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ATU high SWR software bug

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Comments

  • OH6OKSA
    OH6OKSA Member
    edited May 2020
    Thanks to everyone on their comments,

    I just pulled trigger on fully loaded TS-890S with SP-890 speaker do to these issues (I was going with 6600)...There would been many things I like on Flex since I have played with SDR receivers since day one they came to hacklabs...but if I need worry from day one I get new radio...I am not ready for that. Flex has great remote possibilities and there is best OSX software availibility for Flex (specially when I am alredy using MacLogger from Dog Park Software). I agree Ken on supportive and dedicated people. But since I live here in Finland and we dont even have official distributor/service center here...this would been too long strech at this point. I look forward seeing this issues fixed.

    Be safe and stay at your hamsacks,

    73 de OH6OKSA
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Once you start using an amp, the problem "goes away" given that with an amp, any antenna tuner you use needs to be downstream of the radio and amp and the onboard ATU becomes redundant. I have a 6600 with ATU but it sits in bypass mode. It's not desirable, but even without an amp, an external ATU is not a bad thing. Purchase a 6600 without the onboard ATU and you will likely save a bunch a bucks.
  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    I'm another one that doesn't like to hear ATU relays being beat into submission, so the ATU in my 6700 is always in Bypass.  Instead I use two Palstar HF-Auto units, on one each of the PG-XL outputs. 
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    +1 on the HF-Auto! 
  • Arvind Mallya
    Arvind Mallya Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Anyone know what is the "ATU not working " resolution? Just yesterday I could get it to tune with a few repeated pushes but not today. What are people doing till we have a resolution? I will get a ticket going but I understand there are Flex support people on this site. Well looks like I'm back to my Flex 5000A for the interim.
  • Dale - AE6DS
    Dale - AE6DS Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    As a new flex owner, I put the atu in bypass after the first day and purchased an LDG auto tuner. In hindsight I would not have bothered with the Flex ATU given how painless the LDG and Palstar ATs are. (I was coming from Elecraft rigs where tuning an action not automatic and had reservations about automatic tuning being always on)
  • Ken AG2K
    Ken AG2K Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Arvind, The only solution I know of is to revert to ver. 2.4.9. That is the last version that has it working properly. Unfortunately you loose all the features that Ver. 3.x has. In addition you loose the latest fix for the corruption of the SD card which is only available for Ver. 3.x at this point. Unfortunately Flex policy is not to comment on any aspect of software fixes, features or expect delivery time frames.  
    Keep us posted on the community if you are able to get any additional information. Good luck
    Ken
    AG2K

  • Harold Rosee
    Harold Rosee Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Here is the real problem with this and other issues that come up.

    Flex radio is not transparent with it's customers.

    The tuner have not been working for a long time.  Way too long for a major piece of the hardware not to be working.  If Flex would just say what is wrong and give a status of why it's taking so long to fix it I would be good with that.

    By not saying anything it makes me think they don't know what is wrong or how to fix it.  I was really surprised that the latest release did not have the fix for the tuner.

    If it was a software bug of a function with a work around that would be one thing.  But it's a major part of the hardware that is not working.

    All I can say is the rest of the radio is superior to any other radio I have ever used or I would be going with something else.  My 6600M is just too easy to interface with the digital modes.It's a fun radio to operate. I guess I have been lucky with Windows 10.  I have upgraded computers 3 times since using Windows 10 and never had an issue.

    So for those reason I put up with the tuner not working.  I use external tuners with my amps. If I was not running a amp with an external tuner I would be very upset with Flex.

    In summary, it's a very poor way to treat your customers.

    Harold
    W5ZZT
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    It would be nice if Flex would say something more often about why and so forth. But they are not likely to say much unless there is something really important to tell us.
    Are we surprised that a fix for the tuner was not included in this maintenance release? Perhaps, but lets look at what we understand about this sort of thing.

    It is clear that this release was considered a critical release, and had the highest level of need. The reason is that a failing SD card would prevent the radio from not working, this is considered a critical fix.

    We know that a critical release takes over any release that is not considered critical. Such as fixing the ATU problem. I know, for some they depend on the ATU so they can use the radio and that seems critical to them, but it does not stop the radio from working, just that it does not tune properly.

    So simply put, this critical release could not wait and shoved any other fixes back. 
  • Harold Rosee
    Harold Rosee Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Bill,

    This is not towards you personally but in my working days in IT management role if I responded like Flex does I was told I was just giving excuses.  That seems to be what I see most of the time.

    Not sharing what is going on with the tuner is just plain not right.  That's all there is to it.  Anything else said is just an excuse and insulting to this community..

    I believe you work for Flex.  Can you tell us what the status of this fix is?  If not you, then who?

    I don't think it's too much to ask.  Do you?

    Harold
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Harold, every time I simply re state something already said by Flex, people think I work for them, although that may be an idea if they find something for me to do from home here..lol But everything I say are just repeats from Flex statements.

    Perhaps someone will take a few moments to give an update on the ATU fix. Who knows,, I sure don't. Oh here is another bit of info for you, It is in progress. 
  • KT4XN
    KT4XN Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Just upgraded to 2.6.2 and tested the ATU function.  No joy, apparently Flex does not see this as an issue.  The writeup on the fixes does not include any comments on the ATU.  Poor support at best

  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    @Harold Flex used to post a timeline back in 2012 but as soon as Flex missed a date th Trolls attacked and the community became toxic so Flex stopped talking about future releases until they are released. Blame the Trolls for lack of info
  • Harold Rosee
    Harold Rosee Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Howard,

    This will be my last comment on this subject.  As I said I don't even use the tuner so from that standpoint it doesn't matter to me if the tuner works or not.  The only reason I chime in is because there has been other software defects that I would like to see fixed that are treated the same way.

    You can't blame what you call the trolls.  Flex is a business.  If they publish a date they should meet it.  I would hope they use the "under promise, over deliver" way of estimating. They should know by now how long it will take them to code something.  They have been doing this a long time.  I am retired now but spent 30 years in the software business.  It was in the mainframe world but still the same concepts on how you do business.

    The tuner has not worked in a long time.  There is just no excuse.  There is really nothing else to say except it's still the best radio I have ever had in my over 50 years of being in the hobby.  I'm just glad I don't need the tuner to work.

    Harold


  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    @Harold I have been designing and building computer hardware/software systems since 1958. While it may be possible to predict how long it would take to modify a mainframe accounting system, it’s not so easy to predict a real world hardware system involving “science projects”. I could give you myriad examples where dates slipped because the real world hardware did not act linearly like the software expected. And it took time to understand the real world. Flex has a list of bugs that they work on each with its own priority. Some like the SD card corruption issue are high priority because they affect everyone. Others like the ATU or SSB Squelch are obviously lower priority because the affect few. How Flex sets priorities is beyond my ken.
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Im not sure why you would have done this... This whole thread is based on the fact that current versions still have the issue. 2.4.9 as documented above works and if it is critical for you, run this version. 
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    No. RF in the shack and cheap hubs cause network issues.
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    KT4XN, To be clear here, Flex said that a fix for the ATU is in progress. This last update was critical, meaning it fixed things that will stop your radio from working.
    It is simply not true that Flex does not consider the ATU as important.
    There are no comments on the ATU in this release because the ATU was not addressed in this release.
  • WA2SQQ
    WA2SQQ Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    What's not happening speaks much louder that what is happening. Brand loyal cvustomers is like your teeth - ignore them and they will go away!
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Other than telling customers that it is in progress, meaning it is being worked on, what other info do people want?
  • Erika - KØDD
    Erika - KØDD Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    v 3.2.1
  • Arvind Mallya
    Arvind Mallya Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Dwayne, I did not know a friend of mine was helping me with LoTW and a logging software and he asked me to upgrade. After upgrade I saw the problem and found others had the same

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