Dont buy a flex radio...

[N3DRB The Derb]

too much bitching about stuff you cant control. other hams been operating in a manner you would'nt approve of since before WW1.

same as it ever was. Just got finished reading story in early 1930's QST about coming crack down on hams playing music under the guise of testing their transmitters and stopping "drunken 160 meter phone parties".

Imagine that, hams getting drunk on the air.  

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, just like the song says. The sinners really are much more fun.

Where I draw the the line is deliberate jamming. no fun there for anyone.
shouldnt this whole thread be moved to QSO?

[kg8lb]

If they cannot control you they usually ahve to resort to name-calling I guess ?

Could be anything. For some it is anything with tubes, for others it may be an over-rated St James Grey box.

The question I asked was was, what were the Bottom Feeder Transmitters?
I don't know which ones Carl had a bad experience with or heard? Gonset, Heath, I just don't know. There was a lot of nice transmitters back then because it was mostly before repeaters and there could have been some really cheap stuff I hadn't heard of.  Maybe there is a new thing going around that might be labeled as the FLEX TREATMENT. I noticed when I operate remotely from a site in CT, people are not very enthused by the concept probably because I'm using a computer to talk to them via the internet.   

Yep,  I hear them out there too. It seems they somehow really want to control even the minutest details of the station they are in QSO  with for some reason.  I really enjoy to hearing  Dave, W9AD making his beachfront transmissions from deep into Mexico. He sounds great on his Flex in Illinois VIA the internet connection to XE land. Many of the fine fellows on the 75 Meter DX-60 net look forward to a little Mexican sunshine on the frosty winter mornings. The Flex helps that to happen.

 I just ordered an OMNI VII for its ease of operation VIA the internet. An interest in vintage gear surely does not exclude the operation of newer equipment.

[WA1GFZ]

I love everything from spark to sdr it all has its place.
All about making the watt meter deflect to the right

[KC2IFR]

Interesting thread...........
I have an SDR receiver, a Winradio G313 in my room. In the shack I use either a 74A4 or and R390A. The winradio has a bandscope so I can see the signals but my other receivers do not. I do NOT need the scope to tell me what someones signal is doing or sounds like..........seems to me if one has to SEE the signal to criticize it, then one might need a hearing aid or something

JMHO........!

Bill

[ka3zlr]

Howdy Howdy,

I've read all the postings on this I Have three Ten-Tecs an one of them is the Pegasus and it's somewhat Software Driven I can also run my Jupiter in Pegasus Framework, I remember an adjustment period I went through on learning receiving techniques with these two of course that was awhile ago an now I know what to expect when I switch to those They don't receive AM very well at all neither one has a quality software pandapter, Perhaps as more time is gained on that Flex an a settle in period is accomplished it will all wash out.

I've studied the Flex Software for sometime now, I've no operational time with one, but from what Ive learned an read the SDR environment is more critical on incoming signals even a little Edgy in some respects is my opinion.

Sit back a little have a beer an slow down that rig will grow on ya.

73
Jack.

[WA3VJB]

Jack the Flex is cool, and at least regarding the SDR1000, can produce good AM communications on both transmit and receive.

Less familiar with the newer one, but when the 1K first got to W3DUQ, W3VR and W9AD there was a LOT of discussion and review.

As for "remote" operation, I think I posted that nice exchange between Brian and the AM special event station up at the Armstrong Tower site in NJ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuueqTl0fDo

[ka3zlr]

Hi Paul,

 Yes Sir I remember that, David always great copy on my end an Bri he's a good friend an a good Op, I need to check into the simplex frequency on 2 an check in with everybody it's been awhile man....we used to have a little Black Sheep net thing going on there  used to get pretty orny ...LOL....The oldsters would avoid us ... that's them younger guys again..LOL...gotta watch'em...

73
Jack.

[N3DRB The Derb]

ah, now in QSO. the only reason was it turns out the topic really didnt have much tech stuff in it, thats all. 

[N2DTS]

I have had all the old vintage stuff, but have been running only tube homebrew for the last 10 years or so, on AM, do not do other modes much.
I have been on AM at a low but steady rate for the last 30 years at least.
I rarely get on at nite, and dont do a lot of operating in the summer.

I thought the exact same way, I do NOT want a computer in the shack, and thought real radio was tubes, knobs, and a lot of meters.

I needed something to drive the various home brew rigs with, and the flex said it had 3 antenna outputs plus a seperate receive antenna port, works with the big TR contactor and I can drive the pair of 813's with one port, the 3x4D32 rig with the second, and have one port going to the antenna directly, seemed like a good setup.
I had also heard the audio quality on RX and TX was very good, it does all modes, even odd things like dsb, has a sync detector, balanced line input, mixer, tx and rx 10 band EQ, the ability to record off the air and play it back over the air, etc.

So I got one.  Its fun and it works great.

The big thing with these radios is you see (look at) about 200 KHz of the band, so you SEE exactly what is going on, you cant help seeing peoples signals, the frequency, the modulation, the bandwidth, amplitude, all of it.

In the past, I may have heard splatter from someone, maybe tuned around to find out who it was, maybe, and would just think they were strong, or whatever.  If someone was off frequency, I might have noticed, likely not, I remember the R4C having problems on AM when one station was off freq, that receiver was narrow and tight, and you would not hear someone off freq at all!

Well, on the flex, you see everything, you cant help seeing everything, when someone modulates and 25 KHz lights up, you notice....you also notice the other qso's going on in that 25 KHz....

There have ALWAYS been guys with poor audio on the bands, everything from carbon mic's, to crappy radios, I have run them in the past proudly.
But it seems now some guys run a really bad sounding rig into a big amp and talk a LOT, and seem to think they sound good or someone would enjoy listening to them...
Not the telephone audio but distorted and muffled...

I suppose its good to be into various things, sdr, tube stuff, class E rigs, vintage gear, broadcast transmitters, and not think only tube homebrew AM is any good, or only Collins gear is any good, or you get no glory without a big broadcast transmitter, or if you dont do CW you are just wasting bandwidth, or that ESSB is the devels mode, etc....

I know there are lots of guys using various sdr setups, some just as a detector, some as receivers, some as the bandscope, but I warn you, get one and it would be very hard to go back to being blind.
And without sdr, blind is exactly what you are...

Brett

[WA3VJB]

And without sdr, blind is exactly what you are...

Brett

Things change Brett, it's true.

VJB, for example, had said:

"I don't watch TV."  (circa 1980s)

"I don't do email." (early 90s.)

"I don't want a computer in the radio room." (pre 2007)

Next thing you know I'll go slopbucket, contest !<  and sell all my AM szht to Dave Knepper.

Think I'll join the ARRL tonight, I ain't feeling right.

[kg8lb]

 Paul, the Asian Radio Retail Lobby...you ?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

And without sdr, blind is exactly what you are...

Brett

Things change Brett, it's true.

VJB, for example, had said:

"I don't watch TV."  (circa 1980s)

"I don't do email." (early 90s.)

"I don't want a computer in the radio room." (pre 2007)

Next thing you know I'll go slopbucket, contest !<  and sell all my AM szht to Dave Knepper.

Think I'll join the ARRL tonight, I ain't feeling right.

August 2009 worked you on 2 meter sideband. You've worked the Heavy Metal contest and don't we have a picture of you somewhere working "Vintage Field Day"? Looks like you only have two to go to complete all your tasks.

[ka3zlr]

Well we should look at all the modes and at least try them on, would add to the balance of an Amateurs Experience. The Newer Rigs are a Blessing sometimes so is AM so is CW, be well Balanced in all things that's what my old man used to say...Some Days I turn on a Hali's..an some days I turn on the Ten-Tec's. some days I don't turn nothen on but a Laptop full of PSK...one watt work the coast big deal...

73
Jack.

[WA3VJB]

October 24, 2009 8:28pm EDT

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[KF1Z]

The big thing with these radios is you see (look at) about 200 KHz of the band, so you SEE exactly what is going on, you cant help seeing peoples signals, the frequency, the modulation, the bandwidth, amplitude, all of it.



And without sdr, blind is exactly what you are...

And with a rig like mine, you can see up to 50Mhz of band on screen, all at once....
Haven't decided whether that's a "bell" or a "whistle".

You do see everything, from the Boston Buzzy, frequency grinders, morons, etc....
I was tuning around with a ts440 the other day, and felt like I was in a box, unable to see what was going on around me...   

Luckily though, even though blind, at least I'm not deaf, and could still enjoy my radio playtime fine and dandy.. 

[W2VW]

October 24, 2009 8:28pm EDT

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I'm selling out.

[KM1H]

The question I asked was was, what were the Bottom Feeder Transmitters?
I don't know which ones Carl had a bad experience with or heard?

Try reading that post for crying out loud Then add some of your own if you were on 6 back then.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

October 24, 2009 8:28pm EDT

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I thought I heard a very loud clap of thunder and saw some lightening flashing back around 8:30 PM. I guess it wasn't a storm. Both Dave's will be pleased 

[WA3VJB]

Especially for lightening my wallet.

I thought I heard a very loud clap of thunder and saw some lightening flashing back around 8:30 PM. I guess it wasn't a storm. Both Dave's will be pleased 

[W2PFY]

Try reading that post for crying out loud Roll Eyes Then add some of your own if you were on 6 back then.

Well excuse me, I thought those were all fine sounding radios so I guess that's where we differ. I guess I like bottom feeder radios

By the way here is my link to my soap box

http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Especially for lightening my wallet.

I thought I heard a very loud clap of thunder and saw some lightening flashing back around 8:30 PM. I guess it wasn't a storm. Both Dave's will be pleased 

I bet you did it so that you could participate in the ongoing annual auction. There's a Flex up there and a Perseus SDR receiver.

But seriously  Can you share with us your reason(s) for re-joining the ARRL. Obviously some enlightenment must have prevailed for you to take this step again.

[K5UJ]

You do see everything, from the Boston Buzzy, frequency grinders, morons, etc....
I was tuning around with a ts440 the other day, and felt like I was in a box, unable to see what was going on around me...   

Hmmm.  Interesting how takes on something differ.  What all this SDR visual display information that some ops like, is to me a distraction.  When I'm in a qso, I like to concentrate on what the ham I'm working is saying because the operating aspect of ham radio for me is social.   Therefore I prefer to give what's being said to me my full attention.  Actually I have enough to distract me as it is when I'm transmitting--scope, trapezoid on the sb610, reflected power meter--but on rx I can sit back and listen and jot some notes when the copy is good.  When I've seen the Flex Radio in operation the screen has a blizzard of stuff to look at and it makes me feel like I have to have ADD to want that. Anyway, for all the SDR ops, I'm glad you all like ur rigs and they do serve a useful purpose--plenty of times I have asked a ham I'm working to take a look at my sig. (if he's operating a SDR rig with a panadapter) and tell me what he sees so I have benefited indirectly from them.   

Also, I am not what you would call an early adopter.  I don't have a cell phone for example.  I just read in the paper that there's now a term for people like me--"cell phone refuseniks."  In fact, name just about any gadget that's
 been invented since 1980 and I probably don't have one.  I have a cordless phone land line.  and a computer obviously. 

73

Rob K5UJ

[k4kyv]

I know there are lots of guys using various sdr setups, some just as a detector, some as receivers, some as the bandscope, but I warn you, get one and it would be very hard to go back to being blind.
And without sdr, blind is exactly what you are...

That's like saying that after experiencing TV it would be very hard to go back to listening to the (broadcast) radio. Of course that's exactly what the TV marketeers tried to convince the public in the late 40's and early 50's.  But radio stayed with us. I have a TV but it probably amounts to less than 5% of my broadcast reception. The other 95% is radio.

When I am working or listening to a QSO in the ham bands, I am not particularly interested in what is happening all over the rest of the band.  The panadaptor may be a useful tool, but if I had one I doubt that I would use it all the time.

[N3DRB The Derb]

I suppose its good to be into various things, sdr, tube stuff, class E rigs, vintage gear, broadcast transmitters, and not think only tube homebrew AM is any good, or only Collins gear is any good, or you get no glory without a big broadcast transmitter, or if you dont do CW you are just wasting bandwidth, or that ESSB is the devels mode, etc....

do what makes you happy, and allow others the freedom to do the same. there's a reason it's called Amateur Radio.

We aint professionals, we is us.    someone, somewhere is always not going to like your style.

BTW, anyone that is into something I'm not MUST DIE! 

[ka3zlr]

Yea Man,

....Style...You hit it Derb..right on the head of the nail. problem ain't here it's everyone here has it,it comes natural, and it's vivacious..it's like Soul music when I was in school man, soul music was out there Marvin Gay..Smokey Robinson..and it was my style I learned to dance with a bunch a Black girls I skated with down at the roller rink in town.. and the white guys hated it they hated me..because the women loved it...so I didn't fit...oh well..I wasn't lonely long... but then again not fitten in with a crew made it a bitch getten through.

So some folks think we're crazy rebuilding an era living a style of fidelity and as least distortion as possible within the realm....we don't buy their system or their methods so we don't fit...I'm used to it problem is certain folks ain't happy unless they're making somebody miserable...I listen alot Transmit little an Say Hi when I need to..

If that ain't good enough Oh well....


73
Jack.