Selling my Flex 6400M

KL4QG

4 months old with hand mic I’ll post pictures tonight no scratches works great and no fan issues has factory auto antenna tuner Joe KL4GG PayPal $2200 I’ll have check on USPS 3 day shipping with insurance

Terry T

Joe what's ur call??

Doug

He has his call listed in this post KL4GG which on QRZ list him as a Tech class.

Greg N8GD

I believe that was a typo.  A name search for Joseph Conover in Alaska in the FCC ULS database shows his call as KL4QG, and he's a General.

KL4QG

KL4QG I am general Bethel Alaska

KL4QG

I’m only selling because my friend said Elecraft 4 is two times better of receiver and noise reduction and never breaks

George KF2T

Joe, I’d be wary of that kind of friend’s “advice.” You have one of the finest radios available. There is no way the new Elecraft (itself a fine rig) will be “two times better.” I have used various Flex and Elecraft products, and prefer the Flex. If you don’t like it, then change, but don’t take the financial loss for someone’s opinion that really isn’t factual. No radio “never breaks.” Noise reduction on the Flex is it’s weakest point, but -seriously- it’s not a huge deal in the last few software revisions. 
Again, sell because you prefer something else more than you care about the money lost. But don’t expect your new rig will be magically better than the very good one you have.

KL4QG

Thought something wrong he hates Flex and Alan Radios
What upgrades made for better noise reduction
I don’t have 6400M hooked to computer would hooking to computer add more noise reduction controls -
I don’t know how use the notch filter control that what I need most /

George KF2T

Your best bet is to stay current with software. I use 3.1.8, but 2.6.1 is quite good (minus the amazing remote capabilities). Noise reduction is a bit of a black art, best handled through experience. There are multiple controls that interact for the best results. The notch filter is extremely powerful — i was able, just yesterday, to set up a deep notch, only 50 Hz wide, that made a difficult conversation easy. Wideband noise blanking needs a few seconds to come up with the right “solution,” slow and deliberate adjustment is necessary. The “regular” noise blanker is easier, but even there, you will see results vary based on your AGC settings. 

KL4QG

This what radio came with I don’t know how use a computer and I am afraid try hooking to computer I live in Eskimo village pretty much everyone knows nothing of computers to help me Only other 2 hams here hate the fact I moved here they don’t take well new hams in village for some reason strange

Bill -VA3WTB

The K4 is not out yet, so your friend is commenting on a radio unseen and used.
Take time to learn how to carefully set the AGC_T. It makes all the difference in the word in keeping things quiet.

KL4QG

Set it at
AGC_T
Can I do this without hooking to computer
He said Elecraft people told him their K4 best radio in world Can u take picture how u set it on screen

N2WQ

Joe, you have repeatedly stated that you live in an Eskimo village. What kind of noise are you trying to eliminate? Knowing what the end goal is makes all the difference. For example, if you are trying to deal with the summer or winter snowfall static crashes, forget about it. You won’t find a radio that can fully deal with them. Your best bet is to learn how to actively manage AGC and even then you won’t be able to avoid desensitizing the receiver. Also, make sure your tower- if you have one- is well grounded in order to discharge the static and all coax is bonded to the tower at the top and bottom; I use good old bulkhead connectors for that. If you are dealing with man-made noise, the first step is to identify the source of that noise. There are zillions or articles on how to go about it. I suspect this may be tour problem based on your interest in the QRM Eliminator. Build and install common mode chokes on your feedlines. Chokes are not just for avoiding RFI during TX. Without them your feedline picks up tons of noise over the outer shielding. Choke your AC and DC power lines. Last but not least, look into dedicated RX antennas, such beverages and beverages on the ground.

KL4QG

I live in metal shipping container 3 welded together with
2 other people
Noise is lines in screen that never go away from windmills here that make power for us

KL4QG

KL4QG

How **** do you bond coax to tower I’m using two metal military poles 50 feet with 133 foot Endfeed dipole from Holland I have no problem transmitting with radio and TT Titan amp in fact I **** away other ham he has K3 with Elecraft 1500 watts amp and 80 foot tower I’m getting great reports all over ALaska on ssb nets Antenna ground as per Hyendantenna instructions and eq has good earth ground to permafrost Need picture on how bond coax to tower or metal mast Talking about it don’t get it to me way over my head

KL4QG

Here other hams 2 Signals with K3s and Elecraft.1500 Watt amp -on my scope in village don’t know way it looks like that my signal has no hairs sticking out like his just a clean line


ignal

bahillen

Joe Is the K4 shipping yet? Current info says you must still have to pre-order. Is your friend a beta test person? I am generally await on new design releases until the can work out some of the start up issues. My friends that have Elecraft radios to be happy with them. R4 is a little expensive at $4,500 for a 1 SCU SRD. A friend had a K3, then bought a K3S and now looking at the K4. That is $13,000 less what he can get for a used radio. I have up graded software 3 times for $200. My friends that have Flex radios are also happy with them. The community has been a tremendous asset for me and my Flex. And the 3rd party software applications are a real asset. A friends outstanding contest station has converted from Elecraft radios to Flex. He is not looking back. Performance is not lacking. Both radios offer features that have a place in the hobby. It depends on what you like. In general, the world of software involves revisions and “new features” and constant changes. Elecraft is also headed in the software direction in their SDR product. Since getting back into ham radio in 2012 I have found that the ham activities have revived my problem solving and thought processes. Using the Flex has required refreshing my computer literacy and station architecture. I view the Flex as a communications platform and my FT1000MP as a radio device. I think you are making the right decision in going to the K4 for you. It will match your operating needs. 73 Bill W9JJB

KL4QG

Thanks for smart **** remarks -K4. Will match my operating needs lol
Yes lots and lots people are great help here some try prove in their minds they are know it alls also
The help be a lot better with follow up pictures for people learning computer not just do it this way
I’m not being a smart **** just saying
Pictures help and not talking Down to people

N2WQ

Joe, how easy or difficult is it for you to get shipments? Are you better off buying a ready made something or buying from multiple sources and building? You can buy ready made chokes from a single source and pay a bit more or buy the parts from 2-3 sources and save a little. Based on your answer we can figure out the next steps.

N2WQ

Your band noise is pretty low actually. The vertical lines are better suppressed using the notch.

KL4QG

I ran drinking water treatment plant all my life 46 years from Lake Deforest Ny United Water as manager to Fort Dix NJ than I was asked go Alaska help train operators I refuse set up water plants on PLC it’s crazy let computer Run a drinking water plant I operator all manual controls AK hard place treat water with all cold and minerals in raw water
I’m not good making things
We have USPS but no Fedex or UPS here
Shipping good USPS
I need ready made things
Thanks for help

KL4QG

Thanks need learn how use that notch filter u are very helpful I just cannot get adjustment I’ll take picture what I mean when home tonight I’m at water plant making water

bahillen

Joe, I did mean or intend my comment as a derogatory remark. I think the R4 will be a great radio for your station. I have friends that love their Elecraft K3S and K3. It matches how the operate and their operating environment. The Flex does have different operating behaviors that a can be cumbersome. A radio becomes part of your process to communicate. It has to be comfortable to you when working a pileup or digging out a CE signal 6 dB below the noise. It is personal and becomes transparent. If it’s not comfortable then you won’t be pleased with it. I have operated my FT1000MP for years and my 6600 for several years. The experience is different. No two ways about that. But my focus is not on the radio type but the communication. This is a Flex Community and many are vested in their radio. This involves a degree of bias to be sure. Joe, you have invested in the Flex. And found it not to be comfortable for you. The K4 will give you an even better point of view or comparison of the two choices. That is a good thing. Having multiple manufacturers designing SDR equipment and pushing the envelope is a great thing for amateur radio. 73 Bill W9JJB

KL4QG

Bill thanks for clear up sorry I’m just confused here —
I operated icom 7700 great radio ,Yaesu 3000 again nice
but audio on headsets very low
7700 I have say was most easy use perhaps I should look
at new Yaesu FT-DX 101D it has a new type notch filter process that lots better than anything out there
I never use digital I hate it but like CW with decoder built in radio be nice
Perhaps new Kenwood 890S be best fit or Yaesu FT-DX 101
There to many. Dam things going on with this Flex 6400M
I don’t like how other screen pops up over the band screen and completely covers it when changing NB NR and so on it’s not enjoyable use for me
Well Someone will get good buy on my 6400M

N2WQ

Joe, if ready-made is the more viable option, I would recommend you look at this product: https://myantennas.com/wp/product/cmc-130-3k/ This is a small, no-regrets investment, that will help you quickly determine if you need to work further on addressing the common mode noise. End-fed antennas are prone to such noise. Don’t assume that your AC line is well filtered. Another no-regret solution you may want to consider is the Tripp Lite Isobar 8 outlet box, which not only has the highest surge suppression rating you can buy (unless you take the Siemens whole house surge protector route), but also- and more importantly- has a built-in AC line filter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000511U7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_H7q9DbZF7ERYW I build my own chokes, one per band, and when you factor in the cost of the materials and your time, you quickly arrive at roughly the same cost as the ready-made. The only difference is that when building it yourself you can use slightly higher quality components, in my case Teflon coax and much larger enclosures. Good luck with your noise mitigation efforts.

Steve K9ZW

Joe - watch yourself, as your rant comes over as "the **** calling the kettle black."

Surest way to end up figuring everything out on your own the hard way is getting crossways with people volunteering to offer their input.

You ask for advice then get hissy if it doesn't match the bias you already hold?

Being straight up with you, that unless your buddy has had significant on-the-air time behind a K4 he is blowing smoke.

Though you were building a amp kit, now choking up is hard to do?

Run water treatment plants but scared of a 'puter?

Good enough to be be the sort of guy other people pick to do challenging hands on education but struggling to electrically bond things together?

Just sayin' for a friend...

73

Steve
K9ZW

Blog:  http://k9zw.wordpress.com

bahillen

Joe, just picked up the exchange on your noise and the wind generation. I have been working on reducing noise for the past year. The things I have found are chokes on the coax , power cables and computer cables. Include the wall warts to. There are several suppliers but I used Palomar Engineers Inc. Palomar-engineers.com has a focus on filtering ferrites. I bought about $150 worth and have used them to solve or preventive measures. Even coiling extra coax helps isolate noise on the other coax jacket. i added 4-5 turns thru a ferrite rings on the Flex power 13.8 cable. (And amplifier). A member of the club presented his success with using double shielded coax to reduce noise in the radio. It is indeed spectacular. RG214 or RG9/U are choirs as well as Belden 9913. It is deeded on all coax including jumpers in the shack. It insures all RF side of the noise comes from the antenna itself, period. If the noise is radiated from the wind generators a directional antenna pointed away from the generators will make a difference. If you have a problem the other two hams can share the same problem and may be able to influence the utility to suppress the noise from their noisy Generators or inverters, a common problem. This noise can also affect other users of different equipment. Use you pan adapter to display their radiation at the low frequency source like 60 khz. 73 Bill W9JJB

KL4QG

What is best shielded Coax spectacular. RG214 or RG9/U are choirs as well as Belden 9913 I’m using lmi-400 Coax I had Palmar E noise kits one for amp and one for radio on Coax it changed my SWR no noise reduction I like get best coax perhaps lmi-600 ??? Or ones you listed

N2WQ

Stick with LMR-400. LMR-600 requires non-standard PL259 connectors. I use 600 for all long runs and 400 where flexibility is needed. 600 is very stiff on cold temperatures. Take a look at Jefa Tech. Outstanding coax for the commercial market, made and sold by a ham family. I usually buy the 1000’ spools and add crimp-on connectors.

KL4QG

I’ll check it out Nice place buy Coax I need 125 feet I think i go with Best JEFA 600 with UHF pl-259 males on each end I guess it’s same connectors on my 400 cable I don’t need bend any place