Who wins? Complaints or Praises?

Norm - W7CK

I agree with the previous posts and if you read some of my previous posts, I am a classic offender.  Like others I have come to this forum to bring up or report issues that I have been experiencing or features I would like to see tomorrow.  Sometimes I've waited until my frustration level was a bit too high and I should have waited before posting.  Regrettably I may have painted a negative picture at times.  This is entirely my fault and I'll try to work on that. A large percentage of people come here to resolve issues and ask about features.  Naturally when reading down through the posts someone may get the idea that everyone is reporting problems therefore the product must not be that good.

I have been a ham since 1976 and have had lots of new equipment over the years.  I purchased my 6700 3 years ago and I have sold most of my other rigs since then.  I love my 6700 and wouldn't want to part with it.  This radio has brought a whole new level of enjoyment to this hobby for me.  Its not just the panadapter/waterfall because you can get that functionality with other rigs.  Its way more than that.  There are some very talented folks who have written software adding great features to the Flex line.  DDUtil, CW Skimmer, FRStack, IOS Clients and the list goes on.  Since its truly a SDR radio, it is hard to imagine what new features will one day become available.  Its difficult to wait for future software releases but at the same time it is really exciting to download and install them.  I don't know of very many other radios you can do that with.  At least not with the commitment, dedication and skill level that they have at Flex.

If anyone is on the fence about purchasing a Flex, I highly recommend trying to find someone that owns one and would be willing to invite you over and let you play with it for a while.  I'm in Phoenix and would be more than happy to do this.

Once again, I apologize if I've posted anything on this forum that would cause someone to question the quality of the Flex radios, its software, or my overall satisfaction I have with them.  The products are nothing short of stellar in my mind and I have no desire to jump ship!  I would like all mode squelch though.  Oops, bad habits are hard to break.

Norm - W7CK

Roy Laufer

Perhaps FRS should set up a page listing owners interested in showing their radios to curious interested Hams?

I have offered an open invitation for those unaware of the great functionality of SDRs to come on down and test drive it.

Some have taken me up on the offer, others have politely declined (one still prefers his 30 year old pre-DSP equipment).

Steve-N5AC

The FlexRadio Amplifier (Power Genius XL) is not yet for sale, Mike, but when it is we will likely take most gear in trade as we have been doing.  The process is fast and painless and there are a lot of people taking advantage of it.

Steve-N5AC

Kevin, it's interesting to look at how companies perceive themselves, their products and where they are headed.  There's little doubt that Elecraft's roots are in QRP and in spite of 100W radios they sell, they often return to their roots and continue to produce small, low-power radios that work well for QRP.   Traditionally, we (FlexRadio) have taken the approach that we want to provide the customer with the latest, best and most powerful technology available to provide a competitive edge as well as allow our customers to see and do more.  This is often not well aligned with low power objectives.  Having said this, we did work hard to provide low power operation on Maestro, but it's a different class of low power than the QRP rig in the Altoids can ;-)

You could make an argument that Elecraft is a QRP company with occasional excursions into high-performance/high-power (K3) and FlexRadio is a high-performance/high-power company with occasional excursions into QRP (FLEX-1500).  It's rarely safe to pigeon-hole any company, but there are trends and capabilities that change over time.

Michael Coslo

Good luck with that. I've been wanting to get my club to try my radio at Field day, and I think they are afraid of the huge paradigm shift, because even though I am the manager they actively resist doing that. You can fly with the Flex by comparison to legacy radios. This year if they won't allow it, I might just do Field day by myself and my Flex Radio.

Roy Laufer

You can drag a horse to water, but you cannot force him to drink. Either evolve or perish - that's how this all seems to work, in the end!

Greg N8GD

I bought a Kenwood TS-990S, a fairly decent high-end HF transceiver, in April of 2013 after a lightning surge had wiped out all of my solid state rigs not quite a year earlier.  Almost 13 months later, I was interested in trying out a Flex-1500, but one week before the 2014 Dayton Hamvention, the Flex-6300 came out and I made the financial stretch to go from a $700 radio to a $2800 radio instead.  I have never been sorry for my purchase of the 6300.  The fact that, as another commenter stated, you can "see" the whole band makes it superb, in addition to its many other fine features and performance.  Yes, my TS-990S is a nice radio, and it has a panadapter built-in, but it can't compare in so many ways to the Flex-6300.  Unfortunately, my TS-990S sits, collecting dust, and I doubt I have turned it on or used it more than a half dozen times since I got the 6300 2-1/2 years ago!  (It's a pretty expensive paper weight.)  I bought the 990 as my "retirement" radio, but the 6300 has easily replaced and surpassed it.

So, go ahead, if you're thinking of getting a Flex radio.  With the 30 trial or even the offers of folks to let you try theirs out at their QTHes, its pretty much a no-brainer.  I'm sure that you will keep/buy one after you compare it to anything else available.

Is that praise enough?

Greg - N8GD

mikeatthebeach .

I also have a Flex6700 
and have an almost new in then Box Paper Weight Icom IC-7851 that collects dust
along with my upgraded K3/P3 with the New Synth PLL Board

Seems the Flex is always being used 
Eight Bands at one Time
Uses CW Skimmer
WNB works great 

73 Mike

Richard Adkins

I know I'll end up with the 6700 now.  The IC-7851 was my original choice then, my local Ham  club President, who has a TS-990s says, "No, no. Don't get those new SDR radios, get one like my TS-990s you'll never be sorry. "  Now, I've seen both models, IC-7851 and  the TS-990s described as paperweights. lol  

I should have known that there was lots of love out there and the 'complaints' I was reading weren't complaints but, people looking for advice, AND GETTING IT.  The Praise Forum doesn't get as much traffic because everyone is already too happy to take time out from USING their Flex's to say how happy they are here.  I can't blame them.  I look forward to having that feeling as well.  Now, all I have to do is figure out which antenna's to get. Such a simple question. hehe

AA0KM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22pmXa519T4

David H Hickman

If you are comfortable with digging into your computer, you will end up with a really nice rig. The radio has its issues, but from what I have seen they mostly get addressed. To be honest, you won't find better support. Most of the problems I have read on here comes from the fact that most hams are not IT guys and as these radios progress, IT systems skills are becoming just as important as radio and electronics skills. To give Flex credit, they have to build a product assuming that a ham is using some crusty ancient windows peecee which is dual homed to the internet and the radio and still be functonal. The other thing a first time flex user will face is the isolation of QRM in their shack and home. IT is one thing to hear the occasional birdie on another radio. It is annoying to see the birdies all over the waterfall on your brand new toy. I ended up pulling the power to the house and tracked down every bad power supply and other source of QRM. The forums are ok. This is where I am not as happy with it. Like any other specialized toy, there will be fanbois. I recently had a very bad response from a few individuals on this forum and was to the point that I was going to return the rig. Some guys on an ICOM forum of all places saw what happened and talked me into reconsidering since there is simply not a better radio out there. I am glad I stayed. I was able to modify the SmartSDR executable to do what I needed ( direct ip access to the radio to support multiple subnets in my house.) I just got remote power control of the rig working about an hour ago. Now I have a rig located in Oklahoma no matter where I am located. I have the option of a couple of different VPN modes and technologies to access the radio. I also have the radio on a timer, it will turn off after three hours. It will even turn on by saying "Alexa turn on the flex!" or when I disable the alarm system to my hamshack. Now all I need to build is a physical antenna disconnect and a TX lockout circuit that will keep the radio from transmitting if the physical antenna disconnect is enabled. I will tackle that in January. None of the above is easily done with an IC-7300 or the new icom coming out. Since the software is win32 based it is trivial to modify to do what you need it to do if you are comfortable with hacking code. Good luck.

Mark WS7M

Hi Richard,

Welcome to the community and to Flex Radio...

I'm sure it's been said before but first thing to realize is that ANY forum is going to be full of gripes and problems.  People don't often write about their "good" experiences but sometimes here they do.

The product and company are great.  But keep in mind that Flex Radio is a complex product.  There are many things that can and do go wrong.   Hams are generally tweakers and tinkerers so often when you read of problems here someone is doing something a little off the main highway.

You'll find much help here and also from Flex.  I know of no other ham radio company that treats their customers the way Flex does.  They will support you and they will make things right unless you have created the problem yourself.  In that case they will help but it will cost you but don't worry the fees are not bad.

You'll find no better radio on the market in my opinion.  But this radio is not for everyone however with the addition of the Maestro it can be but still it will be more work to operate than say buying an Icom7300 if you are looking for a knob radio.

My point is this:

For the Flex radio to work you need a network.  If you are going to use Maestro then it has to be a pretty good WiFi network.  There is little doubt that Maestro + poor or sub-standard network + great flex radio will still result in a less than happy experience when an Icom 7300 will simply work with none of those requirements.

On the flip side, the icom locks you to a desk.  I can run my Flex radio from my couch or even outdoors at my picnic table.  To move the IC 7300 out there would be a chore.

Digital modes on the Flex are far superior to anything else out there.  

So it really will depend upon your motivation.  I will say that once you see the pan for real off your own antenna, nothing else feels right any more.

I personally hope you do not let the problems you read and the bickering sway you from a purchase.  The Flex radio is an amazing radio.  If you are the right type of ham you will take to it easily and you will never look back.

Mark - WS7M

Rick WN2C

The one problem I do see with my 6300 is there does not seem to be any signals on 40 meters when I get home from work at night. Maybe I should use my IC 746 Pro. That way it will at least take some time to determine that there is no activity. With the Flex I look at the panadapter and can see that there is no activity at 2200 to 2330 hours Az time. Oh well I do get to 75 meters sooner!

Mark WS7M

Rick, I'd have a hard time blaming the 6300 for that.  I'd look at antenna and perhaps propagation.

Last night at roughly 6pm mountain time I worked Turks and Ciacos Islands on about 50w.  He was in there at about S5 long enough for me to work him then I sat and watched as he went to S3, S1, then just barely there in the noise.

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Rick, I know you're kidding, but this is where you use two pans, one on 40, one on 80 to watch band conditions.  40 has been shutting down early though, with all the activity going to 80 and 160, where my antennas are ineffective.  I did manage to work FS/K9EL on 80 off the vertical a couple of nights ago, for a new country there.

Mike Sonn KF9AF

While I am not one of the FLEX pioneers, my first FLEX was a 3000, then a 5000A, moved up to a 6300, and currently have a 6500.  I've had 2 problems in those 4 radios, only one was the radio's fault, and the other was lightning related.  The radios in both cases were shipped, repaired, and returned to me within 2 weeks.  I recently had to send in a Yaesu FT-991 that wouldn't turn on.  I had that radio back, all repaired in 3 months.

I find going back to a radio with knobs is like trying to drive with your eyes closed.

Choose wisely Grasshopper.

Don-KB6TSQ

Hi Richard,

I bought my Flex 6500 in October of 2013.  I use the radio more than I post.  You can see the band that you are working.  You can hook the radio directly to a computer or a wifi router to use the radio anywhere the wifi router's signal can reach.  If you buy an optional accessory (Maestro), I do not think you even need a computer.  Digital modes are a easy.  Logging programs are easily configured or linked to the radio.  White noise elimination with built in RX equalizer.  Great filters to eliminate adjacent signals.  Use Flex's try it promotion, I believe you will not be disappointed by the radio!

73
Don
 

Jim Runge

I have replaced 2 ea Yaesu FTDX 9000s with 2 Flex 6500s.  Both of the Flex radios work great.

Clay N9IO

Richard,
Absolutely work on the best antenna farm you can muster in your means.
That coupled with your 6K Flex will be a great experience for you.

My 6300 is a joy and I am very happy where I am in this.
What I particularly enjoy is beating out other ops in a DX pileup simply because I can "see" where to be above or below the pileup to work the DX as apposed to flying "blind" with that legacy rig. 

Also, in the few brief times that I have met Gerald and Steve at W9DXCC and Dayton all I can say is I like these guys and the direction they are heading with this.  Can't help but respect the knowledge base and caliber of programmers involved.

Clay N9IO

One other thing, although I prefer CW and RTTY these days, on phone I get many unsolicited comments of "nice audio" from the DX ops.  Even worked "Gordo" once on a special event station he stopped long enough to say "you have some nice audio om".   I just run a 25 year old Heil DX4 cartridge in an old 1940 astatic head I found at a hamfest 35+ years ago mounted on a heil boom.  I may not be pretty but I do enjoy being told I sound good on the air, ha...! TU Flex

KM6CQ - Dan

My 6500 was from one of the first productions runs made. I used it very **** the CW mode at first, and then when DAX was available it became my digitial machine, so I sold the F3K. It performs just as well now as the day I bought, I never regretted this purchase as with some other HF rigs. Subsequently, I have lost interest in my other HF rigs and sold them all. BTW, I used the 6500 to get my DXCC.

Dan

Walt - KZ1F

Ya know what? I will take a different approach, as I am apt to do from time to time.

1) Some people just like knobs and dials and a radio that doesn't require Windows to simply listen to. Some people get a Flex and adapt to no knobs and dials and don't look back. Others get a Flex, trying to get used to no knobs and dials and after some good faith effort, sell it to buy, maybe a TS-990S, maybe an IC-7300 or maybe their favorite brand name. YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY.

I, strongly, doubt you'd find many, if any, on here to say, given their druthers, they'd prefer knobs and dials. Why? Those folks are already gone or, if they are still here, don't want to deal with the pitch folks and reed torches from the other forum members.

2) Give serious thought to your own personal preferences. How do you like staring at a PC hour on end? Do you really enjoy the feel of a nicely weighted tuning knob? Should you look at Sherwoods list and focus on the top 9 or 10, ignoring discontinued models, the human ear can't tell the difference. What significantly tells the difference is ergonomic preferences, flimsy tuning knob, nicely weighted knob, decent font size on the labels or tiny, cheap, the rub off if you stare at them too long, labels. You likely get my drift.

3) The Flex is expensive as radios go, esp when you add a Maestro. To be sure, there are more expensive rigs, but there are far less expensive rigs. I'd make your decision as if there were no 'do over'.

4) Yes, Flex has, or had, a 30 day free trial. If you don't like it, send it back. You can certainly check to see if that offer still exists. My point here, assuming it does, is that offer is largely a sucker's bet. Sorry, it is. People tend not to return stuff they've purchased, if for no other reason than the psychology of admitting you made a mistake. Bottom line, unless you really don't like it, you won't send it back, if only because, gosh darn it, clearly it needs more time to get used to.
This is the advantage of a Ham Radio Outlet, one can go there and play with an Icom, or Kenwood 990s or high end Yaesu.

5) finally...This is the wrong place to look for an unbiased opinion.

I do have a 6000. There are aspects of it I like. There are aspects of it I do not like. Notwithstanding ergonomics, I, professionally, had the ability to rewrite the human interface and adapter library (the GUI works with graphical events and the radio works with human cmd line instructions so there is a piece in the middle, to an environment I prefer FAR more than Microsoft's. So, another factor is how do you like Windows?

Good luck in your decision making.