What are SDRs? | History | Mission Statement | Our Team | Int'l Distributors | Manufacturing | Contact Us | Send us an Email
|
The History of FlexRadio Systems
A Chronological History of FlexRadio Systems and Our Innovative Software Defined Radios and Software Products.
The Early Years
Beginning in April of 2003, FlexRadio Systems® shipped the world's first open source Software Defined Radio transceiver for the amateur radio market. The FlexRadio SDR-1000™ was the outgrowth of four years of research and development by the company founder and CEO Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR. His pioneering work was published in a series of articles in QEX magazine called, "A Software Defined Radio for the Masses." The QEX articles were published in four installments between July 2002 and March 2003 and can be found on our web site. The high level of interest generated by the articles from amateur radio enthusiasts worldwide precipitated the release of the SDR-1000.
A software defined radio (SDR) is very different from a traditional or hybrid DSP radio in which 100% of the modulation, demodulation, filtering and audio signal processing is completely defined in software as opposed to utilizing discrete electronic circuits. This means that the personality, functionality and performance can be upgraded or modified with a simple software download and update. Unlike traditional radios, which are fixed in features, functionality and performance, the software defined radio has the flexibility to keep getting better all the time. In fact, even a SDR with serial number 1 can be upgraded to perform with same features, functionality and performance as the latest model of its kind off the production line.
Even radios that are no longer in production continue to get feature and performance updates. No other amatuer radio manufacturer other than FlexRadio Systems can make and back up that claim!
The original software defined radio from FlexRadio Systems consisted of a 1-watt HF-6m transceiver in the form of three assembled boards. The SDR-1000 first shipped with a complete open source software package called SDRConsole, which was written in Visual Basic 6. By releasing the software under open source GPL licensing, many amateurs have been able to contribute to the radio's ongoing enhancement.
In early 2004, the SDRConsole was replaced by PowerSDR™, a completely new version of software re-written in C#.NET and C which was a turning point for FlexRadio Systems. PowerSDR enabled the full potential of the SDR-1000 to be realized continues to be enhanced and upgraded with many new features and capabilities from our software development team in addition to ideas contributed or suggested by our customers. Thus, our software defined radios can truly be thought of as a "User Defined Radio." We expect that years from now we will still be adding great features and enhancing the radio's performance through open source development.
The SDR-1000 hardware evolved with user installable upgrades that included a 100-watt HF amplifier, automatic tuning unit, 2m transverter, high dynamic range front-end and custom enclosure. Professional audio sound card support was added to enhance the receiver’s dynamic range and functionality. The SDR-1000 was an immediate success and sales were brisk. It was at this time we began to think seriously about the next generation of software defined radios by incorporating the needs and suggestions of the ever growing SDR user community and assess emerging technologies that could improve on the original SDR-1000 design without sacrificing any functionality of PowerSDR.
Ushering In the Future of Ham Radio
In 2007 at the Dayton Hamvention, FlexRadio Systems introduced the next generation in software defined radio technology with the FLEX-5000™ that revolutionized amateur radio transceivers. The FLEX-5000 integrated all of the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions internally and facilitated hardware control and I/Q data transfer over a single FireWire (IEEE-1394a) connection to a computer running PowerSDR. Separate sound cards and messy audio cabling were no longer required as they had been with first generation software defined radios.
 The FLEX-5000 radically changed the landscape of how amateur radios are engineered and utilized. All of the transceiver's hardware components are software controllable, allowing PowerSDR to optimally calibrate itself using the built in test equipment (BITE) feature, another innovative first in ham radio from FlexRadio Systems. With its ultra-high dynamic range, internal ATU, optional full-performance second receiver, and upcoming internal 144/440 all-band all-mode high wattage transverter option, the FLEX-5000 opens up a whole new world of opportunities for ham radio operators around the globe. The FLEX-5000 earned FlexRadio Systems a well deserved reputation in the amateur market for being the innovative leader in ham radio design and engineering. Having been reviewed several times by leading magazines and websites the FLEX-5000 has achieved stellar marks on many accounts.
The success of the FLEX-5000 allowed FlexRadio Systems to expand operations and add more engineering professionals. With the addition of our new team members, we were able to focus on developing new ideas and innovations, which naturally led to new products for the amateur and commercial radio markets.
In the fall of 2008 FlexRadio announced two new software defined radios. The FLEX-3000™ and the FLEX-1500™ software defined radios enhanced the FlexRadio Systems product line with the capability of serving a wide range of price and product classes. Both units build on the technical foundation of the FLEX-5000 and utilize the amazing FlexRadio PowerSDR software. Like the FLEX-5000, there are no cumbersome sound cards to deal with or the need to add narrow bandwidth roofing filters to enhance their receiver performance.
The FLEX-3000 is the high performance, highly portable software defined radio which is perfectly positioned in the mid-range priced amateur radio transceiver market. It is an all-band, all-mode 100-watt HF/6m fully software defined amatuer radio transceiver. The FLEX-3000 is the perfect transceiver for hams interested in exploring the possibilities and excitement of operating a high performance software defined radio.
The latest addition to the "FLEX" family of software defined radios, the FLEX-1500, is a low-cost low-wattage QRP SDR that will allow ham radio operators the ability to experience the incredible capabilities and just plain fun of operating a software defined radios without breaking the budget. The FLEX-1500 is the quintessential entry-level SDR. The FLEX-1500 comes packed with features that make it ideally positioned to be the IF deck for VHF-microwave transverter operation. With a price point set below $700 USD and the continuous improvements and upgrades provided by PowerSDR, the FLEX-1500 is by far the best value for any entry-level amateur radio available today.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
©2005-2010 FlexRadio Systems
FlexRadio Systems is a registered trademark
SDR-1000, FLEX-5000, FLEX-3000, FLEX-1500, PowerSDR, FlexWire, ClickTune, MultiRX, PanaFall, PanaScope and FlexReady are trademarks of FlexRadio Systems
FireWire® and the FireWire logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., under license
FlexRadio Systems, 13091 Pond Springs Rd. #250 Austin, TX USA 78729
All rights reserved |
| |
|
|