K5SDR

9/5/2015

Episode 057 - Gerald Youngblood - K5SDR

Who could imagine that an offer to build fifty experimental SDR radios called the SDR1000 would turn into an order for five-hundred units in the first year launching Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, into the software defined radio business. FlexRadio Systems was launched, in 2003, on the kitchen table of K5SDR's Austin, Texas house to become the premier ham radio supplier of turn-key SDR radios. Gerald joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today.

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First License: 1967, Novice WN6RXV
Upgrade: WA5RXV at the FCC Office in New Orleans

Elmer: Don Johnson, Physics Teacher at the Junior College next to Gerald’s high school

First Rig:

Receiver: Hallicrafters S38
Transmitter: 6L6 homebrew
Later added a Central Electronics 20A phasing exciter
Amplifier using 1625 tubes

Education: BSEE, Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University FM campus radio station

College Radio Job: Jackson, Mississippi Channel 16 UHF

Station upgrade in the college days:

Heathkit SB301 Receiver
Heathkit SB401 Transmitter
Heathkit SB630 station console

Entrepreneurial ventures:

Start up college stations
chief engineer am/fm broadcast
1975: PC board manufacturing company
Diversified Technology, Jackson, Mississippi (as employee)
Sun River Corporation, Austin, TX, 1986 (moved to Austin in 1989)
FlexRadio Systems, Austin, TX

Software Defined Radio Links:

Flexradio Systems - Gerald’s company where he is the founder and CEO.
SDR1000 Board - Gerald’s first “10” prototypes. Sold 500 in the first year. Accidental company.
Power SDR - free SDR software
ARRL Software Defined Radio Working Group
FlexRadio Systems Yahoo Group
Software Defined Radios - An Architectural Viewpoint, by Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR

A Software Defined Radio for the Masses, by Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR

Interview with Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, President Flex Radio Systems - KA3DRR Blog, 2008

Flex Radio Knowledge Center

Smart SDR 2.0 - protocol developed by FlexRadio to work over wide area networks and the Internet.

FlexRadio System CDRX-3200 - 32 blade receiver for government listening posts.

Best Experimenter SDR Group:

SDR User Resources:
Ham Radio Smart SDR -next generation SDR software

K5SDR’s SDR rig of choice for the beginner: FlexRadio 1500

K5SDR's New Station: FlexRadio 6700 in a rolling 12U rack

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Hallicrafters S38D General Coverage Receiver

The first "FlexRadio"
SDR1000 circa 2003

Flex Radio 1500 Transceiver

FlexRadio 6700

12 Comments

Scott Wright

9/5/2015 03:58:25 pm

Excellent interview and story. It is also nice to see American Ingenuity shine through in ham radio again! Thanks for sharing Gerald's story with us.

Eric 4Z1UG

9/5/2015 11:57:20 pm

It was an easy story to share as he was a wonderful guest. Like all of them, so far.

Andy KD3RF

9/6/2015 05:46:41 am

Great to see that "Made in America" is still the mark of achievement for technical leadership and innovation. How about a story on Elecraft's founders and their path to success? Equally interesting, equally great products and a testament to American entrepreneurship just like Flex.

Eric 4Z1UG

9/6/2015 09:02:00 am

Andy, Put N6KR in the search bar at the top of the page. I interviewed Wayne Burdick, N6KR, in Episode 11.

Frank Howell link

9/7/2015 12:31:21 pm

Great, great interview, Eric! Gerald is one of our "home boys" here in the Jackson MS area. I recall his starting Sun River in Jackson before moving to the Austin area when Texas had an incentive program for tech companies in the Austin area.

Frank
K4FMH

Eric 4Z1UG

9/10/2015 09:25:10 am

Texas's gain is Mississippi's loss, I guess. Thanks for your comment.

Lionel Booth

9/7/2015 04:13:37 pm

Very interesting. Gerald is an interesting interview and especially to learn his path into the hobby. I guess many of us who started in the 60's, or earlier, recall that first receiver. A bit of nostalgia. Now Flex has made an SDR convert out of me opened all sorts of new interest areas.

Eric 4Z1UG

9/10/2015 09:25:58 am

I certainly like the visual displays of SDR.

Phil

9/16/2015 06:52:47 pm

I am a Mac user and I am interested in adding a SDR rig to my shack. Can I expect a Mac OS/X version of PowerSDR in the future to support the FlexRadio products, esp the 1500?

Eric 4Z1UG

9/20/2015 12:09:20 pm

Phil -

It looks to me that you would have to make a disk partition and use Bootcamp on the MAC to look like Windows XP. Look at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gqrx/ for a MAC SDR program. It has a very high rating and should work great. 73, Eric

Marty

9/25/2015 05:02:12 pm

The latest Flex Insider (September 2015 Issue 5-15) has the following to say about this:

Read the article on our FlexADP program below to learn more about new third-party applications such as FLEX-6000 Series client software for the iPad and Mac along with tight integration with DXLabs, MacLogger, N1MM+ and Writelog.

you can sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.flexradio.com/resources/flexinsider/

christian music radio free online link

11/25/2019 07:23:13 am

That is so nice and congratulations on the awards that you have received. I work at a local radio station here at our place and I have been working here for almost 5 years. Our station is still kind of new and that is why we still don't get nominated for local award ceremonies. However, we are still doing our very best for our viewers and listeners because we are really passionate about giving news and providing entertainment. I hope next year will be the year we will be known for something.

K5SDR

Episode 057 - Gerald Youngblood - K5SDR

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