Aether Feedback Contact Info Request

Russ Ravella

Hello,

Does anyone have contact info for the appropriate place to provide feedback for Aether ? I know there's a fb group but that ain't gonna happen.

Thanks, Russ KR6W

Ha Gei

https://www.aethersdr.com/

https://github.com/aethersdr/AetherSDR

AetherSDR is not a software from Flex even though it makes 500% more worth out of the Radios

Russ Ravella

Right. I’m aware it’s not Flex s/w but it’s discussed a lot here since it’s used with Flex radios. And I’m aware of both those links but can’t find feedback info on either.

Is anyone aware of a feedback contact ?

Thanks, Russ KR6W

Erik Carling EI4KF

I might be wrong but I believe the most efficacious method is with a GitHub account by which you can file feedback reports. The start point is within the AetherSDR itself under Help. This leads to a GitHub support template. Below is a sample for bug but you can have enhancement and in most cases leads to an almost instant response.

W2ECK

I find the most effective way is with DISCORD or if you find a bug or are requesting a new feature , file an issue report via GitHUB process.
But the developers monitor Discord all the time and are very responsive. New feature requests sometimes are rapidly implemented.. The Facebook Group is very helpful also, not sure why u says that’s not working.
Paul w2eck

W2ECK

"AetherSDR is not a software from Flex even though it makes 500% more worth out of the Radios"

As was said above, in an earlier post—

Plus it makes SmartSDR+ and Early Access immediately obsolete. Why pay for a few new features once in a blue moon when with Aether you get all kinds of new features weekly. Just one man's opinion.

73 Paul w2eck

Erik Carling EI4KF

It was Flex Radio's demeaning, duplicitous, disenfranchising and ultimately disastrous decision to saddle their customer base with SmartSDR+ that, in part, led to SDR Client competition. No matter what alternative is chosen, be it AetherSDR, RimuSDR or the soon to be released FlexiSDR, they all make more worth out of the radios compared to SmartSDR.

As for "500%" for AetherSDR, when you take into account that you get the + features in the main, TCI, KiwiSDR on a Panorama with FT8 decoding too, more Spot Lines that are so useful especially in contests, access to DX Cluster, RBN, POTA, EiBi, listeners for WSJTx & JTDX & FreeDV, and the list goes on - 500% is no exaggeration.

No wonder there have not been SmartSDR updates weekly, or monthly or even since 3 June. What can they do? It is dead in the water. Perhaps they will wake up, use the time for R&D, develop more hardware to compliment the existing mostly superb range: a more useful and less expensive Aurora with 200 watts, an updated 6700 8-Slice replacement - maybe even combine the two. Just another man's opinion.

Russ Ravella

Just to clarify, Flex is primarily focused on the server side - the radio's software (its firmware) - not the client side. And only Flex can do this. An example is the modernization of the DAX implementation in the last major update. We want this. It is extremely important. Clients like Aether and RimuSDR, wonderful as they are, can only address the client side. Getting important functionality like modern DAX, IPv6 compatibility and APD can only be done by Flex.

Erik, thanks for pointing out the report link within Aether. I looked directly at that list and missed it entirely ! I just submitted a "bug" report using it (SpotHub's interface for implementation SpotCollector is incorrect) so mission completed. Thanks !

73 Russ KR6W

Trucker

Erik, this from the " Elmer of the Year "? I think you may have gone a little overboard with your comments. While I agree that Flex Radio hasn't exactly been wowing everyone with new updates and features to SmartSDR, like AetherSDR has, I still feel like there are things in the works that we can look forward to. I really like AetherSDR. But, I don't use all of its features. I also like SmartSDR for it's simplicity and ease of use. Several of the things we see in AetherSDR is " eye candy ", and really doesn't add a lot to the basic functions of AetherSDR. The audio chain is nice. But, for me, it's not that useful. I feel like it is overkill for HF audio. Plus, if something goes wrong, tracking down the source of the problem isn't easy. That's why I bypass it. I wonder how development of AetherSDR would have progressed if they didn't use Claude AI to actually write the code? The " developers " of AetherSDR don't write code. They review what Claude AI creates before allowing it to be merged into the main code base. If they actually wrote the code themselves, AetherSDR would most likely not be as far along as it is. In fact, it might not even exist. No disrespect to the group developing AetherSDR. But, I think there is room for Flex Radio's SmartSDR and AetherSDR and having both is a plus for all of us. And I am hoping that Flex Radio ups their game and adds some really good features to SmartSDR. ( before my year of SmartSDR Early Access runs out!!)

James

WD5GWY

Erik Carling EI4KF

As Russ intimates, feedback is important. Kow-tow to Flex and those hopes you have will never come to fruition. There is a groundswell of opinion, in Europe at least, that make my comments seem mild by comparison. I know it is hard to criticize what is home-grown. As for disrespecting my award, well really that has to be the lowest point on this Forum. But just as you have the right to be critical of me, so I have the right to be critical of Flex. And I did say the hardware is superb.

Trucker

Erik, I meant no disrespect to you with my comments. I only wanted to point out how harsh your comments appeared to be to me. ( others may not think so) My comments were not kow-towing to Flex Radio. Much less hoping that they would or could, sway them in such a way that they ( Flex Radio) would somehow be influenced to try and make better improvements to SmartSDR. I have done my share of ragging on them in the past for things that they could have done but, didn't. And I have no illusions that any of my comments, positive or otherwise, would have any influence on their development process or goals.

James

WD5GWY

Mike-VA3MW

Hi Erik,

We want this forum to be a place where people can share honest opinions about our products, including opinions we don't love to hear. Criticism of SmartSDR, our pricing, our update schedule, or our decisions is fair game. We're not writing to you because you were critical.

We're writing because your post on August 21 crossed the line from criticism into personal attacks, and that's not something we can allow to stand.

Here's specifically what didn't work:

1. The language attacked people, not the product.
Words like "demeaning," "duplicitous," and "disenfranchising" aren't describing a business decision. They're accusing the people at FlexRadio of lying to customers and treating them badly on purpose. That's a serious claim about our character, not a review of our software.

2. It read as an attack on the company rather than useful feedback.
Calling SmartSDR "dead in the water" and saying we're "saddling" customers with it isn't feedback we can act on. It's a insult dressed up as an opinion. Compare that to your later paragraph about wanting an updated Aurora or an 8-Slice replacement. That part is useful. That's the kind of comment we want more of.

3. Tone matters as much as content.
You can say "I think SmartSDR has fallen behind and here's why" and make the exact same point without questioning our honesty or motives. The difference between a strong critique and a personal attack usually comes down to word choice, and your word choice this time went too far.

Going forward, we're asking you to keep future posts focused on the product and the facts, not on accusations about our intentions or character. You're clearly knowledgeable and engaged with this hobby, and we'd rather have you in the conversation than not. But posts like this one won't be allowed to stay up if the pattern continues.

Thanks for understanding.