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6x00, MARS, and Regular Amateur Radio

I am not yet a Flex owner. I need to ask some questions before I decide to purchase one...

For background, I currently have an IC-7300 and recently purchased a PTRX-7300 and RSP1a SDR to use as a second receiver. I am not a fan of the latency or the complications in getting this going. Years ago, I built a SoftRock RxTx transceiver and a Genesis G59 w/ 10 W amp. I was seriously put off by the latency of both the SoftRock and the Genesis so I wound up purchasing a K3/P3 combo. When I left the hobby in 2015, I sold almost everything I owned (regretfully it turns out).

1. Can I use the two slices on the 6400 to both transmit and receive voice on one slice and receive data only on a second slice on the same frequency using the first slice to transmit data? Using MS-DMT as my M110 modem, I would like to be able to receive M110 with no audio processing (i.e. NR) but also be able to transmit.

2. Does anyone here use the ALE program ION2G (yes, I will ask this on the ION2G group)? How well does the 6x00 play with ION2G?

3. I know a fairly recent f/w upgrade greatly reduced the latency on the Flex radios. What are opinions on the latency now?

4. I had the second receiver in the K3 but never truly used it. I could have done without it so I see no need for the 6600. The 6600 has been recommended because of it having more slices but, truly, I never used what I had before. I don't even use the PTRX-7300 / RSP1a like that. They generally stay on the same band as the IC-7300.

5. Any QRPers out there? How do you like the 6x00 for QRP? I do dabble and did get my QRP WAS before I left the hobby. I was working on my QRP DXCC at the time and just got tired of "chasing paper."

I may have more questions but those are the ones that come to mind at this time.

I appreciate any and all comments.

Regards,
Joel - W4JBB
Tagged:

Best Answers

  • Gary NC3Z
    Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    I am not MARS but am SHARES op.

    Q1. Yes, I do that on SHARES.

    Q2. Yes it works as well as ION2G works.

    Q3. Set the digital filters latency to manual and low. I am using my 6500 with VarAC and VARA HF which is a ARQ mode and works well.

    Q4. Remember that each slice really acts like it's own radio, with it's own audio path and it's own CAT.

    Gary NC3Z/NCS997

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    Answer ✓

    Q5: RF out is variable from 1% to 100% of full power.

    If you want to go lower than that, you can do from 0dbm to +10dbm by using the transverse port.

Answers

  • Gary NC3Z
    Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭

    I could not answer Q5 as I do not know what QRP is 😁

  • W4JBB
    W4JBB Member ✭✭
    No worries, Gary. To *me*, QRP for digital/CW is 5 W or less.
  • Can anyone share their configuration setup for Ion2g and the Flex 6000 signature series.

    Would live to know how to configure Ion2g for MAC but WINDOWS will work also.

    Thanks.

  • John WA7UAR
    John WA7UAR Member ✭✭✭

    @Arizona Mike — I can help. Please contact me off thread Mike. John WA7UAR via QRZ.com

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