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6000 First Year of Operation

Bill Billingsley
Bill Billingsley Member
edited July 2019 in Amateur Radio Interests
I went QRV with my 6000 on 14 Feb 18. It was ordered at Dayton in May 2017. In the first 81 days of operation it had two HW failures requiring the unit's return to Austin.  Good customer service.  Since that time, it has been rock solid.  In the first year I made 9,774 QSOs.

I am a CW operator, who is a DXer (when the bands are open), a rag chewer, and a casual contester. I join one SSB net a week. I run v2.3.9. I have a decent antenna system for 160m- 6m.  My 6600 interfaced easily with my Expert 2k-fa.  I sold an IC-7700 to buy the 6600. I am not interested in remote ops to answer recent poll requests

I only got irritated one time with comments on this circuit. During the discussion on v3, one EU contester made the statement that a non-contester shouldn't waste his money on a Flex. That resulted in a few under breathe comments best summed up in English word 'Pshaw'.  Why shouldn't a simple cw rag chewer enjoy the best S/N ratio that he can get, diversity reception, a tunable AGC-T so that he can basically take cw on FM and a multi slice pan adapter to watch the bands with. A RX equalizer that gives him another audio filter. The expandable pan adapter makes a DX pile a breeze. My IC-7700 only showed me a big blob on its pan adapter. While contest ergometics is important to him, the above is important to me.

I won the CWops 2018 Rag Chew Award with this 6600.

This is my first Flex product and I truly have enjoyed it.  I look forward to v2.5. Many thanks to WS7M for helping out a Flex newbie.

Bill, N5IR
CWops, HSC, BUG, SKCC







Comments

  • John - AI4FR
    John - AI4FR Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
    I'll second that concerning WS7M and the Flex. Both are amazing. I've had my used 6700 for 9 months now and have 16,974 QSO's under my belt with it. I wasn't really sure if I would like a rig with no knobs but after using it a while there is no going back.
  • Gene Duprey
    Gene Duprey Member ✭✭
    edited February 2019
    I have only had my 6500 for 3 months, and am thoroughly happy with it.  I have not turned on my Icom 775DSP since.  Will be selling the 775 DSP sometime soon.  I am keeping my Collins S-Line though, as I do use it from time to time.

    Gene
  • Gary L. Robinson
    Gary L. Robinson Member ✭✭
    edited February 2019
    I have been running Flex 6000 series for 3+ years.  I am a ragchewer and casual DXer - period.  Contests and paper collection bore me to tears.  And I love my 6400 (as I also loved my 6300.)  I don't miss knobs, etc. and will NEVER go back to analog unless I have no choice.

    If I could afford it, I would buy a backup rig - but only if it is SDR and preferably made by Flex. 

    I have friends, though, who would never trade their "knob" radios for SDR.  Vive la difference ...

    ---Gary WB8ROL
  • Mark_WS7M
    Mark_WS7M Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    Bill, John, thanks for the mentions guys but you guys did this yourself!

    The radio is a paradigm shift but it will greatly reward the operator that takes the time to adjust and learn it.   If you come into a Flex Radio thinking it will be like any other radio you order from the Big Three then you are likely to suffer frustrations!

    I have a Yaesu FT-991A.  I think I turn it on once a week for 2m.  Used it once on HF but so addicted to the Flex I finally did get a backup Flex.   I have a 6600, a 6300 (the backup) and a Maestro know.  But 95% of the time I use the 6600 with SSDR and FlexLogger.

    Bill that is fantastic you won CWOPs    I am pretty sure we've worked a few times during CWT but recently my op time has been limited.  I get a few minutes in the mornings then Saturday and Sunday but I've been busy on those days with FlexLogger.   

    But joining the praise here!   I QSO with a few Anan 8000 ops and they all tell me to ditch my Flex.  But when I tell them I'm on my iPhone from Starbucks and I can completely control my radio, hold the QSO and control my amp they shutup pretty quick.

    The Anan is a good radio but talk about a radio where you have to nit pick every detail to get it to work...

    Anyway great job Flex!
  • Steven WA8Y
    Steven WA8Y Member ✭✭
    edited February 2019
    I have also enjoyed my Flex 6600 and Maestro. It has enhanced my remote operating experience both, visually and audibly. Looking forward to version 2.5 as well.

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