Final Front Panel and Factory Images

George KF2T

Just got Gerald’s latest update with gorgeous pictures of the new 6400 and 6600 series radios rolling off the assembly line. Beautiful design, elegant engineering. My birthday is December 1st. Looks like I might get my wish of having one of those beauties on the air by then! Thanks Gerald, for the peek under the gift wrap. Special thanks to the Flex team for developing, marketing, manufacturing, testing, delivering, and supporting such great products.

N6OIL

I wanna see.

George KF2T

George KF2T

I wonder if there will be a market for custom front panels... maybe with backlit callsigns? :-)

elan

is the 6600M will be a better from the 6700 ?
2nd is there BL line for audio feeding ? 
thank you kind 
73  elan g0uut

Rich McCabe

The rest of the email.
 

Dear Valued Customer,

 

First, I am so excited to present the final front panel for the FLEX-6400 and FLEX-6600! As you can see we have added a dimmable backlight on the FlexRadio swoosh icon. This is such a beautiful addition to the hardware and we know you are going to love it. 

Secondly, we have started the production process and are already seeing boards come off of the line. Here are a few images of the factory line:

 

 

Over 3200 individual components of 500 unique part numbers from 100 sources must come together to make a single radio. Our manufacturing partner will assemble millions of components for us in the next several weeks.

 

We are buzzing with excitement over getting these amazing radios into your hands!  We have been overwhelmed by the response to the new models, constantly hearing that we are changing the game in Ham Radio. From the very affordable $1,999 price point of the FLEX-6400, to the simple all in one packages of the FLEX-6400M and FLEX-6600Ms, to the easy remote access with SmartLink; the game has truly changed.

 

Thank you again for your support of FlexRadio!

 

73,

Gerald

K5SDR

KT0AM - Mark

Time to hack my 6500... let's see, transparent case, LED water cooler for the overclocked ADCs, fan that plays "Dixie" when it starts, custom backlight memory sticks, yeah! Move over, 6600, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Clay N9IO

Wow that 6600 front panel is sharp,way to go Gerald! How'd you know I have a blue LED fetish? Ha... Very pretty. Congrats to you Gerald and the rest of the Flex crew! George I hope you get your wish my friend, my birthday is a couple of weeks before you, the big 6 0. Could use the distraction big time!!!

Clay N9IO

Fabulous news!!! Made my day!

Clay N9IO

In blue of course?

Rich McCabe

If these pictures are an indication of the final product the case halves look like the prototype which I thought they were going to change.  I don't remember what thread it was in where they said they were going to improve that.

Good to see circuit boards coming down the line

Clay N9IO

Definitely!

James Whiteway

I got the email too. Wonder if Sales statement to me Monday will hold true? Shipping should start "sometime in December".

David Decoons, wo2x

Elan,

The 6600 and 6600M both have a 1/4" TRS balanced in on the rear of the radio.
There is also unbalanced input.

Dave wo2x

Rich McCabe

I think the 6600 is going to have two balanced inputs on the back. 1/8" and 1/4"

elan

thank you 

David Decoons, wo2x

from what I remember reading the 1/4" will be balanced and the 1/8" will be unbalanced. If the 1/8" is set up the same as the Maestro the tip will be MIC+, ring will be PTT, and shell will be ground.

Tim, can you confirm?

Dave wo2x

Rich McCabe

Based on constructive user feedback received regarding a desire to have a balanced audio input, we are officially announcing that both the FLEX-6600 and the FLEX-6600M Signature Series SDRs will have a 1/4" TRS balanced audio input that can be used with either a microphone or outboard audio processing equipment. The balanced audio input will be in addition to the 1/8" pseudo-balanced input available on all FLEX-6400 and FLEX-6600 models. This balanced input is electrically the same the balanced audio input currently available on the FLEX-6500 and FLEX-6700 SDRs. The only difference is that the FLEX-6000 and FLEX-6600M will utilize a 1/4" TRS connector rather than the XLR combo connector. Tim - W4TME, Customer Experience Manager

David Decoons, wo2x

Yes, that is what I remember reading. The 1/4" is true balanced and 1/8" is pseudo-balanced which is actually an unbalanced which I believe has a ground that is isolated from chassis ground, similar to modern Yaesu radios.

Dave

Clay N9IO

You are correct David,spot on.

Rich McCabe

So when did you order?

Reggie-k6xr

ummm, guess I'll take my Christmas Tree down (Halloween tree?) and put back up in December........

KB4AAA

Huge improvement on looks of the 6600. Not that it makes much difference to me because its going in an equipment closet. But it will make you  feel a little better now spending that much money on just a plain black box.

James Whiteway

I ordered the Monday after Dayton/Xenia Hamvention. Paid depost plus tax,and when trade up's were announced, sent in my 6500 and Maestro with the optional friction/tilt feet. Been Flex-less for 6 months now! Had to buy a mcHF SDR kit to control withdrawal symptoms. It's helping, but I will be glad when the 6600M arrives! James WD5GWY

Larry Benoit

I have a 6600 on order and while the front panel is appealing, I will miss the customizable text display on my 6500.

73,
Larry KB1VFU

KM6CQ - Dan

Yeah James I ordered a 6600 then to. Sold my 6500 last week. I only ordered the 6600 because I enjoyed the 6500 so much. And I really wanted the 2nd SCU. I probably won't notice the difference most of the time. But I notice it right now., all I have is the KX2. Yikes!

Varistor

Wouldn’t all these changes introduce additional delays to the supply chain? A redesigned front panel is nice, but shipping units is a lot better.

David Decoons, wo2x

I guess they did it while waiting for all the parts to arrive. I do not believe it added additional time. 

Dave wo2x

Varistor

The point is that now they may have to wait for the panels to be manufactured. I thought that for a change they will start shipping before the competitors.

David Decoons, wo2x

Who is to say the front panels aren't already done?

Varistor

And thus the question asking what the impact is. Obviously nobody wants to see additional delays. As far as being behind the competition, well, there is no debate here.