SmartSDR Update; PGXL Firmware Update

Russ Ravella

Has anyone heard any indication that the next SSDR update is nearing completion?  It's been quite a long time and we've been promised that the software staffing shortage was being fixed for quite some time.  And that the new government contract was only going to help the ham side of the business.  Presumably the current situation wouldn't effect progress much since it's natural work-from-home type work.  I wouldn't be surprised if the software team mostly worked from home already.

Here's to hoping it's huge with all effort focused on bug fixes and nothing else.

Same question about the long promised next PGXL firmware update - anyone heard anything more useful than, "shortly" (as I was told dismissively a couple weeks back by a Flex "marketing" person)

Sergey KN7K

crickets...

Simon Nash

I hope a new release is due soon. I have a lot of noise in my urban environment and unfortunately the current software noise mitigation (NB, WNB, and NR) are totally useless in comparison with other transceivers. I am currently considering selling the 6600 and Maestro unless improvements are made sometime soon. 

Joe N3HEE

The fact that this upgrade is taking longer than expected is probably a good thing.  I would much rather a "quality" upgrade twice a year than a "mediocre" upgrade four times a year. I look forward to the upcoming enhancements and bug fixes.  I think we will be quite surprised at what's coming !

HCampbell WB4IVF

Simon, I’d hold off selling your Flex a while.  Improving noise mitigation was the #1 user priority coming out of last year’s user survey, and Flex said they heard the results “loud and clear”.  If they’ve been working on the top priorities, which are not trivial tasks, I can see why there haven’t been updates for a while.  I agree with Joe that the delay in updates may be a good thing.  Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

Howard

[Deleted User]

Hopefully

Bill -VA3WTB

It is tempting sometimes to just give up and sell anything we own, thinking something else is better. I can't count the times people sold their Flex for something better then regretted it later, and came back.
It is possible to find a radio with better noise mitigation yes, but they just can't do other things nearly as well as the Flex in other ways perhaps.

I know the noise mitigation is not fully completed yet in some ways. The WNB is remarkable, no need to change that one. In some cases I find the NB very useful, sometimes. The NR works best set at 1 for me and does tone things down a lot, how ever it has some distortion in it. But on the other hand by adjusting the AGC-T at it's sweet spot does much the same thing without distortion.

I suggest that if anyone is having to much noise trouble it is simply because they are not using the AGC-T correctly. If the AGC-t is set at it's best the Flex receiver is about the quietest receiver on the market. I set mine at the sweet spot then turn the AGC to slow. This makes the receiver noise almost silent when a signal is around S9, then below S9 a little band hiss can be heard more and more as their signal drops further down.

So, with the help of the AGC-T the Flex noise mitigation is no worse than any other radio out there in my opinion. In some cases It it even better.

And as for the next release? I have no inside info on this. I think the holdup is because there are a few things that they feel are important or they really want in this next release, and testing is taking a while longer. Or there is a fix that is complicated and is taking more time to nail it down. All is good.

KC2QMA_John

AutoSave ON/OFF switch please!!!
I like to decide when something is saved.

Mike VE3CKO

WARNING - This response is pure sarcasm and is not meant to educate or be of any benefit to anyone, but I just have to say it.

I heard the updates will be released when they are ready and I also heard that they do not publish any expected release date.

Stay safe, stay home, play radio.

Ria

There is always stuff under active development. Those of us in Alpha cannot disclose what is being developed due to NDA but don't think that Flex are just stopping everything due to the Gov't contract. Not at all. Flex are always committed to their ham customers who are their long time base.