Questions from new 6300 owner

Howard -W6HDG

The new 6300 is amazing and I'm having a ball playing with the new radio.  At this point (less than a week owned), I'm trying to get my workflow and overall experience to be as comfortable as I find my old station (FTdx3000 with LP-PAN2, NaP3 panadapter software and HRD 6.2).   

Issues I am having (many are probably operator error so forgive me and set me straight).

I am A/B'ing my Yaesu vs Flex and regardless of Transmit and Receive EQ settings, I prefer listening to the Yaesu receive audio.  My transmit audio reports are also superior with the Yaesu.  I seem to have more punch with the Yaesu.  I'm using the same headset on both radios - Heil Proset Elite 6. Hearing weak signals are similar between the radio but the Flex is admittedly VERY good at pulling out the weak ones.  No question there. Unlimited filtering on the Flex is also amazing.

Problem 1:  If I switch from USB to CW and back to USB, the MON has shut off.  I insist on hearing myself   MON doesn’t seem to track with Mode.  The NB button likewise doesn't seem to "stick" between mode changes.

Problem 2: I can’t hear my Digital audio out in my headphones with MON on. Again, I like to monitor my transmissions.

Problem 3:  I have to remember to click DAX button when transmitting Digital and then uncheck DAX....or MON switch won’t turn on MON in SSB

Problem 4: In order to get good MON level in my headphones in USB mode, I must turn the headphone slider WAY up at top of the SmartSDR screen, and then correspondingly lower my Slice volume and even my AGC level to keep the receive volume from blasting in my ears.  I then must turn MON level WAY up to where I can hear my TX audio.  I then hear my transmit audio at a good level in my headphones – but not without a whirring noise in the background and some echo heard.  Mic Bias +20 on/off only changes overall level but does not impact whirring noise with Mic gain raised to compensate for no Bias.  Whirring noise still occurs with mic leads disconnected.  I have no RF in the shack.  Whirring is annoying.  I hear great, rich TX audio in my headphones with my Yaesu and my contact can apparently hear the same when I A/B radios....

Problem 5:  HRD integration. I tried SmartSDR CAT with a COM port set to COM4 to talk to HRD and it works - but response if very slow - up to 3 seconds to QSY to a spot or implement a mode change.   I then switched to DDUtil and response is instantaneous in HRD Logbook - BUT, mode changes seem to respond in only one direction and MODE is wrong in the ALE window unless that mode is "standard" - ie LSB on 80/40 and USB on upper bands.

Thanks to all.  I won't be insulted if you call me an idiot.  Howard W6HDG Poway, CA 

Mike NN9DD

Howard, I think we came from the same radio to flex and you will find this much better. Just a curve to get things set up. The band and mode changes not remembering is actually a good thing. As you use your radio it will build up a database if you will by mode and band and remember where you left it the last time you were there. My other guess is that you just need to play more with the settings to get it tweaked your needs. I find my 6500 much more comfortable to use and listen to then our other radios and I great audio with a Heil mic. We can talk off line if you need help Mike N9DFD

Howard -W6HDG

Hi Mike,
I remember you from the Yahoo FTdx3000 forum as we both worked through the Yaesu USB Audio and menu settings.  Nice to hear from you again.  So I fully understand the need to get up to speed on a new radio.  

Explain this database of past settings and how to invoke it.   Also, the 6300 obviously has things left out or it wouldn't cost a third of a 6700.  I wonder if TX audio or receiver performance is affected?

All the best,  Howard

Mike NN9DD

The database or what flex calls persistence remembers the settings you use on each band and mode as you go there and then,goes right to those settings on the next time you visit that mode and band. You don't need to do anything but use the radio and tune your settings Of,things that make it a cheaper radio, the only one that might make a little,difference on receive audio would be some preselectors on the front end. From what I have read it is not that critical for the average user. The tnx audio and punch you are talking about come from the EQ at the bottom of the stack on the right of your screen. Make sure you have them on by turning the button blue. Also, their is a setting towards the top of that same stack that says norm dx and dx plus. Doing experimenting the dx plus gives a much bigger punch as reported by people I have spoken to If you want to try to,schedule a qso some time we can and try to work though the sound of your audio Mike N9DFD

Michael - N5TGL

Howard,

Couple of things about setting up flex audio.  First, turn all processing and EQ off, and set mic gain so your peaks are just under 0.  If you go past zero, you WILL get distortion.  With a good quality mic as you have, set the EQ flat, and then roll off the lower frequencies. starting at 250.  The peaked curve that the radio comes with...well, that will give you good communication grade audio, but that's about it.  Flat settings sound better, at least they do with my voice.

The processor should always be on Nomal, even for everyday speech.  If you have it turned off, that might be why you are lacking talk power.

I think your problems with monitor level may be related to mic gain settings.  With mic gain set properly, I run main headphone slider at about 75%, slice at 50 and monitor at 77.  That works good for me.

If you are hearing echo in the monitor, you do have RF in the shack, even if you think you don't.  You should see all the ferrite I had to put on my mic preamp!

David Decoons, wo2x

As far as #5, try using either Mini Deluxe or DDUtil utilities. THey interface to SmartSDR and provide a HRD App server. So you do not have to run the main HRD program, just logbook, DM780, and the other modules you desire. The response is MUCH faster than having HRD main program interface to SmartSDR CAT.

Howard -W6HDG

Making progress. Thanks to all for the assistance. I have adjusted TX EQ for the Heil headset and getting much better reports. I also sound better in my headphones with MON on and don't have to turn the MON level up so high that I hear noise or echos. I am using DDUtil with HRD logbook and cluster QSY is instantaneous. I just don't seem to have commands going from radio to Logbook ALE or Radio Pane properly - such as mode changes. Commands only seem to go properly from Logbook to Radio....

KY6LA_Howard

Suggest you post this to the DDUTIL Forum "I just don't seem to have commands going from radio to Logbook ALE or Radio Pane properly - such as mode changes. Commands only seem to go properly from Logbook to Radio...." so Steve can look at it

KY6LA_Howard

I read somewhere that this is an HRD issue?