get them to those folks that ordered online >>>
    Anyone that doesn't think you folks go above & beyond doesn't fully appreciate that story... Great Stuff !