Flex is the BEST

[Deleted User]

Well after having Icom radios, Yaesu's latest offering with the FT101, Kenwoods TS890, and anything and everything in between including the Russian MB-1,K3, and an Anan I have to say that I keep getting and going back to the Flex radio's. They are the best out there. Every time I have sold one I say why did I do that?? I now have a 6600 and a 6500 and 2 Maestro's and am sticking with this setup. They just work . . . Thank You Flex for a great product. Just get the bugs fixed.

Steve . . . WW1SS

Brian Denley KB1VBF

I’m with you on that Steve.  My 6400 + Maestro is a big step up from my previous xcvrs.

Johan _ SE3X

I agree 100% with Steve! Very pleased with my 6700 and Maestro I have had for the last 2.5 years. Just the other day I was close to sell and buy either the TS890 or FT101. But finally decided to stay with my Flexradio.

Just give me the On/Off button to switch off the way the profiles work now and I will be the happiest camper you will meet on the bands.  This change Flex made is horribel and I really dislikes it.

Not much was better before .. But profiles sure was!

Neil D Friedman N3DF

A month away from marking two years of great operating pleasure with my 6600M.  Almost as much fun as my Novice year 55 years ago.  Still looking for the plate dip control. 

Bill -VA3WTB

It is part of being human. We get used to our radios over time. We start to discard what our radios really can do and what it takes to make them happen. We take them for granted not realizing just how good they are. I am amazed when I see people who claim to have spent most their lives working in tech or software scoffing at Multi Flex features as if it's just another feature. Not realizing the crazy complications involved and the head spinning technology it uses to make it happen. It is no small task. That is likely why Flex is the only company able to do it.

But we do get to a place were our radios seem blaa because we use it every day, and when we move on to something else, we realize what we had.

Doug

I love my Flex but the Multi Flex is not a wanted or needed feature for me or many others. I talk to 3 or 4 other Flex owners in my group and only one bought into it. After he did I asked WHY and his answer was I dunno I won't use it ! IMHO it was developed for the contest folks which is well and good but it's not for everyone. I feel like Flex could and should have spent their time on other needs it would have severed many more users.. Other updates also would have put much more dollars in the kitty with these useful updates for the mast of users.

Bill -VA3WTB

Doug, or others,,,I myself chose not to upgrade to V3 because I don't use Multi Flex as of yet. How ever I have come to understand why It was a must, or very needed for the future of the Flex systems.
This feature is in keeping with the future direction of Flex. When the 6000 radios were being designed, the hardware was chosen so the radio can do this in the future witch is now.
This feature is just the start of this technology development. V3 is the beginning.

To say that the feature is mostly for contesting is simply not true. At first it seems so but lately many people have found interesting ways to use it outside of contesting. Such as radio sharing. There is a group thinking of organizing to let people know their radio is available to log into so they can chose any of the radios to work from any were in the world. And letting elderly people shut in without being able to use an outdoor ant to get on HF. Or even those that can't **** an antenna at all. they can now just log in and work, create their own profiles if they are planning to operate that radio often.
Ham radio clubs with a 6700 were other members can log on and share the transmitter or they can all have their own receiver to listen. Any 8 of them. As Flex works on this maybe several stations will be able to log on and share the radio.

I read were people love the idea of not having to close out SSDR on the main computer before opening it somewhere else. People leaving for the office don't need to worry about that any more if they forget to stop the home client before opening it up at work. Many are doing it.

The main point is, this is an evolving technology that will help separate Flex from other companies that can not do this with their hardware. Perhaps they can, but will they be will to invest?
Even though you and I have talked to others that think this feature is nothing but a wast for Flex because they personally don't use it, I think It is very short sited not to see the implications it has for Flex in the future.

K3SF

Hi All

well i have been enjoying my 6600m with multi-flex...
although the whole 'profile' issue has indeed caused me issues at times
but
i treat my flex like any other  complex systems i have or even built, i go thru a pre-flight checklist before takeoff
and
i do backups of backups of backups.....



my main use for multi-flex has been to maximized my radio time...

i leave the radio on doing some FT8 band surveys most of the time
or even cwskimmer...
letting it and the computers look for new ones
i may or may not be in the shack at the time when a new one for a band may show up...

and

at other times it maybe still collecting band data while i am out walking the dog, running errands or whatever takes away from home and
at the same time, i can log in remotely do some net monitoring, chat away or if i am waiting for the wife to finish up a 'short' shopping trip, work some FT8 from the car...

and
all the while the radio is still at home collecting band data so i know what bands are open or what new one i need are still on the band

i'll say this about working mobil..i sure beats worrying about the huge HF antenna i used to have hanging all over my car and letting the hf rig bake in the summer sun and the freezing cold of winters...
and
the wife likes the NO high profile radio stuff in the mobil....

i have taken advantage of all four slices of the 6600m by running VM windows or running native mac apps ....or both....

although i do get into contests..i do it just for the fun and not for a score...i set my own goals ...like work dxcc over a weekend
or see what i can work just running qrp or only use a dipole...or something else that sparks an interest or a challenge at the time...

but
i am a avid dx hunter...being just one short of dxcc honor roll

i have been a ham since 1962 at the age of 14...ham radio got me interesting in engineering and propelled my career doing work for the INTEL community for over 35 years....

my motto
'the use of my flex radio is only bounded by my imagination'

hope to hear (or even see) you all on the bands

Paul K3SF

Santiago Mejia HI8O

I´ve used a Yaesu 757, an Icom 756Pro, and Icom 7000, a Yaesu 897 and lately an Icom 7300 when I purchased my Flex 6300 back in June 2019 and I will only say that now the 7300 is my backup radio (and haven´ turned it on since July). 

I am very happy with my Flex and glad I changed, even if I only been using it less than 25% of its functionalities and capacity (slow learning curve for me), but everyday I get to learn new things and still amazed. 

If I have the chance, I will never use another radio brand and the 6300 will be the first of many Flex for me.

Santiago

Santiago Mejia HI8O

Nice set up Paul. Congrats.

Bill -VA3WTB

I am amazed at some of the things these guys do with their Flexes. I can't get my head around half this stuff. But I read, and keep wondering, what the____ and how are they doing that again?

David Decoons, wo2x

I use MultiFlex to help introduce others to the world of Flex Radio.

This weekend my friend in Hawaii is connecting to my station in NJ simultaneously with me to help introduce him to the new Flex (he has a 5k).

He plans to get a preloved 6500. The idea is we can operate each other’s station and have some fun together.

Another friend in FL uses his friend’s radio in MA and they can both get on the morning sched sharing one radio on the same frequency.

Not everyone will use MultiFlex but it does open up new possibilities.

Dave wo2x

Clay N9IO

I myself have never really been drawn to remoting. Maybe one day in the future.
The enhancements in the shack such as smart control of my Maestro along with a full SSDR screen is what I had wished for from the first talk of version 3.
So I'm very happy.
BTW Steve thanks for starting this thread, it's refreshing OM.