S-Meters – Comfortable Lies or Accuracy? – The Whisper of Sweet Nothings

In the FlexRadio Community a poster complained that his Flex-6700 reported S-2/3 noise most of the time.

He wanted his radio to “Whisper Sweet Nothings” report S-0 if disconnected from an antenna – basically setting aside the noise the sensitive Flex-6700 was actually hearing.

He never disclosed if his feedline and antenna switches were still in line, if they were grounded when antennas were deselected, or whatever other RF his radio was experiencing.

He also didn’t tell the community if he had his Flex-6700 narrowed down to a specific frequency, opened wide in a wide band receiver configuration, or how his radio was configured.

“He” is actually several posters who have some been part of this discussion before, some new to FlexRadio, and all who hadn’t looked for older threads on the issue.

Flex-6000 with an Apple MAC – An Option Suggested by KF2T

Geroge KF2T updated the FRS Community with an option to run DogparkSDR with the latest macOS versions and the latest radio updates using “Nexus” as a macOS DAX (xDAX) replacement.

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/mac-os-catalina-sound-device-digimodes

I’ve written to KF2T to ask more details, including details on his workaround for xCAT (the macOS CAT.)

More to follow!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Thoughts on older versions of SmartSDR

At the FlexRadio Community folks were discussing whether SmartSDR Version 1.x was going to see any feature additions (think not) and if you had to have an internet connection to run a FlexRadio (which is “no” other than upgrades or doing remote by SmartLink).

Here are my comments:

An Experience of FlexRadio’s Remote Access Helping a Corrupted DAX Issue

Having several Windows PCs, and Apple Macs/iPhones/iPads all in use with four FlexRadio Flex-6000’s in various locations, AND participating the Alpha Testing Program with lots of extra test versions of software, I have messed up a few installations with DAX naming corruption issues. Usually I’ve been able to use the FRS published procedures to sort things out.

But then came one PC, a HP fanless i5 used at my Washington Island QTH, that caught the DAX-Blues really hard.

The usual techniques didn’t sort out this mess – and I was at the verge of making it worse!

Dealing with Amateur Radio Complexity

Also published at the FlexRadio Community in a thread at:
https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/i-think-i-want-my-ic-7610-back

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Some takeaways are that FRS does offer exceptional help with stuff (LAN/WAN) that perhaps are in our operating environment but are really not part of the product they sell us. I feel really good knowing that when one of my systems has a network fault that FRS has my back with their advice, resources and if needed their help.

If you are involved in a typical office network situation, maybe with some licensed software and a server rack, I’m going to guess you might share my experience of vendors drawing a line at what they sell you, and telling you to have your IT people sort out problems coming from your network hardware/configuration/operating-system/server/failing-gear/overload/rogue-AV/and so on….

One that has caught me out with my FlexRadios is my expectation and assumption that everything stays the same, only to find out that external factors (like incremental software updates in other software/OS/hardware, reboots, or seemingly minor failures elsewhere) were the culprit upsetting my radio experience.

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Another takeaway is a personal tolerance for complexity. We are all not ready and willing if we are ready to deal with the same level of complexity in hobby systems.

I’ll put up with a lot more complexity issues if it is a problem needing solving that affects me economically or if I see it as a challenge while I have enough available time to work it through.

So my personal ROI (Return on Investment) is a mix of actual economics and intellectual/emotive satisfaction.

How that works for each of us is different.

In my own case my personal-ROI on complex HTs is upside down, and unless I am really bored the HTs sit on the shelf. As for walking through the typical HT 10 to 20 step programming sequences? I don’t think so. I’ve given HTs to other hams who love them while my personal-ROI evaluation said “get this nuisance out of my life.”

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) really applies in a personal tolerance for complexity. It should and it won’t usually stay the same over time or during certain life situations.

If you are the sort who might buy a radio, or an antenna, or a kit, and then bail on using it because of complexity issues you might want to line up some help before you try a radio-server system like a Flex.

73

Steve
K9ZW

FlexRadio Community web host Problems

Hardware problems requiring replacement servers to be brought online.  Seems all sorted out.  

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Appears that “Get Satisfaction” back end engine for the FlexRadio Community has internet problems.

Don’t know the reason(s) as reports suggest Get Satisfaction other communities are also affected.

Some topics briefly work then are redirected to page-not-found type errors.

Things will sort out. Perhaps it is just more time to be on the air!

73

Steve
K9ZW