worn lettering

snet0311

Hi community,

have my Flex 6400M now around 9 months in use and have to admit working with the MOX button most of the time. It seems that it's not the way it's supposed to be?

Honestly i expected more from the quality in relation to the price of the radio.

Maybe it's complaining on a high level, but such things are annoing me:

Does something like this have to be?

Never had such a poor qualtity on any other radio in my carreer (40 Y.) and they were all much, much cheaper.

Cheers, Stefan

RFord

Why are you working with the MOX button. Could you provide more information on how you are operating please…

snet0311

Well, that's just the most comfortable way for me. I don't like working with a footswitch or similar.

But that's not the point. I also use the Tune Button, (or whatever) often, and it's obiviously only a question of time when it will loose it's labeling. Flex surley could have done better.

snet0311

Sorry, i forgot to mention that i'm working with a headset and not with the handmike...

Neil D Friedman N3DF

I don’t think that’s normal for the radio. I have frequently used the ATU, Tune and memory buttons for 4.5 years and not a trace of wear over thousands of QSOs. Don’t recall seeing any wear on friends units, either.

snet0311

So, then the quality of the newer radios have changed obviously.

Due to nobody of the flex guys reacted to the post, it is a known issue maybe, but nobody want's to talk about it?

So maybe i'm going to open a ticket as next.

Esspecially for a resale: No one wants to buy a young, used radio with unmarked buttons.

Anyway, thank you for your response.

73'

Mike-VA3MW

I also answered this on Facebook, and just to bring everyone up to speed, I will share the same answer.

This is not normal, and in fact, somewhat rare. That doesn't preclude the fact that this customer still has an issue with his under-warranty device and we advised him to open a support ticket for it to be followed up on correctly.

Odds are, it will have to come in for a Spa day.

Brian K0BUS

Trying to decide it I want to send mine in if I open a ticket.

Mike-VA3MW

I can share my experience from buttons on some of the Avionics from a Flight School I help out with.

About 2 years ago, they started to do exactly this some of the more common buttons.

They finally figured it out. It was related to Covid and all the hand cleaners in use and with some of it as a residual on fingers, it got onto buttons and the chemicals caused the letter etching to fade away.

Just something to consider.

snet0311

Brian, i assume you have a similar problem?

Sending the radio in cause of if this would be a nightmare for me.🥵

Covid. Interesting approach. Always a pleasure to use😉 Well, depending on the material of the surface, you do have to be careful with the cleaner. 

Hand disinfection and hand washing should really not be a problem. Otherwise, the manufacturer has done something wrong, or must react. For this there is at least in the EU a wipe test certification and also in the US for sure.

At least hand disinfection doesn't happen for me and after washing my hands I usually go to eat something and not to the radio 😉 .

For me, simply printing on surfaces always carries the risk of visible wear over time. In this case, even after an extremely short time, with a very frequently used button, although I am far from a 24/7 activity.

snet0311

Posted this already on facebook:

Here's the update, as promised.

Flex responds short and sweet with no further comment:

"The buttons of the front panel need to be replaced".

Means, of course, the Flex needs to be sent in.

Again! Already had a complete replacement, a month after purchase, with over four weeks without the radio.

On the one hand, it is of course great that Flex reacts so quickly and unconventionally (within the warranty!). For this, a big praise and many thanks.

On the other hand, however, not a word of apology for the renewed effort and zero information about the error itself. Do I now have to have the knobs changed every half year, or was it perhaps a quality problem in the batch, or in general? I have my own business and could not "handle" my customers like this in any case.

So, now I may phone or email back and forth a bit until the transport is organized. Good that I have nothing else to do. Maybe it's whining on a high level, but that should fit for the price segment? You will hear out that I am a little annoyed, even if it is "only" about the hobby and there are certainly more important things to worry about at the moment.

Thanks for all the posts and comments. 73', Stefan

Erik Carling EI4KF

There is a Flex service centre in your own country, Stefan. I am sure you must know. Yes an inconvenience but not a long-winded one.

snet0311

Yeah Erik, sure i know. In this case it‘s handled in germany, the one last year via texas. That took a while (6 Weeks)😉

They had to produce a complete new radio, because nothing was in stock😏

VE3DZP

I just spotted this post and my tune button looks the same on my 6600M

snet0311

Gary,

my Flex6400M went to the the service on Friday. The knobs have to be completely replaced.

I‘m afraid they have to be replaced every half a year in the future. If so, i’m going to sell the radio.

I bought the M Version for using the knobs and Buttons, not to look at them.

73‘