Introduction - New User

Paul Lourd

My 6300 has been shipped! I am joining the club.

I am a long time DXLABS user with my Kenwood TS-590. Of course I plan to continue to use it for logging, spotting, etc.  Not yet sure what I will use for digital modes. I do some JT65 with WSJT-X, and I have seen some youtubes on how to set that up.

I know there are some detailed how-to's on Dave's DXLAB site, but if any of you want to share any gotchas or things I should look at for as I get going, please do!

Paul, WB2JVB

Bob K8RC

I've been using both a 6300 and a 6700 with DXLab Suite for a couple years now. You're going to love the way Commander interfaces with the Flex over IP directly. No more serial ports! Here's what you'll need to know: http://www.dxlabsuite.com/dxlabwiki/FlexSignature Enjoy! 73, Bob

Steve W6SDM

Welcome to Flex.  It's an amazing radio.  Regardless of how you use it or what you use it with, you'll have a great time.

73,

Steve

Paul Lourd

Thanks Bob, I have been reading that. A few terms I don't quite know, but after I have the radio up and running I am sure it will!

Do you run through a switch on your network or directly connect to Ethernet port you've added to the PC? 

Paul

Bob K8RC

I have a multi-port switch in the shack that everything connects to. You're probably going to want to have the shack computer connect to the Internet (for updates) as well as the radio. Hub-ing everything through a switch is easier (and quite possibly cheaper) than adding another port to your computer. A simple 5 port switch is $8.99 from the local computer store. A PCI Ethernet card for adding a port to the computer is $12.99. And the switch gives you somewhere to connect the Maestro (I have one on order ).

Mark_WS7M

Welcome!   Digital modes on the 6000 series are super easy!  Everything is done over the net.  No more audio cables and interfaces!

It can be a little confusing first time around and yes, there are issues at times with Windows killing DAX drivers but we have solutions for most anything here on the forum.

I can run ALL digital modes with a laptop, sitting in my living room running the laptop over WiFi.   Click a few buttons and I'm running CW without moving.   Click one or two buttons and I can do voice all from my laptop without ever visiting the radio.

I think once you get the hang of it, you'll love it!

mark - WS7M

Paul Lourd

Yes, I have a 4 port switch here to connect the gear in the shack to the home network. Just was not sure there was any advantage to have a "direct to PC" connection. Thanks! I put it on the switch first. I don't think I have excessive traffic on the home network that could effect it.

Steve Gw0gei

Paul

Welcome to the club!  I went from a ts590 to a 6300 two years ago and never looked back. Running rtty on hf or wsjt on 4m or 6m is so much easier with a flex. ssb filtering is best radio rx I have experienced to date and I thought the ts590 was very good.

I moved my 70k+ log from logger32 to dx lab due to the better support for flex over lan. It really is superb although I am still on the learning curve with dx lab. I have dx lab running on one laptop and ssdr on a faster one, both connected to a switch in the shack which is fed with cat 5 from the router downstairs. Works great and I can also access the radio from downstairs office over cat 5 or over wifi on laptop or my ipad.

I have an antenna genious 8 port antenna switch on order at present to put that onto the lan too in place of my old microham one. Next step later this year is an upgrade to a 6700 and the power genius to complete my re intro of so2r contestingvia flex rather than my previous microham set up.

enjoy it!

Steve gw0gei / gw9j