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Author Topic: "FlexRadio is pleased to announce the new Official Release of PowerSDR™ v2.0.22"  (Read 13931 times)

K0OD

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  • Posts: 3039

From Flexedge a few hours ago.

"Dear FlexRadio customers,


FlexRadio is pleased to announce the new Official Release of PowerSDR™
v2.0.22 is now available for immediate download from our website.  PowerSDR
2.0 adds significant feature and performance enhancements over the prior
official release to all models including the FLEX-5000A, FLEX-5000C,
FLEX-VU5K upgrades, FLEX-3000, FLEX-1500, and SDR-1000.  While many
thousands of customers have been enjoying earlier beta releases of 2.0, we
now recommend that all customers upgrade to v2.0.22.  The files are
available at:


PowerSDR v2.0.22 Suite Integrated Installer
http://support.flex-radio.com/Downloads.aspx?id=363

PowerSDR v2.0.22: Release Notes
http://support.flex-radio.com/Downloads.aspx?id=362


While the improvements are too numerous to detail, the following is a list
of major changes since the previous official release, PowerSDR v1.18.6.



   1. Complete new user interface look and feel with user selectable skins.
   2. Support for the FLEX-1500 QRP HF-6m transceiver.
   3. Support for integrated FLEX-VU5K 60W high performance VHF/UHF upgrade
   for the FLEX-5000.
   4. Completely redesigned CW keyer for all radio models.
   5. Real time Wide Band Image Rejection (WBIR).
   6. Improved noise blanking, noise reduction, and automatic notch
   filtering.
   7. Redesigned transmitter audio signal chain with absolute ALC control.
   8. New downward expander and DX compander functions.
   9. Optimized digital mode filter settings.
   10. New FLEX-3000 ATU tuning algorithm increases tuning range to 6:1 SWR.
   11. New unlimited memory tuning database for the FLEX-3000 ATU.
   12. Increased transmitter bandwidth to 4.5 kHz on the FLEX-3000.
   13. Integrated installer for PowerSDR, drivers, and automated firmware
   updates.
   14. Radio chooser allows unique databases in multi-radio installations.
   15. Simultaneous operation of the FLEX-1500 with either the FLEX-3000 or
   FLEX-5000.
   16. Database export capability.
   17. Hundreds of “under the hood” improvements and bug fixes for enhanced
   reliability and out-of-box experience.

Thanks to so many of you who have provided constructive feedback during the
development process.   We would like to express our special appreciation to
our internal alpha/beta team for their tireless testing of test releases.

Enjoy,

Gerald


Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR
President and CEO
FlexRadio Systems(TM)"
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K0OD

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  • Posts: 3039

The question has come up about the effectiveness of PSDR's automatic notch, called ANF. Some don't realize that it intentionally doesn't work in the CW mode (where it would eliminate the desired station). But it works very well to notch out offending carriers on SSB almost instantly.

Perhaps the most requested feature missing from the Flex line is a tunable notch which WOULD work on CW and other modes. Just posted on Flexradio:

Quote
"The only thing that we need on CW is the manual notch, which I
have designed, but not yet coded.

It will be in upcoming releases.

Bob
N4HY


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KE5JPP

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  • Posts: 0

The question has come up about the effectiveness of PSDR's automatic notch, called ANF. Some don't realize that it intentionally doesn't work in the CW mode (where it would eliminate the desired station). But it works very well to notch out offending carriers on SSB almost instantly.

Perhaps the most requested feature missing from the Flex line is a tunable notch which WOULD work on CW and other modes. Just posted on Flexradio:

Quote
"The only thing that we need on CW is the manual notch, which I
have designed, but not yet coded.

It will be in upcoming releases.

Bob
N4HY




 I wonder when they will give the Noise Reduction (NR) some attention?  It does not work very well at all despite N4HY promising to fix it for YEARS now.  I also recall N4HY saying that he has worked on the manual notch filter for PowerSDR almost four years ago.  I wonder what his definition of "upcoming release" is???

Gene
« Last Edit: April 04, 2011, 07:29:02 AM by KE5JPP »
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W6RMK

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"designed but not yet coded" is an interesting phrase.

(and those of us with software development backgrounds might also ask about things like "integration", "testing", etc.)

I suspect there are a LOT of nice features from a LOT of would-be developers in the "thought of" or "know how to do it" (which I think is the "designed" in this case) but "haven't actually spent a significant amount of time to make it work" category.

That is what's interesting and cool about SDR.  At least there's the tasty possibility of it, as opposed to in a fixed hardware implementation.  On the other hand, it's also what's MOST *frustrating* about SDRs... you can think of all kinds of things that are possible, but there's not enough hours in the day or motivation for others to implement them.
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WB5BL

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Quote
"The only thing that we need on CW is the manual notch, which I
have designed, but not yet coded.
It will be in upcoming releases.
Bob
N4HY

This is the very same Flexradio Volunteer Software Engineer that promised me that the 160 mtrs spur would be fixed in a month. This was 3 weeks after I bought my Flex 5K in Jan 2010. That problem was NEVER fixed in software. It took me 7 months of complaining to get Flexradio to devise a hardware fix.

I look at N4HY's email to me everytime I need a chuckle on how inept Flexradio has become.

Stan K9IUQ

Quote
Yes, Flexradio calls them "Promises". It is the word they like to use to sell radios and has been effective for them. Promises.....

Stan K9IUQ

Ah, it is good to have you back Stan. We had a betting pool that even after you sold your Flex 5000 you would still come back to bash Flex even though you no longer had a reason to.

You know, Bob's heart is in the right place even if his calendar isn't. Just don't take his promised timeframes too seriously. But while you are bashing Bob in your attempt to bash Flex do consider that he did co-write DttSP, the core processing of PowerSDR and one of the more interesting DSP packages for Linux. His Wide-band image rejection algorithm is actually a pretty significant contribution. So denigrating Bob is kind of like denigrating someone like Mother Theresa. It just doesn't make you look very good.

73 de Brian, WB6RQN/J79BPL
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KE5JPP

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Quote
"The only thing that we need on CW is the manual notch, which I
have designed, but not yet coded.
It will be in upcoming releases.
Bob
N4HY

This is the very same Flexradio Volunteer Software Engineer that promised me that the 160 mtrs spur would be fixed in a month. This was 3 weeks after I bought my Flex 5K in Jan 2010. That problem was NEVER fixed in software. It took me 7 months of complaining to get Flexradio to devise a hardware fix.

I look at N4HY's email to me everytime I need a chuckle on how inept Flexradio has become.

Stan K9IUQ

Quote
Yes, Flexradio calls them "Promises". It is the word they like to use to sell radios and has been effective for them. Promises.....

Stan K9IUQ

Ah, it is good to have you back Stan. We had a betting pool that even after you sold your Flex 5000 you would still come back to bash Flex even though you no longer had a reason to.

You know, Bob's heart is in the right place even if his calendar isn't. Just don't take his promised timeframes too seriously. But while you are bashing Bob in your attempt to bash Flex do consider that he did co-write DttSP, the core processing of PowerSDR and one of the more interesting DSP packages for Linux. His Wide-band image rejection algorithm is actually a pretty significant contribution. So denigrating Bob is kind of like denigrating someone like Mother Theresa. It just doesn't make you look very good.

73 de Brian, WB6RQN/J79BPL


OH BROTHER!  Bob N4HY == Mother Theresa.  :D :D :D  That is a stretch even for you Flex-boy Brian.  I doubt that N4HY would even stand for that comparison!

Bob N4HY is another Flex volunteer.  He co-wrote DttSP with Frank Brickle and supports Flex because he has applications for SDR technology with the people he actually works for.  Not that it is a bad thing, but like most other people his involvement in writing DttSP and working with Flex is self-serving also.  I am willing to bet that if you ask Bob, N4HY, he would be willing to agree with that assessment.

Gene

« Last Edit: April 05, 2011, 08:10:48 AM by KE5JPP »
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W6UV

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  • Posts: 1147

The question has come up about the effectiveness of PSDR's automatic notch, called ANF. Some don't realize that it intentionally doesn't work in the CW mode (where it would eliminate the desired station). But it works very well to notch out offending carriers on SSB almost instantly.

Has that changed in the 2.0.22 release? When I tried it in the beta (forget the version, but think it ended with .18), ANF was very iffy on SSB. Sometimes it seemed to completely knock out carriers, and other times it only knocked them down by about 15-20 dB. It also seemed to be band-specific. I never did get it to do anything on 15M SSB.
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K0OD

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  • Posts: 3039

Just tested my 5000 ( with Official Release 2.0.22),  and the ANF completely removes the sound of strong carriers on 15 meters when the radio is in the sideband and AM modes.
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HR2510

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  • Posts: 20

Very pleased with the new software.  The CW is really working nicely even on my ancient computer.  Thanks Flex!  Good job on this one! 
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K0OD

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  • Posts: 3039

"Dear FlexRadio customers,

We are pleased to announce public beta availability of PowerSDR 2.1.0 RC1
Release Candidate from the download page of our website.   Since this is
beta software, we are only posting to the FlexEdge reflector.  Please use
this version only if you are comfortable using beta software.  It is NOT
necessary to remove a prior release of PowerSDR 2.0.x in order to install
and run PowerSDR 2.1.  We anticipate a fairly short beta cycle before
committing a new official release.

Key enhancements in v2.1.0 are:

1.       Integrated support is for the new FlexControl radio interface.  FlexControl
plugs into any USB port to provide customizable tuning knob and push button
control functions for all FlexRadio transceivers.  An easy to use setup form
is accessible from the main menu bar on PowerSDR.  FlexControl is available
to order now from our online shopping cart for shipment within one week.

2.       This release also includes a completely redesigned FM DSP system
including CTCSS tones, improved modulation/demodulation, soft limiting, FM
squelch, and more.  Work is in progress but not included in this release to
incorporate full FM repeater memory support into the PowerSDR memory form.

3.       Full duplex support when receiving on VFOA when transmitting on
VFOB is now supported.  Previously, full duplex was only supported when
receiving on VFOB while transmitting on VFOA.  This feature fills out
operating requirements for full SO2R on the FLEX-5000 and satellite
cross-band duplex on the FLEX-5000 with FLEX-VU5K installed.

4.       A Remove button (red X) is now provided on the Radio Chooser panel
to allow easier radio start up maintenance.

5.       A number of bug fixes have been incorporated that can be found in
the PowerSDR Change Log.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support of FlexRadio Systems.


73,


Gerald"
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WB5BL

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Has that changed in the 2.0.22 release? When I tried it in the beta (forget the version, but think it ended with .18), ANF was very iffy on SSB. Sometimes it seemed to completely knock out carriers, and other times it only knocked them down by about 15-20 dB. It also seemed to be band-specific. I never did get it to do anything on 15M SSB.

The automatic notch filter works well for me on 2.0.22 on the Flex 5000, 3000, and 1500, in SSB modes. (I haven't tried it on AM.) It appears to be disabled in CW, which makes sense to me because it would likely notch out the desired signal. Regardless, you can eliminate QRM on CW with a narrower filter.

I would certainly like to see a manual notch filter in PowerSDR. Many people have asked for that.

73 de WB6RQN/J79BPL
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