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Just upgraded to 6500

WA2SQQ
WA2SQQ Member ✭✭
Last night I purchased a 6500 from a friend who upgraded to the 6700. What an improvement from my Flex 5000! As an avid medium and shortwave listener I was often disappointed by the 5000's performance below 530 khz. Last night, from NJ, I was copying NDB's from Puerto Rico to Northern Canada! On the amateur bands I discovered that my  ICE filter that was required on 160m (due to my proximity to 50KW broadcast stations) is no longer required! 6M receive performs better than my 5K with the external preamp! Just as the 5K increased my "radio activity", the 6500 is a real booster shot of enthusiasm. Can't wait for 1.4 to come out! Good job guys :-)

Comments

  • Jim Hawkins / K2JHV
    edited February 2015
    Hi Bob,

    I upgraded from the 3000 to 6500 last year.  Another thing you will find as a very important upgrade for phone is the speech processor, invented by David Hershberger.  It uses a technique called Controlled Envelope Single Side Band.  It is far easier to use than the leveler and numerous controls on the Power SDR (attack time, decay time, quitting time, miller time, etc).  You will get virtually distortion free compression and a huge improvement on the overall sound power without disturbing you EQ.
    See: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QEX_Next_Issue/2014/Nov-Dec_2014/Hershberger_QEX_11_14.pdf
    The expander "DEXP" is also excellent as a noise gate.

    73, Jim (Former WA2WHV - broadcast transmitter website)

  • Ken - NM9P
    Ken - NM9P Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Congrats to both of you!  I love my 6500, having gotten it in August 2013.  I Got started in January 2013 with a Christmas-present 1500 and I love both of my Flexes.

    Jim is correct about the improved Transmit audio chain, EQ and Processor.  Several of us have made posts about how to get the biggest **** out of them.  The key is getting the EQ right, then setting the mike gain and DEXP, and adding to correct amount of Processor for the intended task.

    Transmit Profiles makes it easy to tailor both Rag-Chew and DX profiles with effective bandwidth, Equalization and Processing.  Please read some of these posts to get a good background.  I would be glad to help demo and adjust your audio if you need it.

    Welcome to the cutting edge!

    Ken - NM9P
  • AE0MW
    AE0MW Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Ken, can you point me to the documents on properly setting the SmartSDR audio chain? I found the old PowerSDR one very helpful but for some reason I haven't found the SmartSDR one and I would like to run through the proper setup.
  • Ken - NM9P
    Ken - NM9P Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Here are a few:
    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/how_to_set_up_a_pr_781_with_the_flex_6000

    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/best_eq_for_heilsound_hc_6
    A good back and forth between some of us on various audio qualities and frequencies.

    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/heil-hm-12-mike-adjustment-6300

    Those who love good audio can be passionate about it, but also very helpful to others in the end.  And the Flex SDR's of both varieties can have some very excellent audio.

    The bottom line... 
    1) Begin with PROC OFF.
    2) Decide how wide you want to be.  I suggest that you go from about 100-3000 for Rag Chew.  (A little lower if you are into Bigger Bass sound).  Go from about 200-2900 for DX/Weak Signal, depending upon your voice.  If you are into ESSB, the sky's the limit, but please keep it to the "standard" ESSB frequencies.
    3) Adjust your mike level so that your Level meter stays below 0 dB at all times, even in your "Excited DX Pileup" voice..
    3) Adjust your TX EQ so that your audio sounds the way you want it to.  Zooming your panadapter can help you visualize your Transmit audio spectrum.,  But be sure that you have the Display>Weighted Average turned ON.
    4) Recheck the Level meter to make sure that EQ adjustments have not pushed your input level over the top.
    5) Then turn PROC ON and set to the desired level...Norm or DX for Rag Chew.  DX or DX+ for more punch.
    6) When you turn your processor ON, you shouldn't need to readjust your Level setting.  The compressor takes care of that.

    There are some more papers published about the various frequencies on the EQ and what effect they have on your sound as you add/subtract  various frequency bands.
    I couldn't find them this evening.  I will look again tomorrow.

    The best advice is to listen to yourself on another receiver.  Better yet, record yourself and play it back.  If you just use your monitor function, you will not get a totally accurate picture of your sound.  If you listen live with headphones, you will hear more through the **** conduction in your head and not as much through the other receiver.
    BTW.  You can do much of these adjustments with the power turned to '1' and sending into a dummy load.  The sound is virtually the same at 1 as it is at 100 watts.  

    Good luck.  I hope this helps.

    Ken - NM9P

  • AE0MW
    AE0MW Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Thanks Ken, this will be very helpful!

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