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FlexRadio's CW Failings

Marty Ray
Marty Ray Member ✭✭
edited March 2020 in FLEX-6000 Signature Series
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Comments

  • Lionel
    Lionel Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I am mostly CW, more of a generalist, a litte dx, ragchew, and contests, on any band that’s open and the tuner tunes. I leave my 6400 in qsk, delay at zero, and run 20 to 25 wpm. In comparison to my old TS850, based on recall, the 850 was better in the ability to hear between dits, especially with weak signals. The 6400 is good and I enjoy using it but I found that careful setting of AGCT is necessary for the best performance . I can hear better at 20 between dits than at 25, so it seems - purely qualitative. Is this an issue for all SDR’s? The 850 used relays for qsk, if memory serves.
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Dan Trainor
    Dan Trainor Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Mark_WS7M
    Mark_WS7M Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
  • mikeatthebeach .
    mikeatthebeach . Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Mark Agree, seems Icom, Kenwood and Elecraft have Zero Beat Tuning and Pitch Adjust features for CW And CW Decoders built into their Radio’s but not Flex 73 Mike
  • Joe N3HEE
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    You make good points Marty. I also own a Elecraft K3 and have enjoyed it’s great CW capabilities. I am primarily a CW operator and I agree there is room for CW improvements on Flex radios. I have a detailed post on getting reasonable sounding QSK. I will also add that FRLogger has a very much improved version of CWX that I regularly use. I am keeping a close watch on V3 to see if some of the CW issues have been resolved. Joe N3HEE
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Charles - K5UA
    Charles - K5UA Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Marty and others, Here is one more idea that was submitted 5 years ago to further improve the RX equalizer for CW. Many of us use the RX equalizer to peak a CW signal in the audio chain. Using the RX equalizer for CW was new back when the improvement was suggested but has become common over the years. The idea is to adjust the RX slider settings when in CW mode to make it even more effective. It is another idea that was marked as under consideration and an approach used by other radio vendors as well. In my experience a narrow setting is another way to make weak CW signals stand out as well as reduce the hiss or rumble you might otherwise get with a wider audio chain setting. If you get a chance, read through the thread and let me know what you think. https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/rx_equalizer_tailored_for_cw Regards, Al / NN4ZZ
  • Mike VE3CKO
    Mike VE3CKO Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Where do you find the time Mark, very innovative thinking. Looking forward to playing with your software.
  • VE6WZ
    VE6WZ Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Great idea Al !
    My preferred CW tone is 400 Hz. I also use the EQ to peak up the gain, but I'm stuck between 250 and 500 Hz sliders. Your idea would be great....or, just provide gain in the APF and be done with it!, but somehow if this hasn't been addressed in 5 years, something tells me it wont happen.

    If there are no serious CW ops on the Flex team, I fear there will remain a lack of understanding about why these CW features are desired.  It is likely that most of these CW suggestions are viewed as "fringe" ideas which are not considered important to the majority of operators.
  • Dan Trainor
    Dan Trainor Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019

    I can't believe it.  Even my $150 SDRPlay w/ SDRUno SW has an amazing CW auto-zero-beat function and an Audio-Peak function (APF) that works incredibly well. And that is freeware.  These are basic CW functions at this point in time.  How is it possible a high-end Flex radio does not have this?  It makes no sense! 
  • Douglas Maxwell
    Douglas Maxwell Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Hi Marty, it’s good to see Flex paying attention to your post. I also made the wrong decision in buying a 6500 and have been waiting for CW bug fixes since V1 (not new features, just bug fixes). Can I add that in the search for CW experienced ops for alphas, casual CW ops do not represent the needs of serious CW contesting ops and the other way round. In the past, Flex has listened to casual CW ops and their need for QSK and other new features. For contesting it’s simpler, low latency, fast tx/rx turn around and muting in PTT, everything else can be done externally or manually with the brain. Any bug fixes or optimisations in these specific areas are key if Flex is to be used for serious CW contesting.
  • Stan VA7NF
    Stan VA7NF Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Douglas Maxwell
    Douglas Maxwell Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Hi Stan, for running, I leave the CW filters in ‘auto’ and open them slightly more than 400Hz, which I believe is the toggle point between brick wall and more relaxed slopes with slightly less latency. Currently I get too many missed first CW element of return callers and the occasional pop/glitch in the audio, always at just the wrong time. The biggest problem for me is after 12 hours solid running listening to pop hiss pop hiss pop pop hiss whilst PTT is meant to be engaged.
  • Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP
    Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Hi all,
    Interesting post. I agree on some issues. However I would like to state the following.
    I am a CW man and work 95 % remote operation. Even contests now. I have great demands in my operating. I strive to work most DX-peditions on all band slots on all bands (today little difficult due to sun spots) and lately even to be among top SM or Scandinavia in many contests. I used to work K3s with remote panel and Remote Rig. I used diversity as well. It worked but I felt it was a lot manual reading in K3 manual.
    After switching over to Flex three years ago remote operation has been much easier and I have been able to achieve higher operating goals. And CW is my main mode. Much because it is technically easier with Flex user interfaces. I run SO2R and 2BSIQ with both high and low power band pass filters since my three towers are close (within a 150 feet radius). I lack only remote CW audio which I achieve over a pair of Remote Rig boxes to route the CW audio back to home.
    I would never had gone this path with K3s and its platform for station integration. To much technical hassle for me. Doing it over ethernet and USB is so much easier.
    I guess I am not to much of a CW virtous to demand all features that many say is lacking. They will for sure come by Flex as many are contesters (but perhaps not too many do CW I perhaps). Till now FLEX has served my "CW needs" well.
    Happy Easter and see you in CQ WPX CW I hope!
  • AC9S
    AC9S Member ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    I have had good luck with in the noise 160 meter cw signals using minimal latency and 50 hz filtering.  Minimal latency kills ringing and 50 hz seems to bring the signal out of the noise.

    Keith - AC9S
  • Roger_W6VZV
    Roger_W6VZV Member ✭✭
    edited May 2019
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Lol, along with the 500 or so wants as well....
  • Roger_W6VZV
    Roger_W6VZV Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Not sure why it is "LOL" that we would like a few CW enhancements that the competition mostly has.  The rig is terrific in most ways; why not this way?
    de Roger W6VZV
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited May 2019
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
  • Paul Christensen, W9AC
    Paul Christensen, W9AC Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019

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