What did you do with your Flex-6000 during 2019?

Steve K9ZW

I've written a bit about what I did with my Flex-6000s during 2019 at https://k9zw.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/wrapping-up-2019-at-k9zw/

I've made over 6300 Flex-6000 QSOs during the year, run the radios at several sites, and still found time for work & station building time.

And to be sure I did not push very hard to rack up some QSOs, as I barely operated during many contests or on-air events.  

I'm thinking a fairly large number of my 2019 contacts were actually Flex-to-Flex, but will never actually know.

How did your 2019 go?  I am sure many of you had WAY more contacts for the year and did neat stuff.

Wishing the FlexRadio Community a very Happy New Years!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Blog:  http://k9zw.wordpress.com

James Whiteway

Very few contacts made this year. What little spare time I've had this past year, I have spent messing around getting my homemade software working. Still a long way from being useful. But, it is mainly a learning experience for me anyway. It was never meant to be anything else. But, being an over the road truck driver, there's little time for playing radio. I need to put an HF radio in the big rig. There's always next year! James WD5GWY Oh, I did acquire another Hallicrafters SX-88 for my boat anchor collection!

Pat N6PAT

Finished off WAZ Digital #106 and WAZ SSB 20 Meters #1254

F M

I have a total of 10,000 contacts on FT8 as of this month of Dec 2019

Neil D Friedman N3DF

What did I do with my 6600M in 2019?  I had hundreds of hours of enormous operating fun. 

John - AI4FR

Boat loads of fun!!
 
Made right at 29k QSO’s but did not really get into any contests.
 
Dabbled in the FMT(Frequency measurement Test).
 
Hit my goal of 100k QSO’s for the logbook.
 
Operated the 6700 on 2 meters.
 
Ran the entire station by remote.
 
Made several new friends, both Flex ops and legacy ops.
 
Tons of experimentation.
 
Fully realized that the 6700 is more radio than I have monitor real estate and a radio that takes years to fully understand and grow into.  Gosh, there is so much you can do with this beast and the other 6000 series. We are only limited by our imagination.

Clay N9IO

Great summation John. 73' HNY?

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Finally made DXCC, from a city lot with a dipole and a wire.   It took long enough....

Neal, N6YFM

Joe N3HEE

Made 1000's of contacts via SSB, CW, RTTY & FT8.  Mostly contest related.

Remote contesting and operating via SSDR windows and iOS clients.

Developed a cool touch contol panel using an old iPAD and Touch Portal software.

Developed a web interface to control radio using Node Red software.

Learned allot about Flex API commands over ethernet.

Had lots of fun learning new things and operating!


No other radio platform allows this much user interaction and flexibilty to allow it's users to create and customize their operating experience.

Bob KC9RF

Using a 6600, Expert 1.3 FA amp -Used remote Jan -mid April. -Used field day -Made about 2000 contacts mostly casual SSB and FT-8 -Now running remote for the winter from Texas -Looking at adding a 6400 sometime this year and selling seldom used IC-7300 Having fun with amateur radio since 1975

Bill -VA3WTB

All simple for me here, I turned my 6500 on every single day and talked to friends and made new friends, every day! sometimes going back on the air in the afternoons. So nice that it always started up perfectly and worked as expected every day without a struggle.

WA2SQQ

2019 was a good year for me! Completed WAS on 160m and managed to get up to 62 countries on 160 towards DXCC. I'm optimistic that I'll make 100 in 2020. Considering my relatively small piece of real estate, close proximity to several AM broadcast stations and a modest antenna I definitely feel my 6500 was a big piece of he equation.

Ed / W4POT

I've only had my 6600 since December but managed to make 80 or so contacts with it in 2019.  I used it for the ARRL 10m contest where I operated on phone and also for digital modes chasing new DXCC entities and states for awards.

I also have spent some time listening to ragchewers, shortwave broadcasters, and some utility stuff on HF with it.  All of this has been using SSDR and my PC.  I do have a FlexControl knob that I like as well.

I'm still learning about all of the different software that can be used and how to configure it for multi-slice operation but have been taking notes and building documentation on what fits in with my operating styles.  I've been adding monitors to my PC setup too in order to have more desktop displayed.

Delbert McCord

All I did with my 2 6300's (one at our cabin) I only turned it on to check into the 80 meter net and turned it off as soon as it was over. I had the "Heat / fan issue" so did not want to leave it on and have it happen again. I did finally get the 6400 set up and working so I am looking forward to being able to use listen and make contacts without worrying about it over heating. I got the remote working on my iphone and that is very cool! 
 

K3SF

well approached within one of dxcc honor roll...last one worked was VK0AI. Hunted Norbert the whole time he was on Macquarie Island....

and
the story goes....

Propagation was not the best throughout that year
and
he liked to jump around bands looking for the best
but
best news was he was on FT8
but
it semed that he was running a few watts into a wet noodle
or
so some hams would complain about his weak signal;-) ...

so with my 6600m, i set it up to simultaneously copy four slices of FT8
and
setup the computer to text me whenever he was heard....
months went by before he was even heard here in PA.

then
in Jan 2019 the 6600m stated to hear'em on 30m and 40m
and
then greyline starting to favor me finally....
but
then in March 2019 the resupply ship was getting close
and
his departure was fast approaching
text messages are beeping my cell phone at 3 and 4 am in the morning...
and
my wife was wondering why i was getting alerts to get ****
at 3am....yep...she read Norbert callsign (VK0AI) as V0DKA

with all this early morning(aka late night) activity

Well i did finally work Norbert just before he left and got his lotw with a day

Made my year putting me at 330 worked with 330 confirmed...
Now within one of DXCC HR

i have to say...the 6600m did the heavy lifting by searching four bands at once looking for Norbert....

In Celebration my wife got me a bottle of ****...
which i promptly relabeled as VK0AI...
and
it sits in the shack next to the 6600m

my best adventure using the 6600m

Paul K3SF

John - AI4FR

"Made my year putting me at 330 worked with 330 confirmed..."

Very impressive and well done Paul!!