Does Flex have a new 6700 coming soon?

John VK3XM

I notice that on the Flex web site that they have reduced the price of a new 6700 by $1000.00.
Does this mean there is a new model to replace the 6700 coming soon.  If so when will we get some details?  Will it have the same or better specs that the current 6700?

Steve K9ZW

The only news is that the current promotion caught your attention. FRS has had periodic specials on the 6700 and other radio models. I’ve two 6700s and really like them, so hope you pick one up if the promotion interested you. 73 Steve K9ZW

Martin AA6E

The special pricing could signal weakening demand for the 6700. A lot of high end buyers may have looked at the lineup and decided that the 6600 was the better choice. Or maybe they want to clear the shelves for a new ultra model. Or maybe it's just a random marketing move to pique the faithful.

Robert Lonn

So we all know that with life, the only think we know for sure is we have Birth, TAXES and Death,,, but a NEW and better piece of electronic equipment is always in the mix... Being involved with Fiber Optic lasers for CATV for the last 20 years,, The technology definitely has become less expensive, but the limitations of Lasers has not improved all that much....

So with SDR I think we are well along with how this technology is performing, and the CHIP technology will get better, will get faster, and the price will stabilize over time.. So the Software will be the most challenging for Flex.. Many of you who have built your own computers and are familiar with advancements with the Mother Boards, Video Cards, Hard or SSD drives,

Computer monitors, Memory Chips and the AMD or Intel Chips!!!  Flex Radio engineering knows that with any new technology, they have to evaluate the cost of the hardware against profit against what it can be sold on the marketplace... I am sure Flex could easily build a $10K-$15K radio if they wanted to... Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu do have some expensive radios in their lineup...

When I was evaluating the purchase of a new radio, I had 10 things on my punch list! One was the ability to hook up an external monitor! That was number 5 on my list.. But with my 6600M having HDMI and full HD resolution, well that was a critical part of my decision.. When friends come over and see my 50" 4K HDR TV set with the Flex display hooked to it, well it looks GREAT!! 

Now I realize that you can also hook your HDMI output from your full HD Laptop Computer and get the same effect, and that is what I do when using my Lenovo Laptop with Smart SDR..

So we are always excited with the next NEW thing hitting the marketplace,, but I think Flex engineering is evaluating WHAT COMES NEXT????   But for now I just sit back and enjoy the heck out of my 6600M radio...

I dont expect a lot of ground breaking SDR radios to hit the market place, I feel that if it was simple to engineer the radios, we would see more of them, then comes the software!!

Thanks you Flex for the latest software enhancements, and improved feature sets,, also satisfying as a customer to see your investment get better over time.. One would think that if it was EASY to make the ANF work PERFECTLY, Flex would have done that long ago,, that is why I feel Software will be the challenge when it comes to SDR radios, Not the Chip Technology itself!!! 

Enjoy!!!   Robert  WA6PHN

Bill -VA3WTB

Robert, Good comments. Gerald stated a while back that the hardware is nothing, it's the software that is hard, and very expensive. If the software was as easy and cheap as some people seem to imply then Anan would have had it's own software, but they decided to use an all ready created software,,By Gerald,,PSDR.  Although they have made big changes to the PSDR over the years, The Anan company did not and do not plan on writing their own creation. As we see now updates to the Anan has almost stopped because of thousands of man hours it takes and relying on peoples donations to keep going.

Oh bye the way, many of these people donating to keep PSDR for the Anan going were the same ones critisizing Flex for charging $200 for a majour upgrade witch does not even come close to covering the cost of the programing.

Icom for instance introduced the 7300, and the 7610, both using some software in the radio but not nearly to the scale as SSDR is, and now we see many owners are trying to use HPSDR with the icom to give a more SDR effect. Why does icom not write there own SSDR or HPSDR? It cost a lot of money.

In the case of some of the DSP options in SSDR I feel it is not so much that Flex ingnors those wanting it to work better, it is decided on the amount of time it would take vs expence vs resources.

Working on the ANF and NB would likely be a huge progect to start back up. Some say, they should have done that from the start then work on features later. It took them about 7 months to get the DSP working as well as It is, Gerald may correct that it he want's.
But, they could have kept working on it for another year and letting everything stop in all other developments. So, none of the things we enjoy in our radios we would not have now because of the DSP research and finising it.

People waiting for their pet featurs need to understand that there is much more going on then they realize.

KF4HR

I tend to agree with Martin.  With the 6400 & 6600 out there now, and some people saying they don't normally use more than 1 or 2 slices, I can't see why too many would want to pony up $7k+ for a 6700. 

On the flip side, I own a 6700 and still very much like it, and regularly use all 8 slices and VHF.  I also very much prefer its smaller size over the 6400/6600 size boxes. 

FRS could probably renew the 6700 sale numbers if they came out with a 7th Order Filter upgrade for it.    

Bill -VA3WTB

Because the 6600 is the radio of the future, I would be inclined to think they would make upgrades to it being modual. Perhaps they can add 2meters to the 6600?

It still looks like the 6700 is still relevent because of what it can do. I think sales are still brisk, If not they would simply discontune it.

Steve K9ZW

The special pricing isn't new.  I believe FRS has had a special going on the 6700 for a month.

That it was noticed by someone who had not been aware of it is the only issue we have any facts about.

Call up FRS and ask why the special price, as anything else is just guessing.

As for the future FRS Flex-6000 series lineup, anyone who knows the game plan will only speak when FRS decides to make an announcement. 

Owning both a 6600M and the 6700s for 95% of my operating either radio works fine. 

Personally I like the 6700's eight slice capability, and have plans to use the 2m native capability of the 6700s as well.

73

Steve
K9ZW

WQ2H - Jim Poulette

That's interesting, and I agree on the 6600. I do a LOT of skipping around, nets, rag-chewing, data modes, etc., and I can't imagine anyone using more then 4 slices within a couple of pan-adapters.

But hey - I'd be game for a 2m option for the 6600m. Tell me where to sign up !

73
Jim, WQ2H

KF3F

Hardware add on modules to the 6xxx series for 2m and 70cm would be awesome. One can only hope.

Bill -VA3WTB

The designe of the new radios has been lost on a lot people, To me it opens the door for all kinds of possibilities.

Ken - NM9P

When I use a transverter with my 6500, I often use one pan and slice for SSB at 144.200, another for watching satellites around 145.800 +/- , and another with two slices listening to local repeaters. 4 slices in total, and I could use more! Watching the Panadapter come to life as the sats come over the horizon is an awesome experience.

Ken - NM9P

I also regularly dedicate two pans and slices to monitoring FT8 on different bands, and then tune around with the two remaining. The more I play around, the more I sometimes wish I had the 8 pans of the 6700! But for the money, I might be better off simply adding a 6600 and have TWO flex rigs! But it isn’t in the budget yet!

Sergey R5AU

Always on my 6700 enabled 4 Pan and 4-5 slices : HF and VHF/UHF

however sensitive lack is only one transverter port, for such radio 3 or 4 ports should be standard - IMHO after usage since Aug 2013
Looking for new release of 670@ and no doubts I wanna be a owner!