Pre order 6700? Getting cold feet?

[N9RO]

The whole Flex concept has been  rushed concept that has many holes in it that does not  hold water for a supposedly ground breaking product

Can you explain to us what your vision of the Flex concept is?

Whoever makes the promises won't have the skills to deliver this technology and make it really work.

From what I read developing this software should be much easier and quicker than the previous series because of the advance development tools being used today that were NOT available with the older 5000 design.

The FlexRadio 6700 just looks like a brain storming session product that probably has not been though out well enough.

Using a Davinci media processor is forward thinking and a shows a well designed thought out server.  No other SDR that I am aware has implemented this long term vision.  In addition, layer three is being designed into the radio.

Many hams are judging this radio using old ham radio models.  I am NOT a Flex lover, in fact I have little respect for the company but do see the move to the newer Radio Server model a game changer.  NO, I would never ever pay Flex $$ for a radio that was not (or even close to being) fully developed yet!

[W6UV]

but do see the move to the newer Radio Server model a game changer.

Game changer in what way? In my opinion, RF performance trumps all other considerations. If you don't or can't get this right, then nothing else really matters. Flex has had a poor track record here -- look how long it took them to get CW to work passibly well, fix the 160m spur issue, or release a working notch filter..

To make an analogy with smartphones, would you rather have one that's a mediocre phone (drops calls, poor audio), yet plays a mean game of solitare, or one with a bullet-proof phone, but lacking in glitz and eye candy?

[K9IUQ]

Many hams are judging this radio using old ham radio models. 

Of course, we are.
All radios are judged by other radios that are available. Old models or new models. Performance is a driving factor. Why is the Elecraft K-3 the #1 choice of Dxers and Contesters? Performance.

The Flexradio 5K was judged to not be adequate for serious DXing or Contesting. Many many well known (contesting) Hams tried a Flexradio 5K and sold them. Why? CW was crap, 160 meter spurs, no notch, PSDR bugs and many other reasons.

The New 6000 series Flexradios will be judged against the radios on the market now. Performance will rule. 8 slice receivers and bells and whistles are not going to sell the radio to Contesters or serious Dxers. Superior Performance over available radios will.   

Stan K9IUQ

[KE5JPP]

Flex radio has a history of making poor engineering decisions. I do not see this changing in the Flex-6000 series radios.

Gene

[N9RO]

Game changer in what way? In my opinion, RF performance trumps all other considerations.

Here is just one of the new non RF metrics of interest.  Mean Opinion Score (MOS), this will be a key metric to use as you build your shack around Radio Servers (many of them).   Your transmitting and receiving strategy will be centered around the MOS.  The MOS (scale is 1-5) can be thought of as a S Unit but with Server/Networks/RF all taken into consideration.

73,
Tim  N9RO

[KE5JPP]

The Flex Radio Looney Tunes on the Flex list are already saying that Rob Sherwood's test equipment is not up to the task of rating the Flex-6000 series.  I guess this is a way for them to feel a little better about spending $7000+ for a radio when the $1000 KX3 is at the top of the Sherwood list now.  Goodness forbid that the Flex-6000 comes in second place or lower! 

Gene

[K9IUQ]

Here is just one of the new non RF metrics of interest.  Mean Opinion Score (MOS), this will be a key metric to use as you build your shack around Radio Servers (many of them). 
Tim  N9RO

Of course Tim, as you know I had a very Mean Opinion of my Flex 5K...

Stan K9IUQ

[N9RO]

Of course Tim, as you know I had a very Mean Opinion of my Flex 5K...

Yes, but you helped many of us when it came to getting a critical problem fixed with the 5000.

Tim

[NI0Z]

Of course Tim, as you know I had a very Mean Opinion of my Flex 5K...

Yes, but you helped many of us when it came to getting a critical problem fixed with the 5000.

Tim

He had his own MOS, Mean Opinion Strategy! . It paid off for later Flex owners.

So far the main thing I miss while using the KX3 over the Flex 5K is power output.  Still learning the KX3 and evolving my user strategy.  At least one person here might be interested to know that I only use the RX IQ output now for Panadaptor functions.  On a few occasions the notch filters in Studio 1 will help making a DX due to the ability to easily selectively place them.  This requires using the sound card SDR audio though.  The KX3 is an interesting little rig, lots of features burried in its menus!  Lol, I know what your thinking.. Go ahead and smile about this last remark.. It's ok!

One thing I don't feel like it get discussed much is the features traditional knobbeb menued rigs have verses computer based SDRs.  I think I have simply settled in my mind that they really are different radios and different operating experiences.  It seems pretty fruitless to me to compare them any more.  It all comes down in the end to what an operator values most in a radio.  Bottom line for me.  I can like both paradigms, I don't have to choose.  With a KX3 I can play in both a bit.  Flex 5000 and KX3 are different animals though at the end of the day.

73 de NI0Z