Antenna switch sticky

Robin Haighton

Antenna switch is sticky and tends to hold up similar to a sticky relay. this is very noticeable between ant 1 and ant 2

W4EY

I am having the same problem since installing the new Beta SmartSDR. If I select the ATU button it will unstick. I can be using the FLES 6500 for Digital and when going back to Receive, the FLEX Antenna Relay sticks. Will changing the antenna from AT1 to AT2 use another relay?

Tim - W4TME

Can someone post a detailed procedure for reproducing this behavior? I do not have enough detail to understand the problem.

W4EY

Tim: I was operating with one slice and windows8.1. All worked Good. However, when I used Two Slices, One (B) for just 10 meter RX, The other (A) slice for 20 meter, RX/TX. The antenna relay would hang up after I was switching from TX to RX. If hit the SmartSDR ATU button, it would unswitch. This was noticed due to drop in the audio level of the receive signal audio. The problem seems to have disappeared after I made a Factory Reset of the 6500.Uninstalled the SmartSDR software and rebooted the computer, I followed the FLEX procedures for reinstalling the beta SmartSDR software and updating the FLEX. I am running the Beta version of SmartSDR and the latest SmartCAT. A week has passed with extensive use of the 6500 on all modes, bands, and multiple slices. NO ISSUES. The only issue is the DM780 software. Running split, DM780 follows the FLEX frequency of the Selected RX/TX slice. If I switch to the other slice, DM780 will not follow the new slice frequency. Changing the DAX channel (Ch 1 to Ch 2) for the Audio RX and TX of the DM780 soundcard will follow the FLEX Slice. However, it appears that since DM780 is using the FLEX CAT for the Frequency it only is getting slice A controls from the FLEX.

W4EY

Tim: Followon...There was no RF shown on the output from the FLEX when the antenna switch hung up. The FLEX appeared to drop from TX to RX. No receive signals shown on the slice or signal audio. After I reset everything described in previous comment, everything appears to be working correctly.

Tim - W4TME

Thanks for the update. If this happens again, please submit a HelpDesk support ticket so we can do some one-on-one triage of the issue.

Roger Rockwell/na4rr

I have had the same problem. I cannot find a pattern. Just sometimes when I go from xmit to rec. the radio will stop xmit but does not seem to connect the ant back for rx. If you just bump the mic ptt it will switch. I think I had the problem b4 the beta but not nearly as often. roger

W4EY

Roger: I have not had the problem since I uninstalled the Beta SmartSDR program using the control panel in the computer. Then I reset the FLEX 6500 to Factory Settings following the FLEX procedures. Turned off the SmartCAT and then rebooted everything. I followed the FLEX procedures for installing the Beta Software, and CAT. Then updated the FLEX 6500 with the new BETA. Been running the FLEX 6500 extensively for over a week now with no issues. Bill

Paul - N2PL

I had this occur once while operating JT9 on 40 or 80 meters last night. I also momentarily depressed the PTT on my microphone and the RX returned. I am running the beta, but don't recall having seen this behavior previously. Paul

Dave-N9CHM

I've had this problem with at least the last 3 versions of the software (1.0, 1.0.5, and now 1.0.24). Using a 6500 with ANT 1, no CAT installed (ever), Win 7-64bit computer. It happens mainly on 80M, as best as I can remember, usually during start up after changing freq from 20M to 75M, but also happens at other times while listening on 75M, the RX signal level would drop to the same level as when using my Pixel for RX. A quick bump of the PTT, and the RX signal would come back up to normal. Didn't report it, thought I was having problems with my 2 position Alpha Delta coax switch, or bad connector.