Hi All,
I was talking to the guys from Flex this weekend at the ARRL Centennial convention the subject was brought up about future ability to be able to right click RX filters per mode and customize and save them. PowerSDR had this feature. For example, edit the 1.6K button, rename it to 2.0K and change the low cut and high cut to 300/2300 Hz.
I'd like to see how much interest there is in this ability. I know I would like to have different filter buttons than the default six buttons.
Dave, wo2x
David Decoons wo2x, Elmer
- 1234 Posts
- 263 Reply Likes
- Happy.
Posted 5 years ago
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
- 4074 Posts
- 1268 Reply Likes
- 271 Posts
- 30 Reply Likes
Lee, Elmer
- 677 Posts
- 285 Reply Likes
73 W9OY
- 305 Posts
- 76 Reply Likes
that I used.
Ned, K1nj
- 318 Posts
- 88 Reply Likes
Paul Christensen, W9AC, Elmer
- 322 Posts
- 138 Reply Likes
> "I like to listen to a low "growl" of the background with the CW signal standing out in contrast at around 400-450 hz. Adjusting the IF shift becomes less and less effective (or even noticeable) as the filter width drops below 250 hz because the IF bandwidth itself is so narrow that the contrast between the pitch of the background noise and the CW note becomes negligible."
Charles,
I do the same here for CW widths that exceed about 500 Hz. On larger CW widths, I always pull the lower skirt to the CW offset frequency -- in my case it's 600 Hz. This ensures "single signal" reception so that close-in signals on opposite side of the center frequency are fully suppressed. Also, by setting the lower skirt to the offset, the full CW audio background is maintained. (i.e., the growl you mentioned).
Paul, W9AC
- 1787 Posts
- 622 Reply Likes
I did some more experimenting and made a short video. The setup is 2 slices with one set for a 50 HZ filter and the other set for a 10 HZ filter. There is a carrier at 14.016.8
First - the 50 HZ slice will move up and over the carrier so you can hear when the signal first is heard and when it stops being heard. It then rests at a frequency a little below where you first hear the carrier and the sound is muted.
Second - the 10 HZ filter is un-muted and moved up and over the carrier. You will notice although the BLUE filter line is much narrower, the sound starts and stops at the same locations as the 50 HZ filter.
Does this support the theory that the 10 HZ filter is still 50 HZ wide? And that only the display is 10 HZ wide? Thoughts?
Regards, Al / NN4ZZ
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
- 4074 Posts
- 1267 Reply Likes
- 426 Posts
- 97 Reply Likes
Watch the S meter closely. In both cases it rises as you approach the carrier, holds steady across the blue, drops as you move away from the carrier. From much earlier conversations you can view the skirts of the filter and watch the AGC function.
The filter top (blue portion for 10 or 50Hz) is flat and the skirts are the same on either pass.
I am impressed with how well this filter functions. Steve has said the filters could be made sharper at the expense of more delay. Not necessary in my opinion. Perhaps the mathematicians and coders can improve the skirts; but it can wait, at least after NB.
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
- 4074 Posts
- 1267 Reply Likes
- 42 Posts
- 2 Reply Likes
Peter G4BIM
- 426 Posts
- 97 Reply Likes
At 10Hz the slope of the filter sides is the main factor. On a solid carrier you can see the signal strength decrease as you pass the carrier out of the bandwidth.
Oh the joy of 1Hz tuning and a 10Hz filter. Quite some rig to have such control.
Now I notice the keying modulation on a CW signal (why I said a solid carrier above because the keying sideband affects the signal strength as I tune across an sending CW signal)
Lee, Elmer
- 677 Posts
- 285 Reply Likes
73 W9OY
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
- 4070 Posts
- 1267 Reply Likes
I am really looking forward to customizable filter buttons. I would gladly lose the widest one or two CW filters and add a 25 Hz at the other end. I hardly ever use anything even as wide as 400Hz, but then I am seldom on the receiving end of a CW pileup, or running a frequency during a contest. (This may change when my tower and Log Periodic go online!)
- 305 Posts
- 76 Reply Likes
Just updated to 1.2.17 to see if it would make a difference.
However I still cannot drag the filter so that the number in the middle of
the bottom of the tuning trapezoid to less than 50. Are you both able to
do that with your 6500 and 6300?
Ned, K1NJ
- 305 Posts
- 76 Reply Likes
of moving the mouse up/down at the base of the filter center line. All OK.
Ned, K1NJ
- 318 Posts
- 88 Reply Likes
That's what I was trying to say. Not a lot of readers are goint to know what we are talking about unless they are CW veterans of PBT or IF Shift. Thought I would just mention saving IF offset with the filters as a possibility, I doubt that this will get any traction among the faithful.
- 300 Posts
- 49 Reply Likes
The ability to custom the default RX bandwidth filters would a great help. I would like to change the SSB low from the 100 default to something more in the 200-300 range. I find that to help improve intelligibility of many stations that have too much bass/lows in the audio. I have tried the EQ but find cutting at the source best.
- 606 Posts
- 212 Reply Likes
These are the kind of simple features we are all waiting for.
Already looks like a lot of votes at the top of the page.
Peter K1PGV, Elmer
- 541 Posts
- 315 Reply Likes
Peter
K1PGV
- 291 Posts
- 126 Reply Likes
2 years have past, why is this obvious feature and clear user benefit getting knocked back in preference to other very minor tweaks?
- 606 Posts
- 212 Reply Likes
Please remember to vote at top of page if you like this idea.
- 339 Posts
- 68 Reply Likes
Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5gpcTVs7PtoYnVaUUxoY0RiSnM/view?usp=sharing
I have included the link for Spectrum Lab Software latest version.
- 1077 Posts
- 227 Reply Likes
That said what brought me here was functionality of my new 6600M. I probably should start a new thread but will add it here unless told otherwise. Toggling through 8 filters on the BW select on the new radios (and Maestro) does not work well. That's to many filters and if you go past the one you want you have click 6 or 7 times to get back. Typically 3 filters is enough and some might argue they want 4 of their choice.
I would like it see a press and hold on the filters so you can choose knob delectable filters.
In the photoshop below I added a tab on the corner of the filter but could be a star or anything else.
I am sue there will be a lot of changes in the future with the "M" interface as the amount of users is going to dramatically increase but I think thinks would be a great addition.
Rich

- 354 Posts
- 104 Reply Likes
- 1077 Posts
- 227 Reply Likes
Not only is that feature available, its exactly what I photo shopped.
OK, I better get the manual out again :)
Sorry for the waste of bandwidth. And yes, I still want programmable filters.
Rich
- 606 Posts
- 212 Reply Likes
At
this point I have giving up on waiting for new features in SSDR I
just take them as they come.
At the current pace that SSDR is being developed it may be 4
to 8
years before SSDR has a feature set including so many of these basic
features.
Now
don't get me wrong what FRS has achieved with SDR radio is nothing
less than remarkable and
what SSDR and
the 6000 series
does today it does very well. I like many of you know that the 6000
platform are the finest radios available today.
My
hope now is after the dust settles with the launch of the new
radios and amplifier that FRS puts a lot more resources into SSDR
development.
Tim - W4TME, Customer Experience Manager
- 9153 Posts
- 3496 Reply Likes
- 1077 Posts
- 226 Reply Likes
I personally think Flex has the best thing going for HF radio. But, I doubt anyone will argue that some updates don't come as fast as we would like.
That said, I sure hope we don't lose the small company feel and support that we currently have if they grow large enough to handle the above mentioned updates.
It's often hard to have both. I am still bitter over large company treatment from Yaesu on a FT-980 in the mid 80s and have never bought another of their products since.
Rich
- 104 Posts
- 31 Reply Likes
- 1077 Posts
- 227 Reply Likes
I could only find a single reference on how to custom set the filters that are selectable via the knob under "HOW TO OPERATE SINGLE SIDEBAND MODE (SSB)" and did not see it under CW or any other mode.
It seems the most appropriate place to have this info (which is where I looked) is here.
Rich

Tim - W4TME, Customer Experience Manager
- 9153 Posts
- 3497 Reply Likes
- 354 Posts
- 104 Reply Likes
- 86 Posts
- 20 Reply Likes
- 191 Posts
- 30 Reply Likes
- 291 Posts
- 126 Reply Likes
me too. One of the reasons I downgraded to 2 x Flex 3000 was to get this important feature back.
- 822 Posts
- 132 Reply Likes
- 16 Posts
- 5 Reply Likes
Add me to this list also. I miss the ability to customize filters like I once could on my F5000.
73, Mark