FlexRadio 6700 - Latest pre-release update

Kudos to Gerald and the team!  This last two weeks has seen huge progresss on all fronts - stability, features and performance. Radios are now shipping beyond the alpha and beta testers to those who indicated their willingness to take pre-release software.

I have to say things are looking pretty good!

More functionality of course means more to test - so between that and completing some new features on my Propagation as a Serivce web site, I've been busy and not really had time to sit down and compose a new post.  Hopefully this will make up for the delay...

Here's a screen shot of SmartSDR showing the panadaptor and the TX controls.

You can click on the image for a larger image but its easy to see the addition of the equalizer (for both TX and RX), plus the metering and microphone source select.

On-air reports have, without exception, had great comments on the audio quality - in many cases unsolicted which is always gratifying!  Adding some equalization to my different headsets has given me the option of "BBC Quality" for casual contacts or providing sharper audio for DXing or Contesting.

Also shipped with the last couple of updates has been the CAT control for SmartSDR.  This is started as a separate program and runs automatically.  Gone is the need to install a virtual serial port device driver (although it happily coexists with one) as it has a single ended virtual port driver included.  This means you have a single COM port which you can use to connect to sotfware requiring CAT control.

Thanks to Steve K5FR, there is also a new release of DDUtil available from Steve's web site.  This new version interfaces directly with the CAT control for SmartSDR and as before, allows multiple CAT programs to share the CAT control stream.  I've tested SmartSDR CAT with DxLab and Writelog.  I know that it also works with other programs including N1MM logger.

Having DDUtil able to talk to the 6700 and all my other equipment (amplifier, rotor, SteppIR controller etc) has me back to single button band change and a full legal limit automatic transceiver!  I'm really looking forward to getting on the air in a contest with this radio - it really has an amazing receiver!