[Lowfer] Flex radio Model 5000

Steve Dove dsp at hifidelity.com
Fri Feb 12 00:02:44 EST 2010


Hi Dick,

(1) They're dead right it needs external 'help' at LF.  It 
starts falling apart below about 1MHz (images, aliases).  The 
SDR-IQ is superior out-of-the-box in that respect, if less 
sensitive.

(2) Don't get me started on trying to use it as a contest 
radio;  the GUI is *way* too squinty and unergonomic for that 
purpose, never mind that it is impossible to use a logging 
program running on the same 'puter and remain sane;  the 
number of times I've typed a callsign into the radio's 
frequency entry, or a frequency into the logging program's 
callsign field  -  you get the idea.

(3) Do not presume you can use an old or second-tier 'puter 
for the radio  -  it *must* be a fast dual-core as a minimum, 
or it *will* hiccup.  The good news is they're cheap now.

(4) Be sure  -  absolutely sure  -  whatever 'puter you use 
has the TI chipset for the (goddam) Firewire, or at best it'll 
hiccup endlessly, or likely just not sync up at all.

(5) If you're not an IT-savvy kinda-guy, you're about to 
become one.

Please don't be put off by this seeming quintuple-barrel 
negativity;  the actual raw performance of the thing is 
breathtaking.  And you will never want to go back to a 
conventional radio again.  Oh, and tuning knobs?  Hah!  Why?

         Cheers,

                 Steve        W3EEE



Dick Goodman wrote:
>     Has anyone had any experience with the Flex 5000 on LF? The manufacturer
> claims it will receive down to 10 KHz but may require third party
> filters/preselectors below 1.8 Mhz. I've downloaded the Power SDR software
> and a few of the wideband WAV files (80 & 20 meter activity). The receiver
> seems quite impressive in regards to filter operation and selectivity ... I
> currently have the SDR-IQ from RF Space. It works quite well down below 400
> KHz. The Flex radio software seems to be a good bit more refined.
> 
> 73
> Dick, WA3USG
> Mechanicsburg, PA.
> 


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