®

www.flex-radio.com
Version 2.0
sales@flex-radio.com 512-535-4713
©2010. All rights reserv ed. FlexRadio Sy stems is a registered trademark.
Flex-1500 and Excitement to go! are trademarks of FlexRadio Sy stems.
Specif ications are subject to change without notice. Personal computer
and monitor required but not included.
 Introduction
Thank you for choosing the FlexRadio Systems® FLEX-1500™ If you run into any trouble during the set-up process, please:
transceiver. The FLEX-1500 is a highly versatile, ultra-compact • Recheck your steps.
transceiver, designed to meet many if not all of your Amateur • Review the Owner's Manual.
Radio needs. And especially through PowerSDR™, the “brains” • Check our website http://www.flex-radio.com/ for our
of your transceiver, it continues to (rapidly) evolve. many available support options.

Follow these 4 steps to get on the air.

Although setting up the FLEX-1500 is possibly a little different
than you may have experienced with a traditional transceiver, it
is not necessarily more difficult, as this Quick Start Guide will Step 1: Hook Up the FLEX-1500™
hopefully demonstrate.
Make the physical connections to your FLEX-1500.

The Quick Start Guide is designed to get you on the air with Step 2: Install PowerSDR™
minimum effort. To do this, we assume a basic HF installation
and do not delve into all the FLEX-1500's and PowerSDR's many Install the PowerSDR software.
possibilities. For that, we urge you to review the FLEX-1500
Owner's Manual. Step 3: Power-Up the FLEX-1500™

To get your FLEX-1500 on the air you will need: Power-up your FLEX-1500 to complete the driver installation.
• The two cables and CD-ROM that came with your FLEX-
1500. Step 4: Configure PowerSDR™
• An HF-Antenna or dummy load.
• A good RF ground. Select the correct audio input and output ports using
• Powered (computer type) speakers, or headphones. PowerSDR's Mixer and select the correct antenna ports with the
• A stabilized 13.8V DC power supply, capable of 1.5A Antenna Form.
continuous, 2A peak duty.
• A Windows® PC, with a USB 2.0 port.
• A microphone/PTT and/or CW paddles/keyer/straight key.

FlexRadio Systems is a registered trademark. FLEX-1500, FLEX-3000, FLEX-

5000 and PowerSDR are trademarks of FlexRadio Systems. Excitement to
go! is a trademark of FlexRadio Systems. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems
 Step 1: Hook Up the FLEX-1500™
In Step 1 you will make all the physical connections required for DO NOT POWER UP THE TRANSCEIVER AT THIS TIME.
basic HF operation of the FLEX-1500.
Front Panel
Back Panel D: Paddles/Keyer/Key
A: Antenna Connect your CW paddles, keyer or straight key to the jack
Connect an HF antenna with a 50 Ohm impedance or a dummy marked KEY using a 1/8” stereo (TRS) plug.
load to the BNC antenna port marked ANTENNA. Paddles, Keyer
HF or Straight Key
Antenna

50 Ω For paddles or a keyer, connect the Tip to dot, Ring to dash and
Sleeve to common. For a straight key, connect Tip to key and
B: Ground Sleeve to common. Do not connect the Ring.
Connect the terminal marked GND to your central station
The PowerSDR Keyer is configured for iambic paddles by default. To change
ground this, please see the FLEX-1500 Owner's Manual.
Ground
E: Microphone/PTT
Connect your microphone/PTT to the RJ-45 MIC jack.
Microphone/PTT
C: Power Supply
Use the power supply cable that came with your FLEX-1500 to
hook up a stabilized 13.8V DC power supply to the jack marked
13.8 VDC .
Pow er Cable
The pin-out of the microphone jack is as follows:
Pow er
(included)
Supply MIC (-) 4 5 MIC (+)
+5VDC 3 6 PTT
13.8V, 1.5A N.C. 2 7 Chassis Ground
N.C. 1 8 N.C.
The power supply must be rated for 1.5A continuous duty, 2A
max. The power cable is unterminated at one end to allow you
to attach your own connector(s) if needed. Make sure the black
wire with white stripe goes to the positive and the black wire to
the negative terminal of your power supply.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 1: Hook Up the FLEX-1500™ Co n tin u e d

F: Phones
Connect either headphones or powered speakers, e.g. a pair of
computer speakers, to the jack marked Phones using a 1/8”
stereo plug.
Amplified
Headphones 1/8” Stereo
Speakers
Audio Plug

G: USB
Locate the USB cable that came with your transceiver. Connect
the end with the ferrite core to the jack marked USB. Connect
the other end to the USB 2.0 jack on your computer. The plugs
should insert easily with no extra force.
Computer
USB Port USB Cable
(included)

Proceed to Step 2: Install PowerSDR on the next page.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 2: Install PowerSDR™
In Step 2 you will run the PowerSDR Setup application to install
the software.

Insert the CD-ROM that came with your FLEX-1500 and

PowerSDR Setup will automatically run. Alternatively,
PowerSDR Setup can be downloaded from the FlexRadio
website:
http://www.flex-radio.com/

If you see a User Account Control screen (Windows Vista or

Windows 7), click Yes.

Click Next and then click I accept twice for the two license
agreements. Enter your information and click Next:

The FlexRadio Systems InstallShield Wizard will start with a

welcome screen:

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 2: Install PowerSDR™ Co n tin u e d

Select a Complete install and click Next again:

The InstallShield Wizard will now indicate that it is ready to
install. Click Install and the InstallShield Wizard will proceed to
install all the software.

If any security dialog boxes appear (Windows Vista or Windows

7), click Install to proceed.

Finally click Finish to complete the installation:

Select FLEX-1500 as your radio type and click Next:

Proceed to Step 3: Power-Up the FLEX-1500 on the next

page.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 3: Power-Up the FLEX-1500™
In Step 3 you will power-up your FLEX-1500 to complete driver Windows® XP®:
installation. Your computer will detect the FLEX-1500 and display the Found
New Hardware Wizard Welcome screen:
Power up your FLEX-1500: press and latch the Power button
(the LED will light up). What happens next depends on your
operating system.

Windows® Vista® & Windows® 7®:

Windows will indicate that it recognizes the FLEX-1500 and load
the drivers in the background. When completed, a notification
will appear on the task bar indicating successful installation:

Proceed to Step 4: Configure PowerSDR on the next

page.
Select No, not at this time and click Next.

[continued on next page]

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 3: Power-Up the FLEX-1500™ Co n tin u e d

Select Install the software automatically (Recommended) Click Finish to complete the installation.
and click Next. The Wizard will now find and install the FLEX-
1500 driver, after which it will display an installation complete
screen:

Proceed to Step 4: Configure PowerSDR on the next

page.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

 Step 4: Configure PowerSDR™
A: Run the PowerSDR Setup Wizard
Make sure your FLEX-1500 is powered up and run PowerSDR,
either by double-clicking on the desktop icon you created
during installation, or clicking on Start, then All Programs,
FlexRadio Systems, FlexRadio Systems Software and
select the PowerSDR version you just installed (if this is not
the first time you have installed PowerSDR, you may have
multiple versions on your computer).

The first time PowerSDR starts up it will run an optimization

routine. Click OK and let the routine run.

C: Configure the Antenna Selection

Click Antenna in the menu bar of PowerSDR to open the
Antenna Selection window. Set the Receive and Transmit
Antenna both to PA.
Next the PowerSDR Setup Wizard will start and a Mobile
Warning screen will open. Click Continue.

B: Configure the FLEX-1500 Audio Mixer

Your FLEX-1500 has two inputs (MIC, FlexWire In) and two
outputs (Phones, FlexWire Out). The Audio Mixer is used to
select the ones you are using and set their audio levels (just
like with a sound card).

Click Mixer in the menu bar of PowerSDR. Check Mic as the

Input to select the front Mic jack. Check Phones to select the
front Phones jack.

Click the red X at the top right to close.

Click the red X at the top right to close.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems
 Step 4: Configure PowerSDR Co n tin u e d

D: Click Start
Congratulations! You've now completed all the steps required to
set up your FLEX-1500. In PowerSDR, click the Start button at
the top left to operate your FLEX-1500.

This Quick Start Guide provides only the basic steps to

set up your FLEX-1500. For more information, you are
referred to the FLEX-1500 Owner's Manual, which can be
found in the Docs folder on the CD-ROM that came with
your transceiver.

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems

F1.5K-Q2.0/9 ` © 2010 Flex-Radio Systems