PGXL January update

[Deleted User]

How do you know. They have not responded. Do you work for Flex? Do you have insider info??

Craig Williams

And what about that helps us in the Flex community in using our radios? I stand by my attitude.

Bill -VA3WTB

Craig, I believe the down payment was $1000.00. not $7.000.00
People put a down payment on a product that was only a drawing at the time. If a person is wealthy to be able to do that then it's on them. Stop complaining,,you can afford it..Yes Flex gains from down payments ahead of time, but no one had to make a down payment,  they did so to be the first in line. They could have just waited. Flex would have made the amp either way.

Burch - K4QXX

And what does it help when you add to the conversation about "getting tired of filthy rich hams"?  Does that help us in using our radios?

My only point is when I contact a business, especially the sales team, it would be nice to get a response.  Nothing more, nothing less.

Bill -VA3WTB

Burch, this is very unusual for this to happen. It is something that customers are not used to. And Flex could have been doing a better job at communicating.

I can only offer this,,things must be crazy there right now and all hands on deck. I think they have sacrificed customer communications for getting products out the door. That is a problem with such a small company.

Burch - K4QXX

Bill, you are probably right.  The only reason I posted this was because every month or so, flex puts out a communication about the status of the amp.  There hasn't been an update in almost 2 months.  I usually always get a email back when I contact flex. I have been a flex customer since day one and operated a Flex-1000 until the Flex-5000 came out.

When I didn't get a response,  I thought I would post here. I will be out of town a lot the next few months and was hoping to get an update or window on where they were with orders in case I am out of town.  I will get the amp when it gets here.  That wasn't the issue.  I am not really in a hurry as I have another amp.  Apparently if you post and ask for an update, you are considered whiner.  That's OK, I have been called much worse.

And as for being "filthy rich", I'm not rich but I have money.  Can't take it with you.  

Bill -VA3WTB

I have wondered about Gerald's up dates as well, he must be bogged down. But I bet things are further ahead then they were from his last one..

HCampbell WB4IVF

One thing we should keep in mind that the long slippage last year was due to the discovery of the 6M filter problems under high duty cycle conditions, and Flex’s decision to step up and redesign/retrofit the 6M filter assemblies in all previously shipped amps and stop shipping new amps while new filter assemblies were redesigned, parts ordered/received, tested, etc.  My amp was one of the last shipped before the problem was discovered, and it was updated this month.   

The last update came out mid-December, and giving them a bit of slack due to Christmas holidays, I’d say they are still on schedule with monthly updates. 

Howard

Burt Fisher

Howard I read through all the comments. People can take a lot of delays if they are communicated with, further a $1000 deposit (and a few that paid the full amount) really have earned a response. I get $1.5% on deposits over two years that would buy you a $30 cup of coffee. Delays happen thus I would expect Flex refund the interest the deposit would have earned? Sound fair? Someone said you have two Flex amps?  Is that true? I wonder how many would have put down a deposit knowing there would be a 2 year delay? And the tuner, is that another 2 years out?
It does look like a great amp.

KY6LA_Howard

I guess many of you did not bother to follow up on my suggestion to look at the archives for the annual January Whining Sessions..


Flex is ALMOST ALWAYS LATE on every new product.  Whining usually reaches a crescendo every January and usually subsides by Dayton when products magically get delivered. Whining does not get anything delivered sooner Responding to the whining takes away resources needed to finish the products.


Flex is a TINY company with Limited Resources trying to deliver bleeding edge products.  When they finally do get it right their products invariably are much better than the competition or you would not be wanting them.


I too am an Engineer.. I have done numerous bleeding edge projects.  They all took much longer than our worst estimates because we were inventing things that had never been done before so it was impossible to predict problems until after they had arisen. 

I have also managed $100MM projects.  Surprisingly those are much easier to bring in on time and under budget.. why? Because they invariably are not bleeding edge and you have the financial resources to throw at the problems as they arise.  The exception on $100MM projects is when you have a government client, then the incompetence of the client staff and the flurry of idiotic change orders invariably cause the project costs to soar way over budget and take forever  (all governments around the world are the same)


No I do not have 2 PGXL yet.. I am currently stuck with a SPE 2K_FA which is NOT as powerful as the PGXL nor will it ever be as well integrated into SSDR as the PGXL.


Final Comment:  Read the archives.. there is always Self righteous Whining about Flex deliveries and lack of constant communication...

Whining does not make it happen sooner.  But heck if it makes your feel better to kvetch this is the place to do it..

Burt Fisher

So "whining" is defined by you as asking about their amplifier after  paying a $1000 deposit two years ago? I used to repair TV's and computers, if I saw I was going to miss the repair date I called them BEFORE that date. Note: I am on the waiting list but I did not pay a deposit. 

Burch - K4QXX

I think part of the problem is Flex has always spoiled us with great communication and great customer service in the past.  Now most of the communication is gone except for a post here and there from Matt.  I wish Tim was still on the community as I would ask him to close this topic.  Had no idea asking this question would cause so many people to get bent out of shape and cause the name calling.  I'm sorry I posted the question.   

Gerald-K5SDR

I sincerely apologize for the lack of communication. We have been awaiting new shipments from the factory that were delayed through customs - we assume due to the government shutdown. We did receive the first pallet of amps yesterday that will need to complete and pass incoming inspection before shipment. Additional units are in transit to Austin. Hopefully, the shutdown won't last much longer and affect customers.

Shipments of our backlog are dependent on incoming product run rate from the factory. FlexRadio has to date born the cost of all of field upgrades, which have now been completed. No one is more frustrated by the delay than we are. We are making progress and the amps in the field are working well. Thanks to those of you who have been so patient. 

73, Gerald

KY6LA_Howard

@Burt


Time is also money for vendors.. they have to still pay staff, rent, utilities and taxes when things are delayed.... Using your logic customers should be paying Flex for their extra costs for the delays... especially since the delays in this case look like a customs shutdown issue...

KY6LA_Howard

Whining is what I read on this thread... and many similar threads on this forum EVERY January when something does not arrive as expected..


'Remember back in 2012.. IIRC we put down $1000 each on a 6000 and it took 18+ months to arrive.. the Whines were much more toxic then


The point I was making is that the Whiners seem to come out of the closet every January with higher or lower toxicity depending on the product..  Nothing they complain about has any effect on deliveries except perhaps slowing them down due to the fact that Flex wastes time responding to them which would be better served by getting the product out


I really wish people would read the archives

David-N5PSM

There is a clear difference between forum whining and forum complaining.   This is not whining.  This is not un-justified.  This is not un-earned.

David-N5PSM

How about giving us something that helps us estimate how much longer it will be? You know how many open orders there are.  you know how many you ship per month.  We have out reservation numbers......are they sequential?   Respectfully N5PSM

bobby

From customs? I thought these were American Made, not so good!

bahillen

Your comments are very comforting and helpful to understand the situation. One pararagraph every few weeks would stabilize the waiting users. By the way, I have no amp to use in the mean time. 100 watts on 160 m is it. Tough but my 6600 has been great for chasing on FT8 and CW at the same time with 30 foot wire antennas. BUT it’s a hobby. Love your radios. 73 Bill W9JJB

Gerald-K5SDR

We have communicated from the beginning that this is an OEM partnership with 4O3A in Montenegro. 
Gerald

Gerald-K5SDR

It is premature to do that until we get an updated run rate from the factory. We will not publish reservation numbers since that would provide competitive data that we do not want public. The number is substantial is all I can say. I am not sure how the reservation numbers were issued since I was not involved in that process.
Gerald

Burch - K4QXX

Gerald

Thank you so much for the update.  I along with the Flex community really appreciate the update.  I didn't even think about the government shutdown affecting Flex radio and customs.  

KF4HR

... and can do things others just can't.

Bill can you elaborate on this?


KY6LA_Howard

I can give you a few obvious examples

... the PGXL control panel is totally integrated into SSDR...

In addition to easier local operation, this makes remote operation of the PGXL and SSDR seamless so do not need a VPN to remotely control the AMP.


The PGXL will run SO2R seamlessly with the 6000 series completely eliminating the need for a second amp and/or second radio

Richard

Gerald...  I was between 40 and number 75 on the order totem pole....   Initial Production Build was 100 and 113.  I was told that mine would be one of those units once the updates and testing had been done.  Where is mine?  Assuming you have burned through the Initial Production Run, why would my order be waiting for another production run.......  FYI... this is not "whining" just an honest concern.

Richard

Gerald-K5SDR

Richard, the reason is we have completed upgrades and shipments of all units that we plan to do in the FlexRadio service department in Austin. All further production units are coming from the factory at the factory run rate. Believe it or not, amplifiers are more labor intensive than radios. Gerald

[Deleted User]

Still does not answer his question?? Basic math that is you were between 40 and 75 and they had 113 units you would get one. Sounds like yours was shipped elsewhere.

Gerald-K5SDR

Burch, to clarify, our sales department does not ignore emails. I am not sure what happened to your email but you should try again. Dan, each amplifier has shipped in the reservation sequence we we have not given preferences. FlexRadio paid for but did not do the original design of Power Genius XL. We have been heavily involved post initial production from an engineering standpoint in hardening the design and upgrading the fielded units to meet our quality standards. All new inventory is being cycled back through the factory to receive all ECOs before shipment to customers. We started receiving new shipments this week as I stated earlier. Gerald

Gerald-K5SDR

Bobby, down payments are fully refundable at any time. We have had a few along the way but not that many. Thanks to all who have remained patient. It is pretty embarrassing to us and very expensive for it to take this long. The government shutdown seems to added about 1 week to transit time. The pallet sat in NY for about that long. Gerald

Richard

Gerald,  

No my question has not been answered.  My assumption and told by FRS people, is that my number was initially at 30 then told at 70, and there was a total of 113 built in the initial Production Run that I would be getting one of those after rework and intense testing.  From what I am reading is that FRS has in fact reworked some and has stopped reworking/shipping any more left in the first batch.  My assumption working on many NPR's that the rework of those has stopped and they have been moved to the DE "**** Pile". 

As another Orlando Hamfest is upon us I truly believe that any and all of us that did order at that time and was to be covered under the first Production Run, be contacted via a Private Email and be informed of the Shipping Date that they should expect.  You have a Shipment that arrived,  your Team is Inspecting and Testing them so there should be known data.   What say to be proactive to those that have invested so early in the process?

And to those that think this is "whining" have no idea what drives competition and Choices.

Richard - N4RWG