Power Genius shipping delayed again!

Jeffrey Kerber, N3VE

Thank you to all of our loyal FlexRadio customers (Flexers) who have been so patiently waiting for the Power Genius XL (PGXL) amplifiers to arrive.

As you are aware we began shipping the amps in May, and have been slowly rolling out production units after each one completes a rigorous and extensive test/burn in process.

Last month, as more users began exercising the 6-meter (6M) band in the exciting new FT8 mode, units began showing stress in a way not previously experienced. As a result, an issue in the post-amplifier 6M filter was identified. Our engineering team has already identified root cause and incorporated changes into the design to resolve the stress issues with the amp.

Unfortunately, this has further delayed our delivery plan, and at this time we expect to resume shipments in approximately 8 - 10 weeks.

For those individuals who have already received a PGXL we will be rotating each unit through our facility over the the next 6 weeks to address this issue. You will be receiving a more detailed communication in the next few days.

The cost of this process will be completely covered by FlexRadio and the start date of the 2-year warranty period will be reset to the begin when unit is returned following the update, In the meantime, we recommend not running the amp above 500 watts on 6 Meters.

Thank you again to all of the faithful Flexers! If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me at matt@flexradio.com any time.

Best regards,

Matt Youngblood

VP Sales and Marketing

KF4HR

I appreciated the update from Matt.  It's nice to know what's going on. 

Jeffrey Kerber, N3VE

It is nice to know that by the time I get mine, hopefully all the bugs will be worked out.  I know I am close on the list.

Jeff

Brad A. Steffler

Me too.

Brad
KE4XJ

Burt Fisher

From their site being straight with buyers:
PowerGenius XL

Your Price: $6,999.00


Expected delivery date early 2019

Doug

running high power is nuts on FT8 but boys will be boys

Jeffrey Kerber, N3VE

Still frustrating, I ordered Friday the first day of Hamcation 2017.  $1000 deposit also.  Was told then that they would ship 4th quarter 2017.

Roger_W6VZV

Running high power on FT8 is often the difference between getting a contact and not getting the contact.  Laws of physics apply just like any other radio signal such as CW, PSK31, RTTY, and yes, FT8.  It is a myth that power level makes no difference on the digital modes.  A strangely persistent, but very wrong, myth.
Well, the shipping delay gives me more time to save my shekels for what will be my last linear amplifier. 

Varistor

Running high power FT8 is just an ego play and an excuse for not using halfway decent antennas. And before you say you have a HOA, stop! Lousy antennas and high power a recipe for disaster in high density urban settings.

Roger_W6VZV

Easy for people to say that we should use low power and big antennas -- not possible for many of us. By the way, that refutes your argument that power level doesn't affect digital contacts.  No difference between gain from an antenna or gain from more power.  Once again, it is just bad physics to say that high power doesn't help make contacts on the digital modes.  It most certainly does.  It is just weird how people keep saying the opposite.  Back in the PSK31 days I could always tell the adherents to the "power doesn't matter" myth.  They all had lousy signals most of the time that usually ended in their signals dipping into the QSB.
And I am happy to report that in today's world, with essentially all TVs using cable or satellite digital signals, and cellphones instead of old legacy phone lines, RFI is essentially a thing of the past.  So no, it is not a "recipe for disaster."  So you are wrong on both counts.  And frankly, my neighbors probably prefer that I use a modest antenna and higher power since the latter does not affect them.

KF4HR

Burt, where did you see this date?

K6OZY

"No difference between gain from an antenna or gain from more power."

There is when RX comes into play on that same antenna..

KF4HR

Seems ironic that FT8 is being promoted as a weak signal mode, yet some people still feel the need to run legal limit to exchange their call signs, sometimes even when band conditions are good.   

Thankfully this high power mindset hasn't bled over to PSK31 (for the most part). 

W9MO

PSK31 is a low power mode, not a weak signal mode and the power outputs used reflect that. 

Pat N6PAT

I can state from experience that you do not need a large antenna OR high power to make lots of worldwide contacts.

My antenna is a Hustler 6BTV vertical ground mounted with a homebrew 160 mod of 19 feet of wire to make an inverted L . When I first started I was using an FT817ND running 5 watts. That got me 78 countries and WAS SSB on 40. I now run less than 400 watts am am at 266 countries, 8 band DXCC, 8 band WAS (I just need VT on 12 for 9), almost 1600 band points, etc.etc.

Bigger does not always mean better. My little setup busted through the biggest pileups I ever saw, Navassa Island K1N which I got on 6 bands.

I get a lot of satisfaction nailing those hard to get ones with my little setup when others running a few megawatts cannot.

Roger_W6VZV

No, PSK31 is a weak signal mode, not a low power mode.  Again, it is a strangely persistent myth that power levels make no difference on PSK31.  CW has a better S/N ratio than PSK31 but you don't see CW DXers running QRP all the time.  Far from it.  I was in a ragchew with a bunch of CW guys awhile back and every one of them was running an amplifier.  Often needed in today's poor band conditions. Often not needed.
And Pat, no one is saying that you cannot make a significant number of DX contacts with relatively low power -- we all know that this is possible.  I've done it for decades.  But anecdotal experience does not substitute for facts.  But I can state with experience that often running more power results in making a contact where otherwise you would not make the contact.
I used to be an avid Pactor-2 user, and that mode automatically adjusted the power to the level necessary to maintain the link.  It often adjusted power to QRO levels.  It often adjusted power to QRP levels (i.e. below 100 watts).  It all depended on distance, band conditions, and so forth.  But don't believe for a second that power does not often make a critical difference in the ability to make (or keep) a contact.  It most certainly does.
de Roger W6VZV

Matt-KD5FGE

Thank you all so much for your continued support of FlexRadio. We feel a strong commitment to our customers to provide a quality product and we will do what it takes to make sure it is right. 

We appreciate your patience while we tackle this topic. We will be providing updates along the way.

Jeffrey Kerber, N3VE

Thanks Matt, the updates help.

Bill-N6RV

I agree with the statements regarding weak signal versus low power. Weak signal does not mean low power (or low EIRP) at all. In fact in order to even create a weak signal on the receiving end the transmitting station may need to use maximum allowable power. Sometimes on HF it is also the case however it is usually is not necessary to run high power. It is more often than not the case on 6 meters.

Six meters is a different band from HF. The propagation mode is sporadic E (Es) and log haul DX received SNRs often never go much above -17 and many contacts are made with SNRs between -20 to -24. A few have been copied on CW but not many and not often. Furthermore, the paths are not reciprocal. Often were are heard when we cannot hear them and vice versa. Both of these conditions require more EIRP than on HF.  Until WJSTx many of these paths were never observed! This is new and exciting!

Now to say weak signal is equivalent to low power is incorrect. Yes, you can do a lot with a wimpy antenna and a few watts and that is a good thing for hams with compromised stations. For those who really put the time and effort into chasing DX on 6 meters the goal is to work these short openings on these highly attenuated paths. Not only is it interesting to work the stations it is really informative to see who can be decoded and observe the propagation patterns. Neither can be done using low power. Neither side will decode each other.

For the most part local and foreign stations on 6m are using large antenna arrays and high power. True, there are times when signals are strong enough that the power could be backed down however the Es conditions on 6m can change so quickly that an opening lasting only a few minutes could be missed, particularly on the long haul paths (e.g. West Coast to Europe or Asia past Japan).

KY6LA_Howard

I have a superb antenna System (MONSTIR) yet on occasion when trying to work really weak FT8 signals (below -22dB) I have found it quite necessary to run power so that they can actually hear me...

Not an Ego Trip but rather it is a fact that many rare DX stations do not hear that well ...this is especially true when they do not run Flex radios and suffer signal loss and distortion with external interface boxes...

I typically find that I have about a 4-6 dB gain advantage over most Legacy Receivers with my Flex.. so the addition of Power is necessary for them to hear me.

HOWEVER.. when running power I always keep the gain out of the red and in fact even out of the yellow because introducing splatter with power will actually make your signal more difficult to copy.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the PGXL is that you can run full 1.5KW on FT8 which I cannot do on my SPE 2K-FA.

Bottom Line: FT8 is a Weak Signal Mode NOT a Low Power Mode   BUT you should only run enough power to make the contact, There is little point in running 1KW when the other guy is -12db or better

KY6LA_Howard

PSK31 is actually a LOW Power Mode because reception is severely impacted by 3rd order IMD.  So running power makes reception of your PSK31 signal worse unless you have a way to filter out 3rd Order IMD from your transmitted signal.  TO the best of my knowledge no one does this

Pat N6PAT

Bill N6RV,

For 6 meters I use a Comet CA-52HB4 4 element beam. It weighs just 4 pounds and I run only 100 watts as my amp does not handle 6 meters. The beam is up only 25 feet.

I've been doing FT8 for about a year but I just started FT8 on 6 a few months ago and so far I've worked 38 states on 6 with 37 confirmed and about 150 grids. Also about a dozen DX stations. The coax is just cheap Radioshack RG58.

Burt Fisher

When I went to "buy" on the web site but I was told that date only applies to new buyers. I don't put down deposits thus Too bad I missed out on the free tuner. I bought my 6400M when it was in stock. 

Mike-VA3MW

Hi all

I am closing comments on this since we got off track on the FT8 part.  If you have questions regarding the PGXL please contact us at sales@flex-radio.com

73 all, Mike va3mw