Numbers for SWR

KY6LA_Howard

I am sitting in the south of France running KY6LA in California remotely on 12M RTTY trying to work W1AW/0. So I change frequencies from 20M JT65 using DDUTIL which hopefully causes my SteppIR MonstIR in California to follow he frequency. I hit tune. I get that AWFUL INVISIBLE ANALOG absolutely USELESS attempt at a SWR meter. In SSDR Which, of course. Is impossible to see or read. With invisible red on black colors. So I have absolutely no idea if the antenna has tuned correctly which is important as I want to turn on the Expert 2K-FA and not **** it up. So I have to switch back to DDUTL,so I can read an LP100 DIGITAL SWR Wattmeter which I was forced to buy because of the useless invisible analog wattmeter. In SSDR. The issue is that we had an incredibly useful digital SWR wattmeter and digital S meter back in the days of. Power SDR. Now with the advance to SSDR we get that impossible to see let alone read USELESS analog ****. S-Meter and SWR meter. You can imagine how frustrated I am with the PIA invisible meters. Can we please, please have digital meters again Or at least some choice of colors. Red on black is invisible. To me.

Stu Phillips - K6TU

You got the short end of the gene pool I guess - RG color blindness?

I empathize (in spirit as my RG works fine).

While you are at it, are there other aspects of the uI that nail you the same way?

Stu K6TU

PS: Do you run the 2K remote client?  It would show you power out and SWR...  even if you are barefoot if it behaves the same way as the 1k.

Ken N9VV

Hi, the SWR meter is NOT "USELESS".

how about these solutions;
(a) hire a programmer to write  the perfect GUI using the generous FLEX Application Programming Interface (API).  IMHO: If you can afford a remote station in California with a 2K linear, you can certainly afford to pay a professional programmer to create your dream Graphical User Interface;
(b) Correspond with Beppe at WoodBoxRadio and see if "BobMeter" runs with the current SSDR or standalone as a separate application. It was previously a stunning S-Meter and SWR indicator for the FLEX transceivers.  He is a FLEX dealer and has a vested interest in making the meters work with the new 6000 series Transceivers.   Here is a link to BobMeter:    http://www.woodboxradio.com/uk/BobMeters.html
GL de Ken N9VV

KY6LA_Howard

The issue of RB color blindness is due to advancing age albeit a bit better since cataract surgery but still very hard if not impossible to see Yes. My 2K-FA will show digital SWR albeit not that accurate and my LP 100 will also show more accurate digital SWR as will my WN-2d. But issue is that I have to switch screens to see them when operating remotely rather than their just being visible in SSDR like they used to be in PowerSDR. Which means that i will be running power into a possibly high SWR while my slow internet connection switches screens or even worse disconnects.

KY6LA_Howard

1. Obviously u have never paid for the true cost of software development or u would not make such a silly comment 2. Beppe has an ANALOG S-METER for the 6000 which I have. But again multiple screens 3. I want NUMBERS not lines. I worked on my last analog computer back in 1963. I have not used an analog watch since 1967. We had NUMBERS in PowerSDR. I just want the same as we had in PowerSDR.

KY6LA_Howard

I would love to get rid of all of the black backgrounds and have a choice of colors.so that I can optimize my visual performance . I am sure that there are others with advancing years who have visibility issues.

Al_NN4ZZ

Here is the solution / idea for better scale and NUMBERS... https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/idea_to_improve_the_swr_and_power_scale_readability Regards, Al

KY6LA_Howard

I saw ur solution before. I was just expressing my utter frustration today when trying work remotely via a slow unreliable Internet connection from the vineyard in Sablet France and having to swap screens all the time to check SWR back in CA and to monitor power output because I could not see what is happening in SSDR My frustration was compounded when we dropped connections a couple of times while in transmit. If Flex intends to provide Native Remote in V2.0. They are really going to have to implement digital meters and user selectable color schemes for improved visibility or there are going to be a lot more blown up,remote radios.

Ned K1NJ

     Serious problem; needs to be addressed.

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/color_choices_for_background_and_meters

Ned, K1NJ

Jon_KF2E

I would suggest routing your PTT line from the Flex through the lp100A and setting it to disconnect if the SWR goes above 2:1. Even if you get a digital display this seems like it would be prudent when operating remotely. I do it with my 6500/LP100A/Quadra and it has saved me before when my antenna didn't tune correctly.

73,

Jon...kf2e

KY6LA_Howard

Thanks. Already did that as soon as I got the LP100 at Dayton but set the threshold higher. The real issue is that I have to switch screens to see the Lp100 readings. Via DDUTIL So while I may have SWR protection (used to do that with WN-2d as well) I really have no idea as to,power output or SWR until I switch screens in a live XMT mode. With slow internet connections this can lead awkward situations as I then need to switch screens again to stop XMT. Remoting was just so much easier with PowereSDR when we had digital,readoutss so everything was on one screen. BTW. I remote via my iPad. (So far from 17 different countries.

W9OY

Steve K4FR used to have a form in DDUTIL that gave digital readout in real time of the S meter both peak and average.  I'm sure power and swr data are also available and could be displayed in that kind of format. There is also the ability to read fwd and swr in DDUTIL on the front panel from the LP-100a if you hook it up via a hardware com port.  I think N8LP also has a program that will do that.  It is likely something could be added to DDUTIL that would also stick SSDR power and swr in those fields.   Ed W2RF might be interested in including a tab in SDR-Bridge that displays this kind of information digitally.  He already connects to the Ethernet feed.  

What I would like is a digital readout for peak power, swr, s meter in dBm both peak and average put in the title bar of each slice.  This would give real time readings and take up no more real estate in the GUI.  The numbers are already there in the API so all that needs to be done is write the display.  If not on the SSDR gui then maybe in the DDUTIL gui  I really like to read dBm without that hover over the meter thing.  

73  W9OY

KY6LA_Howard

I really like to read dBm without that hover over the meter thing.

Dale KB5VE

I will agree the S meter and swr meter look nice as colored moving lines and unlike some post I for one do not believe you should have to hire a programmer because you did that when you purchased the Flex 6000 series. This radio has so much potential and asking for this feature is well in line for you as a owner and user. The screen of high definition signals would fit well with defined boxes of digital war and signal dbm's if the user wanted. I feel it will come , but never feel intimidated to not ask for a feature you feel you want, in fact I thought that was one of the purposes of this community. how about it Gerald is the request of features one of the reasons for the community? Keep asking I have a feeling you will get it. By the way you can check back and notice I posted the same issue right after I got my #50 limited signed edition. And they gave us the ability to hover over the smeter, next they might find it in their heart to alow us to replace the smeter with the digital. Good Flexing and power to the people!