Multi-Client?

Michael Coslo

N8AUM

I wonder how much I can charge for FlexTime on FleaBay ?

Mark_WS7M

Michael Coslo

Pity - As a long time contest chairman, I might have had some input. Oh well, I guess I'll know what it does after it's finished. 

Ken Hansen

My understanding, based on what has been said publicly, it will allow one 6000-series radio 'receiver' to host as many independent 'slices' as the server will support (2x for 6300/6400, 4x on 6500/6600, 8x on 6700), and any user can 'steal' the transmitter when needed. Only one user/slice can transmit at one time. On radios with Maestro front panels, which only support two simultaneous 'slices' natively, it will allow the additional slices on the 6600M to be accessed by another device while the front panel is in use.

Bill -VA3WTB

As I understand things, another person can be loged into your radio without you even knowing, other then when they transmit that person has no effect on your operation. They have there own radio and all the settings are theirs. If that guest is transmitting your screen will tell you the transmitter is in use. As soon as the light is out your free to transmit.

Either way, this is completly new technology in ham radio, it will be very interesting considering they will build on this V3.

HCampbell WB4IVF

HCampbell WB4IVF

Gary Fortun

ZENKI

Actually, using the Icom remote access software allows a second person to use the second receiver without interfering with the main.

AC9S

Right, but what some of us are looking for is the ability to share the functionality of two different devices (Maestro and SSDR) with a single client.  I suspect that is a tough nut.

Keith - AC9S

Bill -VA3WTB

Yes there will be others trying to catch up with Flex, give them time and they just may.

ZENKI

This should not be a pissing match between Flex and the others. Flex has its own merits. The Icom built in internet server allows you to keep all clients in sync. Push a button on the screen and the light on the radio changes. Ditto for all other controls. With respect to the second radio, when you use the remote client you chose if you want to use receiver 1, 2, or both. Pretty simple.

Bill -VA3WTB

ZenkI,, what things do you like most about your Flex radio?

ZENKI

Pretty good receiver, paired with built-in SO2R capabilities, laying a good foundation for a simple station. The transmitter, however, can certainly benefit from pre-distortion. I don’t use SL so can’t comment.

Bill -VA3WTB

All radios can benefit from Pure Signal, But most Flexes go down as low as 40db, my 6500 does. For this reason most of us do not feel Pure Signal is so important.

James Whiteway

Bill, ZINKI, if he's the same person on qth.com, is very much into transmitter IMD, and the benefits of Predistortion for spectrum purity. I agree with most of his thoughts on this, but I doubt that FRS will implement it anytime soon, given the already low IMD numbers for Flex transmitters compared to others currently on the market.(besides Anan) James WD5GWY

Bill -VA3WTB

Ok, James. There was no mention that Icom does not have it either.
But as some have noticed, the PGXL addresses IMD in a different way with much the same results. The PGXL has a hamonic dummy load  that takes the harmonics from  the TX  and turns that energy into heat. Leaving a very clean signal.

James Whiteway

Bill, the PGXL would be a very expensive solution to transmitter IMD for those of us not needing or wanting an amplifier. :-)

Bill -VA3WTB

Lol,, very true indeed.

James Whiteway

Oh, and if I remember correctly, the 6000 Series already has the needed hardware connections internally. It only needs the firmware recoded to implement it. ( probably take some time to test)

Bill -VA3WTB

Correct, James. Gerald has alway said he wants to implement this in a Flex kind of way. But, would we want this before they re visit the RX filters? NB, NR and so on? And it is easy to understand why multi client is soon coming shoving those things further back.

Ken Hansen

I think multiflex became a pressing issue when people with "6600M" radios had to choose between two slices on a maestro/front panel or all 4 available slices on a PC running SSDR. That "either/or" choice probably cut into 6600M sales, I guess.

James Whiteway

Ken, for me it was an easy choice to trade up from my 6500 and Maestro to the 6600M. I like having an all in one radio (knobs and front display). And still can use SSDR if I want access to all four panadapters if I want. I think when milti-client comes along, and FRS allows SSDR or my app(once it's ben updated) to use 2 or three panadapters on my big monitor, I'll be in hog heaven! Bill, given that Flex's transmitters are already very clean , I would rather have the functions you mentioned, receive the attention from FRS that I and others feel they need. But, from a revenue standpoint, I can understand why FRS felt the need to get v3.x out sooner than later. And to reiterate, I would be hard pressed to want to get rid of my 6600M over something like the ANF. James