Six Months of Mac and Window Flex Software - My Observations

Alan

After six months of Flex 6600 ownership, I wanted to share my thoughts on the various Mac and Windows software solutions available. My observations are not a “rant.” Many of the software packages I tried / use were at no cost to me, and I want to appreciate all of the developer’s effort to make these available and up to date.

My Flex 6600 purchase was following 50 years of being away from Ham Radio. My situation required the ability to operate all aspects of the station remotely but on the same Local Area Network. I tended so far towards Digital Modes and Satellites.

I have been a “Mac” user since 1985 and only succumbed to DOS/Windows in the workplace.  So, I have a user-level experience with Windows and a good knowledge of the Mac OS. I use Parallels Desktop to run a virtual copy of Windows on my Mac whenever I cannot find a Mac version of what I need.

Having said all of that, I have found the Mac-based - Flex Radio applications confusing, hard to set up, hard to install, and when successful, the necessary changes mess up my other, non-ham applications. Very “Un-Mac” like.  

When the Mac OS Flex applications are compared to the Windows-based Flex Apps applications, the installations and interfacing are straight forward, and automated, interfaces are easy to customize and most third-party apps interface directly with the Flex Server (6600), not the desktop SDR application. It pains me a lot to arrive at this conclusion.

Some specifics:

Smart SDR vs. DogPark - Other than the audio driver snafu with W10 upgrades, Smart SDR installs with a click of the mouse, and all of the audio and CAT controls are set up for you. You can easily customize the ports to whatever slice / third party application you desire. The GUI interface has all of the necessary controls and is all accessible. I have tried numerous hours to acclimate to the DogPark GUI system, and I just do not get it. Sorry, Don to say this. I realize you selected another approach, probably for good reasons, so it is just me and my ability to understand your system. Not suggesting this is a widespread issue.

WSJT-X - For Windows, I found WSJT-X easy to install and interface with Smart SDR CAT and DAX.  It just worked.

WSJT -X, - For the Mac, I had to run command scripts to adjust the available memory for the application.  Also, had to adjust the MIDI settings.   It took me two months to figure out how to work around the Mac OS audio system to get audio in/out of WSJT-X with multiple third-party audio applications.   After I did get the audio working, the audio for my other Mac applications were all goofed up, until I manually reset all of the audio changes made for WSJT-X.

 I realize Apple has closed many aspects of its operating system and thus making it not possible for Mac Developers to make the DAX work like Windows. So….not a complaint about the developers, just stating a fact I found after months of use and comparison to the Windows apps.

Ham Radio Deluxe - Easy to set up and interface with the Flex Server. No CAT or DAX necessary. GUI interface is easy to understand and options available for customization. Some portions are out of date, such as HRD Satellite Tracker. Customer support is very poor and of note, because they charge $$ for customer service. Also, the technical knowledge of Flex is admittedly limited.

MacLogger - This is my favorite Mac program for the Flex. Well done, Don.  MacLogger interfaces like many of the Windows programs directly to the Flex 6600 by connecting into the Flex server. The interface is logical, and the features are all beneficial — interfaces directly to WSJT-X.

Mac Doppler - This could be another favorite Mac program, but for one fault. Mac Doppler gets high reviews from the “non-Flex” satellite community. Mac Doppler has built-in CAT options for many rigs…..except none for Flex Radios!! All of the Windows-based satellite trackers connect to the Flex Server, some via other third-party apps (i.e., FlexMaster 6000). This allows me the flexibility to control my desktop or my Maestro via the Satellite tracker.  Not so with Mac Doppler because it only interfaces to Flex Radios thru DogPark. ‘Don, you have an award-winning Satellite Tracker, which I like, you allow direct interface with many vendor’s rigs, but NOT Flex. You force us to go thru DogPark, which removes my ability to CAT control my Maestro? You allow MacLogger to connect to the Flex Server, why not allow the same for Mac Doppler?

SliceMaster 6000 - The “Swiss Army Knife” of setting up Smart SDR / Third-Party apps.  I love it. Easy to use and excellent user support.

I welcome comments and criticism where I may not be applying the applications correctly.  

I love my Macs and will continue to use them whenever the software available meets my needs and is easy to install / setup. 

For interfacing with the Flex Server, I will continue to use my Parallels Virtual Windows 10 alternative on my Mac.

 I look forward to seeing future changes for the Mac -Flex applications and will try them again when they become more easy to use.

Alan
WA9WUD

Ria

Someone replying to one of my threads criticized dogparkSDR as "not his cup of tea." People's feelings get hurt, and someone emailed me and told me to stop criticizing Don, when in fact I didn't.  So do it at your own risk. This person never apologized to me for the case of mistaken identity.

It's pointless to complain on here so I don't. But in fact there is a reason I don't use it, even being more or less a mac/unix person.

I also run xSDR6000 which looks and feels just like SmartSDR on windows, but is a very much bleeding edge alpha project - no way stable for production use. Even on a new touch bar macbook pro 15" it crashes often.

Personally I just run parallels and SmartSDR.  That works best for me. YMMV.

From what I see, Flex sees really no need for a mac client since the macOS user base is so small, and they will either run dogpark or parallels/SmartSDR. Even the engineers who use macs use the windows clients when giving public demos.

Ted VE3TRQ

I’m just looking forward to the time when I can run the “M” front panel, xDax, xCat, dogparkSDR, MacLoggerDX, and multiple digital apps all at the same time. Best of all worlds (in my mind, anyway :-) Needs v3 to be supported by xDax / xCat. I know, dogparkSDR can provide the digital audio, but I don’t want to be required to run dpSDR - I might just want to run SDR iOS from my iPad (or even SmartSDR on a PC) somewhere else at the same time - only two GUI interfaces at a time. Had to inject a few reasons to really like a Mac (although even avid Mac users sometimes avoid Amateur radio software on Macs, and I can understand and accept that).

Alan

Ria.  I hope the community does not take my observations as criticizing Don.  I believe the criticism is for the tightly controlled Mac OS system that limits developers ability to offer more options and flexibility.  I am just sharing my observations that this has on the product.

As a Mac user, for the normal suite of apps, we like the tight OS/App control for the added security and integration with the Apple Echo System.  Everything is a compromise in the design world.

Alan

Alan

Ted - Your comment is right on the mark.  I would also prefer to use my Mac and other interfaces as you describe.

Alan   

Ria

I don't have anything against Don... but the UI divergence is an issue and for a while it did not even support all slices on the higher end radios like the 6700. This is why after trying out the 20 minute trial a few times I decided to spend my money on parallels and run SmartSDR. The person who emailed me in a not so nice tone also sealed the deal. 

Ria

I also used xDAX and xCAT using soundflower. Buying loopback is not something I wanted to do just for one app. It worked for one audio channel, sorta. 

Moral of the story - if you want to use the Flex ecosystem to the fullest you're pretty much going to have to live with Windows. 

Burch - K4QXX

I really like DogParkSdr.  I know the interface is completely different than SSDR but I have gotten used to it and it really works well.  However, with the changes with version 3.0 and no xDax and xCat, it has gotten cumbersome to run the digital modes and SSB without having to change audio settings all the time.  Hopefully things will get easier in time as I am hoping xDax and xCat get updated.  

Don Agro

Some of us are trying to change that.

Bert Sharp

My findings as well. Realize it’s hard to be be a Swiss Army knife for everyone.

Scott Oakland

You speak the truth my friend. I like you LOVE my Macs. I have never ever spent an entire weekend trying to get a PC/ham related item working since the 1980s. Seriously. I am giving up on DogParkSDR and getting a Windows bootup for my IMac and running all Windows for the Flex 6400M. I could NOT get my audio settings to hold to save my life, nor could I ever get FT8 working on transmit. While I would LOVE to use my beloved Mac on Flex, alas, it just isn't feasible. Too many apps have to be set just exactly right or it all comes tumbling down. I'm sure in time it will get better. And I know everyone is working **** it. But for now....I await Windows 7 and Smart SDR or Power SDR to get this thing on FT8. Lord, forgive me for running back to Windows for this! LOL.

Michael N3LI

My comments on a number of comments here.

I find it a little odd that some have had issues getting DogPark running, or even the different apps communicating with it. But I guess people have.

But here's my biggest takeaway. My DogPark install is 100 percent uptime. 
My SSDR was simply unreliable. At least until I got a Enterprise version W10, where I can keep Microsoft's grubby mitts off it. 

I use both, but if we had a car that is rendered inoperable as often as Windows updates Pooches SSDR, it would be covered under Lemon laws.

Now on to the idea re Flex not writing for MacOS. I see a lot of Mac users in here. That's interesting. 
The concept of installed user base for the decision of what to write radio software for is perhaps being mislead by numbers.

Yes, it is undeniable that there are a whole lot more Windows computers out there. And almost all of those computers, and almost none of those  operators will ever be used for an amateur radio application. SSDR is a program written or perhaps .2 percent of .2 percent of the population. (the numbers of SSDR users to the nnumber of Ham radio operators.  The accountant uses Excel and other Windows software, the Staff Assistant uses a word processor. They didn't even know Ham Radio existed before me.

But it is what it is of course, so use what you like. Just know the limitations of either. 

John Orjias

you can use the 64 channel one for a second audio path, so you can run audio for 2 slices using soundflower

Bob G W1GLV

Scott, I must be a different kind of person, I've never had a problem with Don Agro's software. It always worked for me using digital 3rd party software with it. xxDax and xCat worked well.

Ted VE3TRQ

Scott, I still do not understand why you could not get wsjt-x fully going on a Mac. A significant number of us are using a Mac with many native digital programs with great success. In fact, the "M" model makes things even simpler, as running a GUI program is an option. I suppose the extra complexities of running v3 may have made it more troublesome.

One of these days I will find something I really need or want with v3 and will start to use it. Running remote and local at the same time will likely be that something :-)

Michael N3LI

The Mac is no different than Windows in the respect that if someone cannot get something working, it must be the computer or software's fault.   As far as the two programs go, I use both. But I have every expectation that a Windows update qwill pooch one or another of my programs. This is not the case on my Mac - I have never had a problem with an update rendering Dogpark inoperable, or the programs I use with it. With Windows, even if SSDR has improved, other programs require me to go in and fix problems. I have this thing about reliability. Bad habit, I know. 8^)

Bill N3HQB

The number of Mac users running Flex 6000-class rigs in Parallels may be larger than you think.