To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade

Steve W6SDM

For someone who's got a 6300, not using remote, and not using Maestro, what are the advantages, if any, for upgrading to SSDR 3.x?

John KB4DU

Minimal. The main feature of 3.x is multi-flex, with 2 ops accessing the radio at the same time, local or remote. If the version installed on the radio is working ok, probably best to just stick with it.

Steve W6SDM

Thanks, John. From what I've read, I was pretty sure that was the case but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something.

73,

Steve

bahillen

Steve,

I would add another aspect of upgrading to version 3.2.39.

The cost of software development is very big part of the cost of technology. So supporting the software development provides for the future performance and features we look for and complain about not having. My opinion is contributing to that support is good for the Flex Community.

The Flex is actually a network server with communication interfaces. The multiflex upgrade expands the networking capability by explicitly defining data and process in the CPU.

Any hobby has cost, ham radio does as well. The swap meets are full of hardware that were cost as hams tried to keep up with the technology. $200 may be a significant cost to you or may not. Only you can answer that. Buying a new radio does have a significant cost.

At some point in time you may want some aspect of the new version and open up a new avenue. When you have the capability and learn how to use it you may be surprised what it can provide. As an example, for me, my shack is in my man cave. I take my laptop upstairs and follow a TV program while participating in a net or looking for DX.

To some degree V3.x has been a test bed for a pretty major architectural development. V3.2.39 has been stable and I suspect Flex has learned a lot about the implementation.

Back to your original question Flex has committed to supporting past versions and has done so pretty effectively it appears. If you do upgrade nothing will change to the best of my knowledge unlike other upgrades we see from our phones to Microsoft. This upgrade is not like an OMG I have to learn all this new stuff before getting back on the air. As you want you can try the capabilities a little at a time.

Versions have been emotional discussions as seen with Windows versions going back before XP. Flex owners are no different in that regard.

Your choice.

73

Bill W9JJB