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Reviews For: DogPark SDR for Flex 6000 series

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : DogPark SDR for Flex 6000 series
Reviews: 13MSRP: $95
Description:
Mac OSX full featured control, tune, and panafall scope for Flex-6300, 6500, 6700
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dogparksoftware.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00135
WD1V Rating: 2022-04-14
Beautiful - Intuitive Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
DPSDR clearly groups the Flex settings so you know where to navigate to make adjustments. Its logical, easy to learn, and easy to use. Operating the radio is fun and not a memory test of where is the control hidden for "X"?

Interfaces with MLDX, WSJT-X, FL-Digi
KT8DX Rating: 2020-11-27
Very good at what it does once you get the hang of it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ok - I have had a bit of a love and slightly-less-than-love relationship with this piece of software over the years. I found it a little confusing at first and then ran back to a PC and SmartSDR. When SmartSDR for the Mac was released (and my PC died) I went back to my old 2012 MacMini, downloaded SmartSDR for the Mac and was in Flex heaven. After purchasing the newest version of MacLoggerDX and getting that set up, I thought - why not try DPSDR again? So I did. I now understand the logic and UI flow of the program and really enjoy it. I have both SmartSDR and DPSDR on my mac and run whichever I'm in the mood for, and I'm finding myself in the mood more and more to use DPSDR. It has a more minimalist approach and frankly I like using it a lot more. It seems rock stable and gives met the flexibility to do what I want to do without having a visual smorgasbord to have to sort through each time I want to change a setting. Best of 73s!
K5BGP Rating: 2020-02-29
Makes Amateur Radio feel like a true Mac experience Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been using MacLoggerDX for a number of years, so I'm very familiar with Dog Park Software's support for the amateur radio hobby for Mac users. This is partly what propelled me to purchase a FLEX-6400 recently.

Of course, among the pantheon of Dog Park's apps is dogparkSDR, a Mac client for Flex radios. Being a "purist," I refuse to use Parallels to run Windows apps on my Mac. I want a true, native Mac experience. dogparkSDR makes operating the Flex radio feel like it's an Apple-esque experience.

From using profiles to creating keyboard shortcuts to adding and removing pan adapters and slices, the software does not "get in the way" with superfluous buttons and whiz-bang interface choices. Its genius is taking a complex task like operating a radio and giving it a minimalist touch.

The software mostly "stays out of the way" and lets you focus on operating, making it a true thin client in every sense of the word. In some ways, it's almost too thin in points. For example, I would love to see realistic meter widgets for things like SWR. These are mostly aesthetic choices.

That does not take away from the utility of the software itself. And the author, Don Agro, is receptive to feedback and suggestions (though he is judicious about balancing feedback with actually making changes, as most software authors are careful to do).

The bottom line for me as a Mac user and a Flex radio owner is this: dogparkSDR is a must-have. If you've already dropped the money for a Mac and a Flex radio, you shouldn't hesitate going the small step further and really making your amateur radio experience a *true* Mac experience.
KO1C Rating: 2020-01-22
Great Product!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought a Flex 6500 a year or so ago, then I decided to change from Windows to a Mac.

DogPark SDR for Flex 6000 series has been a life saver. I actually like it a bit better than SmartSDR, but that's just my personal preference.

At least when my Mac OS upgrades/updates, I don't have to worry about the DAX drivers getting messed up, like they can on Windows.

I've also bought/downloaded other DogPark software products and I like them as well.

David KO1C
W6VZV Rating: 2019-05-20
Great Mac-based Flex SDR program Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I spent my weekend getting Dogpark figured out, up and running, and making QSOs with it. I had an old MacBook Air that was underutilized, so I splurged and bought the program as a rainy weekend project. I am very pleased that I did. This is an excellent software program that does very very well at controlling your Flex radio. So far I have only used it for SSB, and it works superlatively well. While the menus and so forth are somewhat different than Smart SDR for Windows, they are quite similar and it only took me a short time to have them figured out. If you want to run your Flex Radio from a Mac, this is the program to use. I particularly like the way that the Apple Mouse works with the software -- it makes tuning in stations a true joy. Highly recommended.
W1CQ Rating: 2019-02-07
This software is the reason I bought a Flex radio! Time Owned: more than 12 months.

I actually made my decision to purchase a Flex 6300 because of the dogparkSDR software!

I had been a happy user of MacLoggerDX for several years and knew first hand the value of the products from DogPark Software and the incredible support of Don Agro.

I knew that not only was I getting a great program but with regular updates and improvements it would get even better and it has.

I had a few (typical) setup questions that Don helped with in his usual quick and thorough fashion. Lately I've been remotely running dogparkSDR with WSJT and logging to MacLoggerDX. It's great fun.

It is no surprise this program won the 2017 FlexRadio Pinnacle Award.

* * * * *
FIVE STARS
K6OZY Rating: 2019-01-26
Feature rich and fast! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I suck at reviews, but I am a Mac fan and a Flex fan so I have to make sure everyone knows about this program.

It's feature rich... If you liked all the knobs and sliders in PowerSDR then you will love dogparkSDR. It's native macOS (+dark mode) support in Mohave is great at CPU resources are super low, 50% of one core on my 15" Laptop. The app perfectly interfaces with MacLoggerDX (obviously), and with xCAT & xDAX, I can now fully stay inside macOS for both FLDigi & WSJTX.

Support is great with fast response times. Don goes out of his way to answer everything and is active on the forums.

Please do not hesitate to purchase this for your Flex if you are a Mac user!
N8GAS Rating: 2018-01-25
Panadapter shows call signs, smooth tuning, clean interface Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
If you are a Flex Radio - Mac user like me, you owe it to yourself to check out DogparkSDR, from Don Agro VE3VRW, the same developer who gave us the highly recommended MacLoggerDX logging application. The DogparkSDR panadapter screen is high resolution, and shows call signs superimposed over the displayed signals (obtained via MacLoggerDX’s DXCluster data feed). That’s a feature you can’t currently get with SmartSDR. You get two panadapters, the same number as the Flex Maestro product.

The Flex Radio is essentially a networked server, containing extremely high quality embedded radio hardware. DogparkSDR is simply tapping that server to provide a fresh new Mac-friendly interface for the embedded radio.

Tuning is smooth both using mouse or trackpad and using the FlexControl. Perhaps because DogparkSDR is a native Mac app, I find tuning with the FlexControl to be far smoother than using Flex’s SmartSDR (running through VMWare and Windows 10). Third party apps like xDAX and xCAT (DL3LSM), plus audio routing software like Loopback (Rogue Amoeba) or Soundsiphon (Static Z) allow you to build essentially the same functionality as Flex’s SmartCAT and SmartDAX. So you can control and use WSJT-X and Fldigi without leaving MacOS.

Am I suggesting that Mac users dump their SmartSDR in favor of DogparkSDR? Of course not. Part of the fun of Flex Radio is messing with all the software controls that SmartSDR offers. But for those times when Windows 10 has hosed your system, or when you just want a clean, uncluttered interface to make some QSOs, DogparkSDR is the ticket. It’s like having another new radio.
KL2D Rating: 2017-08-13
Works perfectly as a native MacOS client for the Flex 6700 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had Maclogger for quite some time, and now DogparkSDR. Don makes great products and his service is amazing. Have a question? Ask and he responds very quickly!

This product works great, but if you are wondering if you like it just download it. You will get full functionality for 20 minutes at time so you can try it out.

It has some limitations compared to the windows version of SSDR from flex, like only two pans, but I suspect if it follows the improvement path of Maclogger it will eventually have full functionality. The layout is a little different than SSDR, but once you get the hang of it there are no issues.

I am using it in conjunction with MacDoppler to control my Flex-6700 for satellite work and it's works perfectly.
WB6RAW Rating: 2016-12-13
DogPark SDR software is awesome!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Folks, if you are a MAC owner and have, or will soon own, a FEX 6000 series radio, this is the native Mac SDR software to download and use. I have just took delivery of my brand-new Flex 6300 and love it. This Mac native SDR software is a breeze to install and operate.

I have been a long and faithful user of some of Don's other Dog Park Software products like MacDoppler (for satellite tracking and rig control) & MacLogger (for a great log book). These are also very stable and extremely user friendly programs for hams, like me, that prefer Apple OS over Windoze OS.

Enjoy!!!