PGXL April 2019 Updates

Burch - K4QXX

For all you people waiting for the amp, the wait is worth it.  I've only had mine on the air since Sunday and I love it.  Like shooting fish in a barrel making contacts.

Tom WM0L

ordered mine 05/22/2017  ...  I was offer mine a couple weeks ago and passed till August 2019.  

KF4HR

For those that ordered their PG-XL before the end of 2017 Flex offered either the 4o3A ATU or Antenna Genius 8x2 antenna switch (free) as a buying incentive.  The ATU is still under development but I see posts of people using the AG Antenna Switch.  I'm curious if anyone that has received their PG-XL opt'ed for the Antenna Genius switch and was it delivered? 

Asher - K0AU

PGXL order number AB-14093 on 10/12/17. No rush. My Alpha is doing fine.

KF4HR

After my first year of waiting I purchased an Alpha 87A.  Great amp, just the 3 minute warmup can be a minor hassle on occasion. 

If this Forum is an indication it sounds like only a few PG-XL's were shipped out over the last coupe of months, although K6LJ mentioned he saw several at the factory, so I wonder what's up with that.  Hopefully we'll get a new PG-XL update from Gerald or Matt soon.

My wait continues...

Bill -VA3WTB

I have a feeling that the members on the community are not the only ones waiting...

Mark_WS7M

I have an SPE 2K which is a great amp but it cannot sustain 1500w key down for long and FT8  causes it to power back.

I doubt I'll ever get rid of it but I have been watching the PGXL for some time.  It frustrates me that this amp is still not stocked on the shelves ready to buy and that people are still waiting.

I have to admit that the OM-4000A while expensive and would still incur the long power up wait is very interesting because a friend of my has the OM-4000, non-A.  He can keydown 1500 watts for like a century and the fans barely come on.

The A model is fully auto so it still looks quite interesting.

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Seriously Mark? :-)
Can't sustain 1500W on FT-8 and folds back...

Um, er, ah, I have no problem closing QSO's in difficult situations with 300 watts
going into my zero gain end-fed wire antenna at 20 feet off the ground.
If you really need 1500 watts on FT-8 to close a QSO, what are driving?
A train-track rail,  a ground rod, or a CHA-250 vertical dummy load?

Cheers,

Neal

mikeatthebeach .

Maybe Mark is trying to work a guy next to a Solar Array RFI generator or **** **** Farmer And need to get over S9+10db Noise Floor Hi ! Hi! Many Chinese DX stations on FT8 have no ears It those Noisy RFI LED lights and sometimes 1500watts is not enough !! 73 Mike

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Ah, so true :-)

Rick N4RZ

I've owned both the SPE 2K-FA and the OM 4000A.  I decided to sell one in order to purchase a PGXL, that I am still waiting for. I decided to keep the 2K-FA.  The 2K-FA is more automatic and easy to use than the 4000A.  With the 4000A you must manually tune it up on each sub-band you wish to use it on and it remembers the settings for the next time it is operated on that frequency.  The 2K-FA tunes itself and can adapt to a changing antenna load. The 2K-FA has three different power levels that you can set up and easily switch between although only two can be used for FT8 since the amp isn't designed to transmit continuously in MAX mode for over about 10 seconds at a time.  The OM will easily transmit 3.0 KW on FT8 and over 4.0 KW on CW/SSB.   However, if you want to limit your power to 300 watts it is a more involved change than just reducing your drive power.  The friend I sold my 4000A to reduced his drive and ran the amp on FT8 at 300 watts The results were that in less than three months he had problems with the amp that led to him sending it off to ArraySolutions.  They determined that the finals needed to be replaced and told him that the amp should always be run at the legal limit or more to prevent premature tube failure. 
 

Bill -VA3WTB

FT8 is a high power low signal mode. But lots of fun can be had with low power as well.

KF4HR

Looks like the PGXL April 2019 Updates thread has run its course.  PGXL June Updates anyone?

Ray - K6LJ

Sure my PG-XL is working great. Only one thing to note. Received a beta 3.2.4 version of firmware for the PG-XL Ion order to get the pg meter in sdr to work.

KF4HR

I thought I'd pick up the ball and make an update to Dewey's PG-XL Listing:

PO Date  PO #   Callsign         Name                         Rcv'd
02/08/17  11643   K9SO            Fred Glenn                  ~1/4/19
02/08/17  11650   KG5MGN      Wayne Westfield         Paid 3/20/19
02/08/17  11652   N7ZO            Bob                            Paid 3/20/19
02/09/17  11667   W8MM          Michael Valentine       Del'd 3/21/19
02/10/17  11682   WØYWW      Dewey Treanor          Del'd 3/26/19
02/11/17  11703   N4RWG         Richard                      Del'd 3/25/19
02/13/17  11713   N3VE            Jeff Kerber                Del'd 3/25/19
02/15/17  11722   WW3N          Daniel Flynn               Ship'd 3/21/19
02/22/17  11767   W9TVX         Dargahi Ross             Ship'd 3/21/19
04/28/17  12043   W9TTH        Dale Johnson              Ph Call 3/27/19
04/04/17                                   Mike Presnell
05/09/17  12080   WA5YOM     Timothy Vandagriff
05/22/17               WM0L         Tom                              Passed until 8/19
                             K5XH          Mark                             Rec'd 5/17/19              
05/26/17  12297   K4QXX         Burch                          Rec'd 5/20/19
06/06/17  12388   K6LJ             Ray DeVreugd            Rec'd 6/19
06/14/17  12440                        Warren Wegerer         Ship'd 5/30/19
10/12/17  14093   K0AU           Asher
12/10/17  14460   KJ8OO         KJ
12/10/17  14461   KF4HR         Ralph Quallich
12/30/17  14573   N4RZ           Rick Roberson
04/27/18               W6AER        Lucas
05/09/18  15543   N5PSM         David Mitchell
06/xx/18               KN7K            Sergey

Anyone else?  Corrections or updates?

KF4HR

Burt Fisher

I wonder if anyone died waiting? Did anyone opt out when called? Could you give your place in line to a friend?

K5UFO

Ordered 12/3/2017, AB-14429, K5UFO, Markus Thomerson

David-N5PSM

When did they tell you it would ship?

K5UFO

Their best guess was approximately 3 months

Joseph

My order, AB-14684, 1/17/18 is still four months out.  So Matt just informed me.  Here is what I have been told:

1/17/18     initial order, delivery expected by September (9/18).
12/31/18   4 months ("early April")
03/28/19   "a few months"
05/13/19   "end of the year"
6/14/19     4 months

Like many of you, I was wise enough not to sell my Alpha, so I can wait.  But it is so irritating for the company not to keep everyone in the loop wrt what is going on.  If it weren't for an exemplary interaction with Eric when my update to 2.5.1 killed the radio completely, I might be more tense about the procrastination.

Having a background in high-tech where we actually made nuts/bolts/hardware for our customers, it is unfathomable that the ramp to production would take this long.  I would love to hear the ops guy explain it!!

Sergey KN7K

Check 4O3A Facebook post yesterday about ramping production
https://www.facebook.com/4O3ASignature/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARAqymHh6fSRG_IIV71YypwbxD54kbpGYHoK2yNB95tzYKJZH8PZtqrXnBnccAJav7Mq0XLsaWh5XwqZ

Sergey, KN7K

Bill -VA3WTB

The PGXL is ramping to full production:

4O3A Signature is with Marko Pavlicevic and Milica Boca.June 11 at 11:44 PM · 

PGXL is ramping up to full production

Dear PG XL customers,

I recently received the communication below that Ranko drafted to you, our shared customers:
____________________________________
“Our goal of producing the best amplifier on the market would not have been possible without our dedicated team of alpha testers. Serious testing of the amplifier by pushing it to it’s limits through RTTY, dual CQ mode and FT8 was critical to our success and we are very grateful for all of the time and expertise that was shared. Besides pointing out issues, alpha testers added excellent suggestions in regard to functionality and the UI. It was a long, difficult and expensive path but ultimately the only right one. The delays were certainly longer than we would have wanted but we made a decision to release the amplifier to the market only when it was completely ready, with no compromises.

We want to express deep gratitude to all our Alpha testers for their invaluable contributions!

Even though we have been very silent during the past few months, the development of the 4O3A Genius family of devices has been intensive. The main goal being full integration into SmartSDR. Our partners from FlexRadio were a true pillar of support for the entire time. Their dedication and support were on the highest level during the entire process. Our partners have great respect and gratitude from us, and they have earned it.

We are currently reaching out to key users to assist us with Tuner Genius alpha testing, which is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2019. The production is planned as soon as the alpha testing phase is complete.

I would like to personally thank our patient clients who recognized that PG XL represents a separate league and have supported us.

Ranko Boca, 4O3A
President of Sky Sat”
_____________________________________

Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR
President of FlexRadio

P.S. We at FlexRadio share our partner Ranko’s gratitude to the many alpha testers who have played pivotal roles in getting this unique product to the level it has achieved.

David-N5PSM

I have the same experience.  The last I was told (1 month ago) was 4th quarter of 2019
If we complain or point out our vendors lack of performance or communication then we are labeled "bad customers" by many  of our colleagues in this forum.  When I compare with other vendors I get very discouraged.   So I am just waiting patiently for the greatest amp ever made.

Pat N6PAT

I would not be too concerned about what others in this forum call you.  Don't let anyone intimidate you.

This forum is provided to allow Flex owners to express and share their opinions and experiences be they positive or negative.

Joseph

Well, maybe this explains everything.  I may be the only person that didn't know that Flex farmed out the design and mfg of the PGXL.  Were the Flex 6xxxx radios also designed/mfg by them?  Does anyone know the history of Flex and what their relationship with 4o3A/Sky Sat is?  Made in Montenegro?  Does Flex do full service in the states?  Does $o#3A also sell these radios in the states?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Bill -VA3WTB

#1 Flex did not farm out the design and manafacturing of the PGXL. It is a joint buseness adventure between the two companies. Both companies worked on the design according to Flex tight specs.
403A has a grade A plant for the manafacturing. Flex does full testing at Flex before any amp is shipped.

#2 The Flex radios are designed by Flex, Many suppliers suplies parts as well as the cases. The radios are asembled in a plant close to Flex. All 6000 radios are tested and made ready for shipping at the Flex company

#3 Gerald with a freind started a fun project in Geralds home making the first SDR ham radio. They worked on the hardware and began writing software for it witch became known as PSDR. Other people began asking about Geralds project and asked him to make one for them. And it grew from there. Starting with the Flex 1000, 1500, 3000, 5000, now the 6000 radios. 6300, 6500, 6700, 2400, 6600, 

#3 Flex does full service at the Flex factory in the US.

#4  I beleive the amps are only sold through Flex.

Joseph

I had no idea of this background.  Thanks for the information.  I am sure an "adventure" it truly is! What was Flex doing before this?

Bill -VA3WTB

When Gerald was playing with SDR as a project, It was a few years before he started his company, Called Flex Radio. And he kept developing Power SDR.

Bill -VA3WTB

Here is an video of Gerald talking about his venture,,if your interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBlkinewdHM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSViMXsHrSk

David-N5PSM

Reservation made. 05/09/18  15543   N5PSM
Invoice Paid 9/12/19  (Ready to ship in 7-10 Days.) (7627.5 incl taxes total w reservation)
Requested small delay in shipment so I will be home when it arrives 10/12

Wee shall see........