[SFDXA] Flex 6700 at Visalia

[Mickey Baker]

Maybe they're getting close to actually shipping one of these. I've had one
on order for 11 months...

73,

Mickey N4MB


On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 11:04 AM, Bill <bmarx at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> From Bill NA2M:
>
>
> From the FlexEdge reflector
> The video opens with 2 panadapters running on 20 & 17 Meters with multiple
> receivers on a a band.
> Not PC computer processing of the signals, just used for display. All
> processing in the box.
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:28:54 -0500
> From: "Dr. Howard S. White" <drpaper at kleega.com <mailto:drpaper at kleega.com
> >>
>
> Subject: [FlexEdge] Visalia DX Conference - Youtube Video - Flex 6700
> inAction
>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I have posted a video of the Visalia DX Convention with the First Public
> Demonstration of the Flex 6700
>
> http://youtu.be/vLXjL6hoIYg
>
> Not too much about the Convention but mostly the radio in operation...
>
> The Flex 6700 radio was definitely working but clearly it was a beta test
> unit.
>
> I did manage to crash the software at least once and many features are yet
> to be fully operational.
>
> For the uninitiated... the radio software is now a simple browse that does
> NOT need a major computer system
> All the processing is now done inside the radio with its own computer
> power...
> it should even ultimately be able to run on your iPad or other simple
> device...
>
> Interestingly it was interfaced directly to N1MM Contest Logger, a SteppIR
> DB-18 and an Alpha 9500 so it clearly was set up for contesting.
> While I am not the contest Ultra Maven... I personally found the clean
> simple interface much more intuitive for contesting than my Flex 5000
> as you really never need to have your hands leave the logger keyboard.  I
> can see where the Flex will finally be more than competitive, if not excel
> the K3 for contests.
>
> In spite of the limitations of the beta test software, the receiver
> performance was astounding.
> It appeared that the radio was hearing down to -142dBm (or about S0 - 15db
> or almost 2 ? S Units below S0)
> BUT what was more astounding was that they introduced DSP gain into the
> system so that it could hear down to -149 dBm or about the phase noise
> levels.  I am not sure how to measure down to those levels as the thermal
> noise in my test equipment is higher than that. (The figures are
> un-calibrated- we will see what Sherwood says)
>
> Adjacent Channel rejection appeared be out of the world....you could
> totally block an S9+40db signal 100Hz away.....
> This would be especially important in multi-stations....  AND you do not
> Need to use any Roofing Filters
>
> Of course it was really cool to be able to listen to several slices of the
> band at the same time and easily jump from band to band without losing any
> information.
> They had 4 spectral operational but could only receive on 2 slices... (It
> will be 8 slices in the final model)
>
>
> Real World Performance...
> Several times we had Armchair copy in QSO's with Hams who had could barely
> copy our signals due to their poor antennas and outdated equipment
> We definitely could easily copy the very weak DX Stations...
>
> Although I am not a CW Operator .. The CW ops I talked to said it was full
> QSK with no delays whatsoever...
>
>
> Delivery
> Flex said they hoped to ship production units within 30 days (maybe by
> Dayton anyone?) however I am skeptical that they can get everything 100% by
> then as clearly there is still a lot of software to get right.   I suspect
> that in order to meet that tight schedule, they will ship the first units
> with a reduced feature set.     The good thing about a SDR is that you can
> easily upgrade in a matter of seconds.
>
> Bottom Line:
> When I read the specs and placed my order at Dayton 2012, I knew that this
> was going to be the radio that will set the bar for the next standard in
> Ham Radio
>
> However, I was personally astounded by the performance which even in Beta
> far exceeded my expectations.
> ______________________________**______________________________**__
> South Florida DX Assoc.
> SFDXA WebSite: http://qsl.net/k4fk
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
> To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> Subscribe or UNSubScribe:
> http://mailman.qth.net/**mailman/listinfo/sfdxa<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa>
> DX Net Wed 7:33 PM Repeater
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>



-- 
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*“Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn.” *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.