Flex 6800/6800M

Tim - W4TME

Let me be perfectly clear.  This post and the follow-up comments are pure speculations by the posters who have commented.  We have our hands full with the 6400, 6600, Maestro, PowerGenius and SmartSDR v2.x.

Steve Gw0gei

I think that has always been clear Tim. There is also the issue of one or more 1.10 maintenance releases to sort out the existing bugs that Flex are working on. In the meantime (however long that will be) I would have thought it helpful for existing or prospective flex users to express their wish list for the 6700 replacement. Everyone I think now understands the difficulty of having a public roadmap in these competitive times. The downside of not knowing a likely timescale for a 6700 replacement is that some people , and this includes me, will possibly sit on their wallets and not buy new or used 6700, unless they really need the dual Scu now this minute. I have the option of buying a one year old 6700 at present for £4200, which is some bit lower than the current uk dealer price on a new one of £6800. Having just this week sold my kuhne 4m tvtr and 300w solid state 4/6m pa, it's tempting to jump onto a new or second hand 6700. But the lack of detail on the 6600 , and certainty on uk delivery timescales, plus no visibility on a 6700 replacement that may have even better features for similar price, makes it a hard decision. I am even tempted to pick up an ic7300 to try as an interim option to keep me going on 4m and to see what all the fuss is about them. Probably easier to sell on my 6300 once the flex resale market settles back down and we have more visibility on the 6600 performance and a replacement timescale for the 6700. Please don't take the above as a criticism of flex strategy. Flex is **** if it does and **** if it doesn't - same as it's main competitors. It is very clear that flex has a lot on its plate at present, and I guess that means a replacement for the 6700 is a long way off. In the meantime, adding value for existing 6300 6500 and 6700 owners with. 2.0 and some maintenance releases will no doubt keep everyone happy and enjoying their flex sdr. 73 steve gw0gei / gw9j

Tim - W4TME

Understood completely.  And we support this type of discussion by Community members. I find it very informative and entertaining regarding what everyone would like to see in an ultra high-end FLEX-6000 series SDR.

However, in order to ensure a better customer experience across the board regarding the management of expectations it may be necessary from time to time to definitively clarify FlexRadios stance on certain post topics so that false expectations are not set.  

I felt like this post had the possibility of doing that, so I didn't want anyone thinking that another new hardware announcement was possibly forthcoming.

Ken - NM9P

I appreciate Tim's preemptive clarification.  There are many who will join a thread like this and assume that it is based upon some missed facts or inside information.  

Suggestion:  Perhaps the title of threads like these, which I also find stimulating to read and contribute, could be labeled:

"PURELY SPECULATIVE" .... or

"DREAM LIST: This post is for dreaming and speculation only.  
It does not reflect any official opinion or promised direction by FRS."

Or perhaps Tim will just chime in once in a while to keep us in the real world!  (;-b)  

Tim - W4TME

Any type of user-initiated clarifier would be appreciated and appropriate.

Oxford English

I am surprised that no one has suggested an in-case power supply. Given the amount of room allegedly left empty it seems to me to be a no brainer. Then Flex could use the latest power transistors running at 50 volts. 

Or, given the number of people who run linears, why not a high power version? Imagine a Flex 6800 with the capability of producing a kilowatt all in one box with one power lead.

Not that I could afford one but it makes for a bit of drooling!

Tim

Tim - W4TME

 Imagine the shipping weight! ;-)

Michael Coslo

And brews coffee, or have a **** tap as an option! 8^)


And under a 500 dollars.

Oxford English

Imagine the profit! Make it good enough and people won't care about the shipping rate or the price.
Tim

Larry - WA7LZO

Tim, What about a mobile version? Br, Larry WA7LZO

Tim - W4TME

Now you want to put wheels on the 6800? :-D

Larry - WA7LZO

Oh, no. I was thinking of the very lowest end,, like 6100 single slice only, with a smaller control head than the Maestro, like a scaled back mini Maestro.. Mainly I'd want to have the real time scope so the mobile operator could easily and immediately see uf the band has any active stations, and where. If I want multiple SCU's and multiple slices, I will happily do that on the 6600M. So, I was just asking about a very bare bones FRS mibile. Is something like this anywhere on the FRS radar scope? Thanks, Tim! Br, Larry WA7LZO

Ria

I want something that's rover friendly, that can accommodate transverters and stuff. Without having to sling around my 6700.

Tim - W4TME

Larry - you wrote...
"Is something like this anywhere on the FRS radar scope?"

I am unable to comment or speculate on upcoming or future software, products or services until they are officially announced. 

Wayne Westfield

I find it hard that anyone you actually read the thread came to the conclusion that this is a real product.

Ken - NM9P

Never underestimate the power of the human mind to ignore important data because the heart wants to believe something else!  (;-b)

Some people, myself included, make terrible proof-readers because their eyes do not see what is ACTUALLY written, but they see what they ASSUME was intended to be said.  

Sometimes it is an advantage for me, because I can often decode and understand badly misspelled and badly worded posts by interpolating what was meant by the context.  The downside is that I sometimes must go back and edit my own posts or newsletter articles three times because I KNOW what I meant to say and my eyes didn't catch the mistakes the first time I proofread it.  With no conscious effort, they just ASSUME I typed it correctly!  And we all know what ASSUME means!

Ken - NM9P

Tim - G7GFW.... That brings back memories of the Hallicrafters SR-2000 Hurricane.
What a massive piece of equipment!

Myself, I would rather have separate rig and amp.... I can carry one in each hand (with appropriate case or carrying handle) and balance the load on my back.

Back in the mid-late 70's, when I was young and played guitar out at small venues or coffee houses, I would be slinging a 75-100 pound guitar amp on each arm.  People would approach up and say "Let me help you with one of those."  My response was "No thank you.  I am balanced this way.  If I only lug one of them I will wrench my back!  But I would appreciate you getting the door, or my gig bag..."

Wayne Westfield

Olny srmat poelpe can raed this.
It deosn't mttaer in what oredr
the ltteers in a word are, they
imprmoatnt thihng is that the
fisrt and last ltteer be in the
rghit pclae.  And I awlys tghuhot
slpeling was ipmorantt!

Ken - NM9P

I have seen those posts on facebook, even some that are upside down & backwards while also using alternate letters all at the same time.  After a few seconds I can read most of them with no problems.  

But what takes me a lot of effort is carefully reading a document while intentionally looking for spelling errors and punctuation mistakes.  It isn't that I don't know any better -- my parents were both school teachers and forced me to excel in school.  It just takes my eyes longer to spot those errors because they are not naturally programmed to see them immediately.  

My wife, on the other hand, can take one glance at a three-page article I have written for the church newsletter and spot 6 typos and 3 misplaced commas in 30 seconds!  

Even though many scientists have debunked the left-brain/right-brain theory as far as anatomical function is concerned, I still find it effective as a metaphor of the different ways people's minds are wired.  I am probably half & half right/left or 65/35 right-brain.  My wife is almost completely left-brained in function.  It makes for some interesting discussions!   (I am also Visual-Kinesthetic oriented and she is primarily Verbal/Auditory -- another interesting learning and communication style difference.)

As far as Ham Radio and SDR are concerned, this may explain why some people readily gravitate to the more visual eco-system of the FlexSDR while others have major difficulty moving away from a front panel full of dials and buttons.

While the Knob vs. no-knob question isn't what really defines the difference between legacy and SDR, it has thus far unfortunately been the most visible face of the argument, until the new Flex models were announced recently.  I think the 6000M models will go a long way towards putting a new face on the argument.  It certainly is a nice new face for the radio!

Ken - NM9P

Larry - WA7LZO

Hi, Ken!

Your last 2 paragraphs are "right on the mark," IMHO.

Br,
Larry
WA7LZO

Steve K9ZW

Would be an interest for me to have a 6800 that has perhaps a six (6) or more SCU architecture to dedicate a complete receive path to separate antennas in an multi-antenna array.

As an alternative a "Leader" version of the 6700 that could tightly couple or **** several other 6700/6600 units into a cluster operating as one large unit - gets you to the same place in a modular form.

Much less interested in a Flex- 6800M unless the M-model face was revised to reflect the deep number of SCUs and the prospectively massive number of potential Slices (24 +) and Slice Receivers.  This would be a departure from the Maestro-style faceplate.  Could envision each SCU have some selection/control from left of the screen, the screen left edge carrying some always showing soft menu items and band activity indicators (mini-slices) and a tailored & reduced set of control right of the screen.  Perhaps the VFO-A controls are where focus is, and the VFO-B/C/D/E/F control user selectable.  Combining/Diversity/Array Control would be important as well - might even be a Joy-stick needed. 

Would also propose a separate Flex-6800S for Satellite, with a partnership with one or more of the specialist outboard equipment firms to tightly integrate multiple SCUs for this use. 

73

Steve K9ZW

K1UO Larry

don't forget an optional "Captain Kirk" style operating chair with appropriate buttons, knobs and joy-stick at ones fingertips.

Regards
Larry  K1UO

Steve K9ZW

Like this? 73 Steve K9ZW

Ken - NM9P

It's missing the wall-sized panoramic display which allows the operator to see clearly from the "Captains chair." The displays on the right side are much too small! But this would be an interesting multi-op setup....

Ria

I want a radio that works an entire 48 hour contest for me and wins every time, even beating out Remote Ham Radio in Maine. 

Steve K9ZW

The picture is the Project Cybersyn one of the more colorful professors at my Graduate School had been the consultant for.  Partially led to the 1973 Chile Military Coup.  Odd counterintuitive project by an odd duck. 

73

Steve K9ZW

Terry K8EET

I like that all connections are made on the back of the radio. I have enough stuff running across my desk.

Butch

I saw the title of this post and was getting my credit card ready! :) Bummer! Ok, my first let down of 2021. :)

If the 6800/6800M models ever do come to pass I hope FRS continues to keep 8 Slices (or 12?) on their top end model, and also figures out a way that any of the slices can utilize ANT1, ANT2, and XVTR selections at the same time. (Currently we have a choice of 2 out of 3.) Beware the Nyquist Zone! :D And build VHF/UHF Satellite operation in too. Ah, the quest for a single black box that will do everything!

Oh, while we're in the design stage, lets have the 6800 be the first SDR transceiver that has an optional fully operational portable Maestro, that snaps on and off the front of the 6800. Hey, it's 2021. Why not? :)

Butch

KF4HR

Rich - N5ZC

#5

I like all of the connectors on the back which helps keep the operating desk free of cables.

If possible handle it like Elecraft by having front and back connections.

Rich - N5ZC

KF6JS

#4 - yes, the power connector MUST be secure and rugged.
#5 - needed to facilitate changes. Much better than running cables (or extension cables to the back.

AND add #15 - a "Maestro-type" front that can be removed for portable use! Tether (IP?) when it's local and WiFi or IP when remote. How cool would THAT be?! Kind-a like a mobile VHF rig with a remote head.