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Flex 6000 vertical chassis card cage layout

Alex_KM5YT
Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
edited April 2020 in New Ideas
I would like to see Flex go to a vertical card cage chassis layout with plug-in boards similar to military gear - to allow "field" repairs, and indicator/diagnostics to permit more trouble-shooting by owners. It would allow pre-stocking of the most trouble-prone sections (boards), and I think would have avoided requiring a return for the PEN upgrade.

I suspect we would have to wait for the 7000 series for something like this to be implemented.
 
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  • Chris DL5NAM
    Chris DL5NAM Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2020
    ... i am stay in Germany but believe me, i can hear the FRS guy's laughter here. Real loud!



  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Do elaborate and share the joke.  Since most military/industrial gear is configured this way - maybe it will be widely appreciated.
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2018
    I hope Steve or Gerald will see your post. It would be interesting to read their response.
  • W5XZ - dan
    W5XZ - dan Member ✭✭
    edited June 2019
    there may be issues with cross-talk using a modular assemblies...just a guess..  73, w5xz, dan

  • Dan -- KC4GO
    Dan -- KC4GO Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    Just a thought, consider that the military pays for that ability. So a 6700 may now go for $15,000  as a 7700 with all new design... :)

    Dan -- KC4GO 
  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Agree with both Dans (W5XZ, KC4GO) - cost would go higher, and yes - risk of cross-talk on the BUS and maybe difficult decisions on how to segment the boards.  I admit I think the Hilberling PT-8000 is "pretty" (pretty expensive, too!). But - eons ago (betraying my era) it used to be possible
    to make repairs on ham gear. SMT technology now makes this close to impossible for the marginally
    equipped, and board-swapping seems the only approach if it is awkward to ship a unit back to Texas.
  • Jon_KF2E
    Jon_KF2E Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Save your box when you buy the radio. You can probably ship it back to the mother ship for less than $50 insured. Lots cheaper than redesigning the radio.

    Jon...kf2e
  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    This solution is not applicable to maritime mobiles and other relatively inaccessible/remote users.
  • lyndy brannen
    lyndy brannen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2015
    If you can have a card delivered to your maritime mobile , relatively inaccessible/remote location , you can ship the radio .
  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Will cheerily agree to disagree with you.
  • John E Blum
    John E Blum Member
    edited February 2015
    why not use a VME chassis and back plane. All ham gear is 30 years out of date with design and software development . Poor software QA and testing , poor written documents, and no bite. SDR 1985-1992 E-systems, package design 1960-1970 , QA and SQA 1960. Extreme costly junk is being sold to ham consumers.
  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    VME was what I had in mind, but (due to non-involvement of late) wasn't sure if there wasn't something n generations beyond.  I don't know (for ex.) what the nicely-done
    Hilberling PT-8000 uses (prob. something German DIN?).
  • Alex_KM5YT
    Alex_KM5YT Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    John - As I read assorted posts, I don't see this issue going away at all!  I see more 
    justification - as both functionality and technology advance ... but appreciate that it's
    something the FRS techvolk aren't at all keen on!  But I think they should bite the bullet and go this way!  Whether I will be able to afford it is orthogonal!

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