Just Bought a 6400 - Should I Install SmartSDR V2 or V3?

Ron / K4XRF

Just bought a new 6400.  When it arrives should I just install SmartSDR V3, or will I need to first install V2 and then upgrade it?

Ted VE3TRQ

It will likely have 2.4.9 on it - just leave it and use 2.4.9, or if you want the v3 features, do an upgrade - it will be free.

Matt-KD5FGE

Ron, I would recommend going ahead and loading v3. 

Mark WS7M

Ron,

Your new radio will likely come with 2.4.9 but you should have a free upgrade to 3.0.  I am not sure if they will be installing 3.0 on new radios yet but it could happen.

I personally don't see a reason to not use 3.0.  Even if you do not have a use for the 3.0 features, all of the 2.4x features are still there.

I would suggest staying with 3.0.  I think there will be a number of 3.0 updates to come which will likely come out before fixes to 2.4 but I could be mistaken on that.

Eric-KE5DTO

Radios that shipped prior to today (4/9) went out with v2.4.9 installed.  All radios going forward will have v3.0.19 (until there's something newer/better).

Ted VE3TRQ

As long as you are NOT using a Mac :-(

Mike-VA3MW

Hi  Ron

Try both.  You can move back and forth as you like.

Mike

Doug

Dog gone you Mike, there you go making sense again !

W2ECK

Is there a reference for going back and forth.? Paul W2ECK

Ron / K4XRF

I have both a PC and a Mac (which also runs Windows via VMWare's Fusion).  What are you referring to specifically regarding a Mac?

Eric-KE5DTO

This is probably the best reference for back and forth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPIaze3_lMw

Eric-KE5DTO

In all seriousness, changing between versions of SmartSDR for Windows is as easy as launching from the shortcut/icon for the version you want to run and then waiting for the radio firmware to update.  It is similarly easy with a Maestro or an M model.

Ted VE3TRQ

What I am referring to is that none of the native Mac apps will work. xDax / xCat don’t work, so you can’t do digital or radio control (i.e. MacLoggerDX), and dogParkSDR won’t work so you can’t have a native GUI on the radio. Total loss for the Mac world.

Ron / K4XRF

Wow!  Thanks for the info. Wonder if dogParkSDR, et al will be able to update their software to be V3 compatible....

Ted VE3TRQ

Don has already said he will update dogParkSDR (and along with that the Flex6x00 MacLoggerDX interface I’d assume) - no timeline. Mario has said he will be updating xDax and xCat, but will not get started until after Easter - he and his Flex are not at the same site.

bahillen

Some of the 3 Rd party apps may not be revised to accommodate V3 yet. Depends on your attitude with dealing with upgrade to get all apps working together. You have a lot of basic things to learn even with V2.4.9 Bill W9JJB

KI4P

ha! i think ill wait till the bugs are out, im afraid ill brick it! HA!

Mike-VA3MW

It is pretty hard to brick a radio.    On Monday alone, I upgraded and downgraded my 6600M about 12 times.

Mike-VA3MW

Here is the way it works.

If the application you use only uses CAT control for the application, like most logging programs (HRD, etc), you should likely not have any issues using V3.  These programs connect to a Com port on SmartSDRCAT to get radio band data.  This works the same as it did in V2.

Some other programs that use our FlexLib API to communicate with the radio, and these programs will need to be updated.  FRStack has just been updated and others are working on it.   SliceMaster is being worked on since it does use the FlexLib API.

If you are unsure, please ask and we will do the best to help you out.

Mike