Really neat to get “That Phone Call” from FlexRadio Systems! 17 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled.Tags: Flex-6000, Flex-6700, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled, SmartSDR, SmartSDR Preview, W1JCW
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Really neat to get “That Phone Call” from Matt at FlexRadio Systems. Of course it made my credit card twitch a bit.
Limited Edition Signature Series Radio #11, a Flex-6700 w/GPSDO, will be shipping very soon indeed – most likely arriving late this week or early next week.
Beating it here by a few days will be the new Supermicro Rack Mount i7 machine that John W1JCW has built up for my FlexRadio Flex-5000 and Flex-6000. Of course eventually the Flex-6000 will be operated more often remotely from elsewhere in the house, but that will be down the road.
As Radio #11 is being released as a SmartSDR Preview Edition it is VERY clear that not all the features expected in the general release of SmartSDR v1.0 will be there and there may well be bugs/glitches with the Preview Edition.
It will be a privilege to get the early hands-on and provide feedback to FlexRadio Systems as they ready their wider general release.
If my new radio arrives in time, guess what I’ll be doing in my shack this weekend?
73
Steve
K9ZW
Rack Mount – Preparing for the FlexRadio Systems Flex-6700 15 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled, K9ZW Operations, K9ZW Shack.Tags: Flex-6000, Flex-6700, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled, K9ZW Operations, K9ZW Shack
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Search for a rack found either very rough gear, very dated gear (one which I will hopefully acquire for vintage gear later) or hugely expensive racks.
Bought an unused surplus odd comm’s rack – double-ended doghouse thing. Wrong shape, but built like a tank.
Got my buddy Ray to cut in basically in half, moved wheels to the lower section, and reassemble with stiffeners. Ray did this with a purposeful 2 inch set back on upper cube to make it more pleasing.
It is reinforced and now ready for gear
Lower will get shelves for amps, power supplies, and tuner.
Upper will get the Flex-6700, a rackable customer i7 Win7 computer, full W2IHY set up, Greenheron Rotor Control and Array solutions PowerMaster SWR/Watts meter, Rb Frequency Reference, and Flex-5000 (possibly on top of the whole rack if I run out of room).
Looking at another rack I found for vintage/boatanchor gear (SP-600 and similar).
BTW the Collins S-Line Station will go on a desk – show-n-tell sort of thing.
Here is a sketch (click on it for a larger version):
K9ZW Main Rack
Should work pretty good!
73
Steve
K9ZW
Waiting for “that phone call” – FlexRadio Systems nears shipping more Flex-6700s 12 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled.Tags: Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled
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Like a good number of radio amateurs, I am patiently waiting & hoping for a phone call from FlexRadio Systems when the arrange delivery of my new Flex-6700 Transceiver.
In my best daydreams, I keep imagining that family has called me to speak with a FlexRadio Systems person who is holding for me!
To FlexRadio Systems’ credit, they are sending out an update each Friday, though it doesn’t solve the itch to get started with the new radio series.
More when it happens!
73
Steve
K9ZW
Installing SlippNott Upgrades at K9ZW 9 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW, K9ZW Recommends, K9ZW Shack.Tags: K9ZW, K9ZW Shack, SlippNott, Tennadyne Anntennas
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The Tennadyne T-8 used two stainless u-bolts for attachment. In the highest of winds the large double booms of the Log Periodic antenna caught enough wind to slightly rotate on the mast.
To counteract this I decided to upgrade the T-8-to-Mast and Mast-to-Rotor connections with Tennadyne’s improved attachment method, the Tennadyne SlippNott. (The much smaller T-28 Log Periodic doesn’t have enough surface area to need this upgrade. U-bolts work perfectly fine for the smaller antenna.)
T-8 Original U-Bolt Clamp
Another view of the original attachment. It had taken six years to pivot perhaps 10 degrees, though no matter how you look at it, it was moving even if very slowly.
Original U-Bolt Clamp – Another View
The SlippNott retrofit upgrade uses two machined clamps with roughly one hundred time the surface contact area of the two u-bolts.
SlippNott Retrofit – another view
Another look at the retrofit in place.
T-8 with SlippNott Retrofit
I did the install from scaffold after lowering nd tipping over the whole tower.
Lower, Tilt and Scaffold
Also installed was a second SlippNott providing additional grip of the mast at the antenna rotator rotor unit.
SlippNott rotor installation
This one was a fiddle to install given the restriction of the three nested tower sections.
Tight Quarters
Again it provides a huge increase in clamping action and limits the risk of the newly enhanced situation at the antenna twisting the whole mast in the rotor clamp.
Rotor SlippNott Installed
A worthwhile project – wish the SlippNott was available when I put the tower and antennas up.
You can read more about them at the Tennadyne website – http://www.tennadyne.com
Direct link to the SlippNott page is http://www.tennadyne.com/slipp_nott.htm
73
Steve
K9ZW
FlexRadio Systems releases Flex-6000 Quick Start Guide 8 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled.add a comment
If you look in the Downloads area of the FlexRadio Systems website the slowly growing collection of files for the Flex-6000 series grew by two this week – the May issue of FlexInsider became available as a download and the first user manual type document for the Flex-6000 was posted. A few days after becoming available the Quick Start Guide was also mentioned in official FlexRadio Systems communications. Guess it pays to keep an eye on the downloads area!
Flex-6000 Quick Start Guide
FLEX-6000 Signature Series SDR Quick Start Guide
This is the FLEX-6000 Signature Series SDR Quick Start Guide (QSG)in PDF format.
Filesize: 2,073,036 bytes
http://support.flex-radio.com/Downloads.aspx?id=420
There is also some population of Flex-6000 materials at the HelpDesk area. Most of this is a couple months old and quite consistent with information released as the product develops. Link is:
FLEX Signature Series Amateur Radio Products
This forum is dedicated to the support and troubleshooting assistance for FlexRadio Systems’ FLEX Signature Series amateur radio products
http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/categories/20075532-FLEX-Signature-Series-Amateur-Radio-Products
All nice to read.
BTW for those with deposits and radio slots another FlexInsider published. In keeping with FlexRadio System’s request that they release FlexInsiders as a download before it becomes widely available, I’ll just pass on that by all accounts they are making great progress and it looks that more radios will be shipping during the rest of the month.
Various members of the FlexRadio Systems team have been posting on the FlexRadio Systems official reflectors, which you too can read first hand at: http://www.flexradio.com/Support.aspx?topic=Reflector_Description You can read quite a bit in the archives (use the website drop down menus) if you do not want to subscribe.
Happy Flexing!
73
Steve
K9ZW
FlexRadio System – Flex-6000 SmartSDR Initial Features 7 - June - 2013
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled.Tags: Flex-6000, FlexRadio Systems, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled, SmartSDR, SmartSDR Preview
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As I look around the net, including the various FlexRadio focused reflectors & forums I’ve observed a lot of speculation on what will be included in SmartSDR Preview Edition and the initial full release SmartSDR versions.
Some of those posting seem unhappy that the one feature that they hold dear might not be included in the SmartSDR Preview or in the initial SmartSDR versions.
Other post speculation that feature-x either will be included, will not be included, or never will included – all speculative nonsense except where FlexRadio Systems has officially commented.
If you sign up for the FlexRadio Systems official reflectors you will first hand read what FlexRadio Systems’ team posts.
In all honestly some of the posts I’ve read are not in keeping the spirit of amateur radio.
It is worth pointing out that the early adopters are receiving a significant discount for putting up a deposit and for their willingness to receive the product will less than its final feature set. They were also given an extra year of update support.
It isn’t fair to enter into the deal as it was and now complaining. The option to wait for a ham’s new Flex-6×00 until SmartSDR includes someone’s particular critical feature(s) should be considered by those who feel they need certain features.
But the complaining should stop, as it is unfair in respect to the known deal, and it is likely delaying the release to other hams who would enjoy the “new radio with every update” aspect of an improving feature set.
June should be an interesting month with the likely increase in the number of new radios shipped.
Let’s wait and see what features are there, which ones phase in before the first full release and what gets added further along.
73
Steve
K9ZW
