| G4SLW |
Rating:   |
2010-11-30 | |
| Upgrade broke Olivia |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I downloaded the v2.20 upgrade for my registered copy of MixW and to my disappointment, it seems that the upgrade has broken/removed the Olivia mode. I re-installed the Olivia DLL but it still does not work. I've wasted half an hour over this and consequently have now gone back to the old version 2.19. I daresay I will not bother to upgrade this software again. This is such a shame. Why have the developers broken a previously working product. I am not one of those people who 'trash' every product they ever buy and this is my first review on eHam.net, it's just that I am SO irritated by the time that this so-called upgrade wasted. |
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| N9AOP |
Rating:      |
2010-02-10 | |
| Works Well |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have to agree with ON6AB. I take an Icom 7200 with me when camping and enjoy digital contacts. I also work CW and ssb and MixW allows me to use a simple interface and still have manual rig control. I also do a lot of MARS and the nets are usually mixed mode and the ability to do SSB and digital without any messing around makes MixW the best that I have found in that respect. It does what it is supposed to very well. I currently run 2.19. |
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| ON6AB |
Rating:      |
2010-02-07 | |
| Still the best |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
It may be past it's prime and I agree it can use a few updates, but there's still no other software that comes close on efficiency.
Efficiency means: fast, reliable, smooth, easy, usefull data all on the same screen without being cluttered.
None of the above goes for HRD (yet)...
The aim of Mixw is to work DX, not to play with software.
Price is no argument. Software does not become any better because it is free. |
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| AE6MI |
Rating:     |
2009-10-16 | |
| Very functional, solid software |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought MixW 2.18 with a RigExpert SD over a three years ago and have used it multiple times per week on MARS digital nets and others. I have found it to be excellent for what it is supposed to do. (Although for PSK31 use, I do prefer Digipan). I have also used it with the more exotic modes of OLIVIA, RTTYM etc.
However, it is restricted to PC usage and I do like to move from one platform to another. [Although, it will run very nicely in VMWare Fusion implementing Windows XP Professional running on a Mac OS X based machine.] The RigExpert SD is also limited in this regard.
So, for new users who need to be able to operate on any platform I now recommend Fldigi with a SignalLink interface as this can be used on Linux, PCs, Mac OS X with absolutely no effort at jumping from one platform to the other. This is great for emergency communication, although you do lose the ability to directly control the rig from such software.
Of course, one great advantage, if you use it, of the MixW software, IS the ability to control your rig directly from the interface. Having said that, if you use an amplifier connected to your rig, you will generally find it safer to disconnect the control cable from the back of your rig to avoid inadvertently switching frequency and forgetting to tne the antenna or amplifier to a different band.
Its TEOAN (The Eye Of A Needle) (their acronym, not mine) internet interface is also something that is rather nice to use on a good link — yes, very tricky to set up if your network is a cobbled together load of bits — but very nice once it's working. Although, to be honest I haven't used it for this feature much.
So, think of this review as a 5 for what it does well with an acknowledgement that, like my trusty old TS830S, it's still just as good at doing what it used to do, but it doesn't quite have the ease of use and features of my IC756PRO.
So, would I recommend it as a first choice for a new digital operator now? No.
Has it performed well over the last 3 years? Yes.
Will I continue to use it? While my RigExpert SD continues to work and the PC that I have it hooked up to continues, yes,but if either unit fails, then I'll switch to something different.
For ECOM preparations, the RigExpert SD is not part of my jump kit as it is too tricky to set up elsewhere. Having said that, I have successfully done ECOM work purely with audio from a computer speaker being picked up by a microphone and vice versa - but it's nice to have a kit that will easily work in multiple situations with different computers. For that purpose, MixW is no longer the right choice. For home use, it still works totally fine. |
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| N6CRR |
Rating:  |
2009-08-29 | |
| Old and tired |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
As a previous reviewer said:
"Some years ago the MixW team was working on a new major release ...and it seems, well, just tired. Absolutely no regrets being a MixW user, but the software is past its prime."
I used MixW for 4 years or so as a registered user. Great program when it first came out, but so was DOS. Now it's very long in the tooth and hardly worth the money, scratch that, not worth the money to register it anymore.
If you want a better program that is free, and modern in design, try Ham Radio Deluxe. The author full time works on the code and does accept donations to fund his work so you get value for your donation in the form of the final product which is quite impressive, MixW, not so much anymore. |
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| WE1X |
Rating:    |
2009-05-27 | |
| Past Its Prime |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I had been a devoted registered MixW user for many years finding the software to be comprehensive, fairly intuitive and a joy to use. The support from Nick, Denis and the team was also outstanding. However, about 2 years ago out of curiosity I gave HRD/DM780 a try. Yes, the learning curve was steep, but well worth it. HRD/DM780 offers far more flexibility, a better logbook, extensive tools, etc. Updates from Simon together with support from the user community have been outstanding.
Some years ago the MixW team was working on a new major release (think it was to be v3.0) that never came about. Updates have been less frequent. Every once in a while I go back to MixW to give it a go and it seems, well, just tired. Absolutely no regrets being a MixW user, but the software is past its prime.
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|
| KQ4Y |
Rating:     |
2009-05-26 | |
| May Switch to HRD/DM780 |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've used MixW for a long time but just took a good look at HRD and DM780. I have to say that I like the interface and the looks of DM780 much better than MixW. I also find the Macro's easier to set up and use. I haven't made the switch yet and, although MixW has done the job for me for a long time, I may do so soon. A new version (5.0) of HRD is due out soon and I'll have to see what is new. |
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| N1IG |
Rating:      |
2009-04-06 | |
| Best Software Available |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've had MixW for about 4-6 years now. it is pretty easy to set up and has always worked very well. I had a computer crash which required me to re-install everything onto a replacement computer, and after only a little head scratching about eh settings for my interface (MixW RigExpert SD), i was able to get up and running pretty quickly. i have tried other software packages like HRD (too flashy and too complex for me), but i like the look of MixW better. |
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| KD4HSO |
Rating:      |
2008-05-26 | |
| Works great on my Mac with VMWare Fusion |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought MixW 2.18 with a RigExpert SD over a year ago. The two work very well together. I'm using both on my Mac with VMWare Fusion. I tried Ham Radio Deluxe but it has too much fluff. MixW is straight forward without allot of eye candy. HRD revs the CPU fan on my Macbook but MixW is nice and quiet.
I'd give it a 4.5 since my only dislike is that the log window can't be re-sized, and the window re-positioning is a little quirky. However it seems to be bug-free and rock stable. |
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| W4UDX |
Rating:      |
2008-03-27 | |
| Should read MixW any version |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| MixW outdated? Are your boatanchors outdated if you can still get on the air with them? Maybe so, but it still does what it was designed to do. I still use my web browser but I would not think it as being outdated. MixW is one of the very few multi-mode/logging programs that can control my FT-980 (one of the first CAT radios... and no it's not outdated either). CW contesting is a breeze with MixW, it allows 15-20 WPM people like me to send and receive 35+ WPM! |
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