Why can't my Flex do all this ? ? ?

AA1SS

Steve Ellington

You mean the audio scope?

David Decoons, wo2x

Why can’t the Sun run remote with panadapter and waterfall from an iPhone?

AA1SS

Dave . . . It can . . . Just sign into your account with your web browser and you're good to go.

Steve . . . I mean the whole package . . . Everything works and works well. Don't need to roll back software because 1 fix breaks 10 other things. Noise blanker, ANF, it all just works.

I still like my Flex but I find it collecting a lot of dust lately.

Pete La

Flex 6000 series radios are very capable, but the company is making too much money on defense contracts to pay any attention to us hams. They say they are going to fix that soon. I have come to the relization that soon means never in Flex speak. New Software = New Radio - - - where and when??? Pie in the sky Flex. Very disappointing

Pete K1OYQ

Doug Wilson

I'm relatively new to Flex and I find my 6600M the most capable and enjoyable radio I've owned after several Icom's and a Yaesu. I've also found Flex support to be very responsive. In addition they attend many ham events. So, I'm not really seeing evidence of "not paying attention to us hams".

Doug N1KB

AA1SS

Doug . . . . You're new to Flex.

They have a bug list as long as my arm and it has been that way for years. The support is fantastic but software updates and bug fixes are few and years in between updates. If there is a bug in say Elecraft it is fixed in days not months or years. Lots of hams I've talked to over the air won't touch a Flex because of this. Thought they may come out with SMARTSDR 4 for the Ohio Event but nope.

They don't listen . . . I guess if the government **** about a bug it would get fixed.

John KB4DU

And most of the fix releases need a fix for the fix. The last significant feature release was 2 years ago.

VE7ATJ_Don

So, to get back to the original topic of the post, what exactly do you think is missing? I see a couple of panadaptors (my 6500 can do 4 at once and the 6400 can do 2). I think I see an audio scope, and while that's not directly available, the Flex does have a multi-band audio equalizer for both RX and TX (separately) and it is possible to zoom in far enough to examine your own and other's audio passband on the signal (I use this all the time to 'fine tune' my audio signal to match requirements such as DX vs. Ragchewing).

The clock is available from a 3rd party (pretty cheap if I remember correctly and there may even be a free version -- and that's not really something I'd expect the RADIO to do :-)).

I'm not sure what the display at top centre (with the vertical bars) is doing. And there are plenty of 3rd party apps for the Flex that will provide all sorts of meters/parameter monitoring. My favorite for temp of the finals, spots, etc. is FRStack.

Butch

There's little doubt Flex software could do many new amazing things if programming manpower was applied to the task, but it's a safe bet that programming efforts have been shifted to commercial avenues. Ever since V3.x was first introduced (years ago), V3.x updates have mainly involved software fixes. I'm thankful to see any SSDR improvements, even if they are just bug fixes.

As for the addition of receive/transmit modulation scopes, tracking software, improved Noise Reduction, improved memory management, etc, if such enhancements are wanted, currently our only option is to turn to after-market hardware and software. That's just the way it is.

If I remember correctly, verbiage in one of the past Insider editions mentioned software changes being developed for the Flex commercial side may eventually trickle down to the amateur side. This is probably be a much better way to pay for expensive programming man hours, compared to trying to recoup programming costs by hoping amateurs cough up $199. In any case, many of us have been waiting a long time to hear something new. It would be nice if the new CEO could update the amateur side with a new Insider update.

Even though most of us continue to wait patiently for software improvements and enhancements, I think Flex and 403A equipment is still pretty darn amazing, and excellent support staff as well.

Butch, KF4HR