FLEX-6600Ms with final software ready for covers and pack out

Gerald-K5SDR

Thought everyone would like to see the new radios loaded with final software.  These units are ready for covers, final pack out, and shipping. 

The engineering team installed automated software today at the factory to load a complete rack at a time with SmartSDR v2.1.30.  This will dramatically speed the flow of radios.  

We are working hard to get them out the door to you as fast as possible.  Watch your email.

73,
Gerald

mlstutler

Thanks Gerald.   Looking forward to mine.  

Dave VE3VSM

Who will be first to order an entire rack?

David NT8Y

Thanks for the photo. Starting the wait for my new one.

Doug

Thank you for sharing this and your comments, it helps a lot to hear from you. I have a 6400M on order and it will be my 1st Flex. I got to tell you it's been a love-hate relationship here trying to understand everything that goes into bringing a new product to market and the wait and missed dates. I have read as much as I can find on you and your company in other words the history trying to understand. I listened to a podcast you did and this helped a lot. Anyway enough of all this Gerald again it's helpful to hear again and often from you and the team.
K9CRT Doug Decatur, IL

Neal_K3NC

Pretty cool! Cannot imagine how excited the new owners will be when the UPS truck arrives!

Ria

Like a rack of ribs!

David Orman

Neat to see behind the scenes pictures like this. You should post more!

N1UW

Congratulations to the Team Flex for getting the 6K+ line out when it really mattered...essentially simultaneous with the IC-7610.  It is important to understand the realities of marketing technology.

At Hamvention 2017, there were three big crowds in the exhibit halls:

- Elecraft (An excellent radio line and deservedly good attention)
- Icom with their "Flex Killer" (aka IC-7610) inoperative and sitting under a glass box, and
- Flex Radio Systems with an operating 6600M along with other ground breaking goodies.

This was a classic war of vapor-ware vs. vapor-ware, but for those who could see through the smoke and hold on just a little bit longer, Flex buyers are getting a superlative radio instead of a radio that Rob Sherwood has described as little more than a IC-7300 with two antenna jacks.

Way to go, Gerald!

Frank N1UW
We have no problems, only insurmountable opportunities.

Gary Johnson

I'll  have the rack-of-M's with spicy sauce please.  Maybe a side of amplifier and a headset.

Gary Johnson

I don't think we are dealing with a Ford Motor Company assembly line here at Flex.  And unlike Legacy Radios these have complicated software to install and test on each one.

Gary Johnson

"Flex buyers are getting a superlative radio instead of a radio that Rob Sherwood has described as little more than a IC-7300 with two antenna jacks."  Did Sherwood really say that??  I'd love to see it in print.  I heard it was two 7300's in one box.  $3,800 for the capability of $2200.00 worth of 7300's.

Doug

Rob did state that he used a IC7300 in one of the contest this year because his TS990 got hit by lighting and he sounded pleased with the radio. He does have several Icom radio's and the IC781 is one of the main radio's he tends to go back to and compare other radio's to it.

Stephen Hawkins NG0G

Going nuts waiting.  

KB4OIF

Patience my friend.   I'll be the same way as mine get to me sometime in April.

G0VLF

Thanks for the update on progress and the photo of the new radios. Looking forward to receiving my 6600M in the near future, here in the UK. Ray de G0VLF

Mark_WS7M

I'll take a half rack please... Have to watch my rack weight these days!  :-)

Tim - W4TME

I am sure Michael can work you a deal on a half rack.

KG9DW

Soon Doug, very soon! 

Ria

I don't think that is accurate and I would be surprised if Rob actually said that. The architecture has been modified somewhat. Still not up to the level of Flex radios but better than 7300.

N1UW

Well, I don't want to get Mr. Sherwood in trouble and I certainly don't want ME to get in trouble with Mr. Sherwood.  Rob did not explicitly say that.

I based my comment on his interview in Ham Radio Live, episode 99 during which he essentially said there was no such thing as one "right" radio.  The buyer has to weigh his/her operating preferences and radio performance with the cost of the radio.  If a person doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles, one would  be hard pressed to justify spending three times as much money for a radio.  I believe this was said in the context of comparing the 7300 to the 7610.

So, while my comment may have had a sarcastic edge to it, I stand by what I took away from Mr. Sherwood's interview.

Frank N1UW

spinnaker

You may want to see the IC-7610 review (13 Dec 2017, NC0B/Sherwood) located at Eham where he gave it a very solid 4 out of 5 rating.

Ria

Yep, and he did that because he said the defaults were "wrong."

However he did say he could be talked into a 5. 

I am surprised that Jarrad VK3BL gave it a 4 though. I thought he was thoroughly in love with the radio. 

K7QDX

So just to confirm, you are shipping all four models at once. In the beginning I heard that the "M's" were going to be shipped first, then the non "M's". I guess it doesn't really matter. The radio will get here when it gets here.

Rich McCabe

Thanks for the update Gerald !

Marc Lalonde

i receive mt non "M" tomorrow   so all ship  at same time

Gary, KE8O

Can someone from Flex give a little insight for the reason behind the metal divider inside the case? Sorta reminds me of my old 3-500 amp without the glow. :-) The photo also eliminates the speculation the case was made bigger to allow room for the control panel to be mounted to the front panel. It’s actually full of parts.

Gerald-K5SDR

All four models are shipping.

Gerald-K5SDR

The metal divider is for the Faraday cage between the digital world and the analog world.  It is also part of the cooling design to channel air across the FPGA and CPU using ducts that are not visible in the photo.  Everything has a purpose in the design.

Yes, and it is really full of parts.

73, Gerald 

Bill Garfield W1BG

I saw the same post and also listened to Rob's presentation live.  As a recognized industry professional and perceived subject matter expert, It didn't get a "5" for the same reason it didn't make it into the top 10. Rob has to be very careful about what he says and how he says it. What he might say to you or me candidly over adult beverages (with no recorders present) likely bears more finite details than what you'll read in the sanitized public version.  Also the 7300 literally took the industry by complete surprise and QST even correctly called it a "game changer".  In 2 years they've sold close to 20,000 of them.  By comparison and somewhat metaphorically speaking, the 7610 simply builds upon and expands that platform except it's 3.5x the price.  No it's not two 7300s in a common box, though such a configuration would likely give you at least 85% of the 7610's functionality (plus SO2R) for USD 1600 less while also giving you the missing second VFO knob.  Alas, we have digressed...

KG9DW

No apologies needed for the digression... That's one of the best parts of this forum. I love it when it stops being an echo chamber and we get to have some conversation!