Status of new 6400, 6600 Flex Radios?

Jim K4JAF

What is current status of the new Flex 6400M, 6600M radios?  I think Gerald indicated they would begin shipping the first part of November.  I dont recall a current update to the last information we all received.  

Bill -VA3WTB

I don't believe Flex has announced that they are shipping yet.

Tim - W4TME

The radios have not started shipping.  If you have one on order, please contact Sales to inquire about your order status.

Gary Johnson

I contacted Matt a couple of days ago and he indicated "Birth Announcements" were very close.73,  Gary J  N5BAA

James Whiteway

Matt told me "sometime in December".

Gary Johnson

When did you get your order in??  Mine was in during Xenia (but not at Xenia so they go first ) for a 6600M.   My actual date is 5/22/17

James Whiteway

Gary, same day. Matt said it was early enough to ship in the first batch out. Whenever that may be. We shall see....

N5BE

I have a buddy who is buying my 6300 when the 6600M ships. I'm doing ok but he's not doing so well!

Steven WA8Y

When I got to Xenia the first place I went was the flex Booth to order a 6500, Flex sold me the better 6600 for the same price . But the delivery date was August.

Tim - W4TME

Setup some shared SmartLink credentials so he can use it remotely.

K1UO Larry

Me thinks everyone is anxious for their new radio or amplifier before the rare Bouvet DXPedition

Gary Johnson

Absolutely NO DOUBT about that.  I really want it for tomorrow's ARRL SSB Sweep contest and other contests between now and Bouvet.  It's why I bought the 6600M in the first place.  Surely don't need one for 80 meter rag chews.

N5BE

Excellent idea Tim!

Reggie-k6xr

Placed my order on 5/7/2017. I believe that was prior to Xenia?

Tim - W4TME

We did not start selling them until May 19th

Reggie-k6xr

YES!! it was 5/21/17!!   Thanks Tim!

Bobby Greene

If what Tim said about they did not start selling them until May 19th, then I must be in the top 5 for my 6400. At the bottom of my form, Matt put Cash, 4:55pm, 5/19. And when he put my order on top of the pile, it was less than a 1/2 inch. Hope it is here before Xmas.

KG9DW

I'd love some credentials too as I wait for my 6600!

Varistor

Are the new rigs FCC type certified? What’s their FCC ID?

Tim - W4TME

All our products pass the required FCC and CE certifications before they can be sold. Part 87 devices do not require type acceptance.

Varistor

Tim, honestly this feels like a lawyer’s answer. What I was hoping to understand is 1) The new models have been certified. The respective FCC IDs are ... OR 2) The new models are yet to be certified. So is it #1 or #2? Obviously whether or not certification is done has a material impact on the shipping schedule.

Tim - W4TME

All our radios pass FCC certifications before they can be sold and shipped.  We plan to ship the new radios very soon, so yes, they have passed FCC certifications. Certifications are done early in the product engineering process to ensure that boards do not have to be modified to pass. 

Bill Garfield W1BG

I placed my order (6600M) around the 3rd week of June and was also told that mine will be included in the first production run. While cautiously optimistic,I also realize Icom customers have been waiting 15 months and as of tonight US customers still don't have them.  By comparison the longest any of us have been waiting is 6 months. Sure it'd be nice to have it by Christmas, (specifically meaning Christmas 2017) but if it doesn't make it until Valentine's Day, I'm sure I'll survive. I've seen enough of the 7610 to know that there's something a lot better coming from Flex, so I'm not going to get tired of waiting,  In fact after the recent price announcement (3995.95) there's been a number of pre-order cancellations within that camp. MTC & Gigaparts are offering $100 discounts plus offering $1000 trade-in credits for ultra-clean and complete (with original accys & factory carton) 7300s as a way of easing the shock of the steep price and trying to salvage some orders they otherwise risk losing.

Gary Johnson

None of us want a radio before it can be the best Flex can build.  I certainly don't want to have to send it back to correct a problem with hardware.  We're just itching to put them on the air.  For me its my first Flex (thank you for the knobs and stand alone from Mr. Gates).  I'm trying to protect the $$ set aside.  XYL's are notorious for eating into ones stash of greenbacks and remember Christmas is not far away.  Saved money has a way of disappearing.

Varistor

I don't understand the desire to push Icom or other manufacturers in the mud to make Flex look better. Each company must stand on its own technical, customer service, innovation, and other merits. And to be precise, the 7610 has shipped in Japan and Australia, while the new Flex models are yet to be assembled.

Regardless of whether or not you buy the 7610, you should be plenty thankful to Icom for bringing real competition to the SDR radios space. It is the competition that will bring to you the M series and overall price reduction. Don't we all want better and cheaper radios?

David Decoons, wo2x

I think the message in Bill’s post is a lot of manufacturers announce products with long lead times. Take the Kenwood TS-990 as an example. And when it was released it took Kenwood several months to fix the AGC with a firmware update. Hopefully the radios will be out soon but I’d rather buy something that is run theough the wringer even it is takes a little longer. Dave wo2x

Bill -VA3WTB

Yes I think it is not as much as putting other manufacturers down, it just points out that long lead times are common. If Flex kept the radio under wraps till shipping time then the lead time would seem short. But in the interest in pre- orders, many months is normal. And do we know as a fact no Flex radios have been assembled?

James Kennedy-WU5E

UGH I have a business trip in December

James Whiteway

Not as a fact, but, if FRS keeps with past practices with previous products (Maestro, 6300, etc) , they will, at some point, post photos of completed radios coming off the assembly line. So far, the only photos are of board assembly. But, no completed radios as in the past. And again, using past product history from FRS, no photos of radios being packed for shipment. No announcements stating how pleased the Alpha Testers are with the radios either. ( they may not have them in hand yet to test). So, when anyone gets one of the new radios is anyones guess. Matt's statement to me of sometime in December is just another guess as far as I am concerned. Just another salesman trying to appease an anxious customer. As for Icom's new radio, it may not be being sold here in the USA yet, but it has been and is, being sold elsewhere. FRS cannot say that about their new, upcoming radios. But, even at that I would rather have the 6600M I preordered. James WD5GWY

Gary Johnson

Its the lack of a date to plan toward that is sooooo hard.

Bill -VA3WTB

not sure what you mean?