Flex 6300 locks out for a few seconds

EduardoCarvalho

Hello,

While operating CQ WPX this weekend I started to experience a problem where the radio gets stuck in a mode were it is not transmitting or receiving and the audio is cutoff. 

I have not experienced this problem previously. I have restarted the radio multiple times, including the power supply, and the problem persisted. There weren't any errors on SSDR and the radio automatically goes back to normal operation.

I was operating with VOX during the time that I experienced this problem, as I was operating the rest of the contest. I operated most of contest without a problem, but the last 1 hour of contest I experienced issue multiple times.

I am running SSDR v1.4.0.130. 

Has anyone experienced the same problem?

Duane_AC5AA

Had a similar problem with my 6500 working the WPX this weekend.  I was using a footswitch connected to the front panel mic jack (per Heil adapter), and I noticed whenever it happened the network "bars" would drop to one red, then none.  At times it would stay out for almost a minute before returning.  I connected via WiFi and the router is literally right above the computer, so signal strength is never an issue.  At one point, everything locked up and I got about a 400 Hz buzz from the speaker and nothing else.  Had to power rig down and shut down SSDR.  This was with 1.4.  SSB mode, using rear parallel mic input. 

EduardoCarvalho

Hello,

I am still experiencing this issue with the latest 1.4.3. Does Flex have any information on this issue?

Thank you,

Eduardo - KC8R

Duane_AC5AA

Same here - both on 1.4.0 and 1.4.3, and regardless of whether PC is attached via ethernet cable or via WiFi.

EduardoCarvalho

I have tried a factory reset on the radio, but that does not seem to fix the issue.

Since we have not received any feedback from Flex here, I have formally entered a support ticket.

Tim - W4TME

We are aware of the issue of the momentary freezing.  It is in our bug tracker to address in a future version of SmartSDR.

Duane_AC5AA

Hope there is a patch coming soon because this is really becoming a problem for me - it happens often in the middle of a DX QSO, and sure does confuse everyone listening.

Simon Lewis

this only happening on 6300s or other models??

Duane_AC5AA

It happens several times an hour on my 6500.

Simon Lewis

ok thanks!

EduardoCarvalho

Tim,

Thank you for your response. I also received your email closing the help ticket I submitted.

Have you guys been able to identify the root cause? Do you need any logs or additional information about this issue?

Is there a location where we can check to see when the bug is fixed?

Since this is a bug, is there an estimate as to when it will be closed? CQ WPX is in a bit over a month.

Steve W6SDM

It's happening on my 6300 too... just started with the upgrade to 1.4.3.  The freeze in my case occurs every few minutes at different intervals for about three to five seconds.  The panadapter freezes along with the audio.  The PC is okay.

Ken - NM9P

Just to add to the list.  I had not experienced this at all until this morning when the SSDR screen froze and audio went totally silent for between 5 and 10 seconds.  This happened about 6 or 8 times in an hour while in QSO on 14.185 MHz USB.    I didn't notice any change on the Network monitor.

After ending the QSO, I remained listening to the frequency without transmitting for a period of time and it froze again after 17 minutes.  (I was just about ready to propose that it had to do with the rear PTT jack operation because it had been a long time since the last freeze.  Then it froze again!  ha.)


Tech Data:
Rig:  6500 running 1.4.3  w/ FlexControl Knob installed
Running with a footswitch connected via the rear RCA port.
Computer:  Lenovo Ideacentre K410 w/i3 processor and 6 GB RAM.
Video Card:  Diamond AMD Radeon HD 6570 w/ 2GB video memory.  Running 2 1080p TVs as monitors, one HDMI, the other DVI.
OS:  Win 10 Technical Preview, Build 10041

Other software running:  N3FJP's ACLog  5.2

Have a Behringer CMD PL-1 plugged in, but not running the experimental MIDI>Flex API software at the time.

Also have my Behringer Xenix Q802USB mixer connected via USB port.  But not using any additional USB Audio programs at the moment.

============

Hope this helps the troubleshooting.

Ken - NM9P

I just ran latencymon.exe and it is reporting some potential problems, especially with storport.sys...whatever that is.  Also it reported a high number of page fault errors.  I have attached screenshots of three of the evaluation screens just in case they help.

I will be doing a Bios Check and possible update later today, but now I need to get to a meeting.

By the way....I went to 40 LSB and have been listening for about an hour and have not had a freeze.  But I have not made any lengthy transmissions.  I have tuned up and hit the footswitch a few time just to see if it changed anything.   Perhaps this is related only to USB?  or 20 Meters?





Ken - NM9P

Steve W6SDM

My symptoms are like yours, Ken.  And it doesn't matter if you're transmitting or not - it will freeze intermittently in receive mode.

Dave KD5FX

I had this problem too, it all started after I install SSDR on a 2nd PC at home. That 2nd PC is on all the time and so was DAX and CAT! I removed them from the Windows Startup folder, rebooted the laptop and all has be fine since. 
So, if you are having these freeze ups do you have SSDR installed on another PC in the house? If so, as a quick test, turn off ALL OTHER PCs in the house with SSDR installed and see if the problem goes away.
Good luck... 73, Dave KD5FX

Ken - NM9P

Good idea, Dave. I do have SSDR on my wife's laptop for LAN remote tests, but haven't used it for a little while. I will test that out.

Duane_AC5AA

Only one PC in the shack on the network.  So, no linkage in my case.  Freezes whether on a WiFi or cabled connection.  Very annoying!  Happens way too often in the middle of a QSO.  And seems to be totally random, but several times an hour.

EduardoCarvalho

I have only one PC in the house with SSDR. I have also tried both wifi and direct Ethernet to the computer with similar issues of freeze. Eduardo - KC8R

AE0MW

Just to add a data point to this, I reverted my 6500/PC back to 1.4.0 and the problem went away.

Eric W1NEJ

Happened to me too.  I now run 100% remote, and until I read this thread thought it was a problem with my network connection, but I never have an dropped packets as my PC is wired to my network.  Operating conditions: Flex 6300 with 1.4.3, i5 processor @ 2.67 GHz, 10 GB Ram, Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 w/ 4 GB graphics memory, DirectX 10, ASUS PB287Q 4k monitor, Win7 64 bit OS, and Berringer XM8500 mic plugged into USB port (w/ adaptor cable).

DH2ID

I had a freeze yesterday, my 6500 recovered after ca. 5 seconds. Looked at resource monitor: only 2 megs left of my 8 gig ram... so I changed from google chrome to firefox and that freed up abt. 1 gig ram. And I found to my chagrin that when I went from HDD to SSD Samsung Magician told my system to delete pagefile.sys and all recovery points :-( Went manual and brought it all back. Had no freeze since, I believe therefore that it's a memory and/or latency problem.

ai6re

This has become a major problem and needs to be addressed quickly. It is now happening every few minutes and even if I reboot to factory settings on 1.4.3 it still happens every minute or two during a conversation. I make excuses to the Nets that my Flex 6500 is fail;ing and it is not being fixed by the company and I need to fall back on my Kenwood if I need a real functioning radio that I can count on. This weekend it failed when I tried to check into the Flex Net. The network shows no packet loss during the freeze and both Xmit and Receive stop for 5 to 15 seconds and my computer shows no heavy cpu or memory use. The Flex 6500 is just broken. The radio is starting to get a bad reputation and that needs to be fixed. Don

Mike NN9DD

Mine is fine and use it a lot. Have you called the help desk or put in a ticket? Mike N9DFD

Duane_AC5AA

We're glad yours is fine, but there are a number of us having to deal with this issue.  My 6500 is having it randomly and regularly. Flex is aware of the issue.

Larry _ NY8T

This was talked about in another thread, I have not seen anyone here mention that turning off any unused dax channels might help, it worked for me. In fact I took DAX out of the startup folder and only turn it on when I need it  for digital. I have not had the problem since.

Duane_AC5AA

I run 1 DAX channel for fldigi when running RTTY - none when running SSB or CW, and yet it fails regardless of mode with the exact same symptoms (maybe a little more when DAX 1 is enabled, or maybe it just seems more noticeable.)  None of this occurred prior to 1.4, and I'm using the rig exactly the same way.

Larry _ NY8T

Duane, when you say no DAX channels when running SSB or CW are you just turning off the DAX channel or totally turning DAX off? If not it might be worth trying, this is obviously a bug in 1.4 but if you can work around it until its fixed its worth a try.

Duane_AC5AA

Thanks, Larry - good point, I haven't gone into the DAX window and turned it all the way off there.  I was simply deselecting it on the slice itself.  I'll give that a try.  Still won't help in RTTY mode where it's needed to be on, but any help would be great.

Larry _ NY8T

You can go one step further and turn DAX off completely until you need it. I start up DAX and CAT manually only when I need them. Tim had recommended a couple weeks ago to turn any DAX channels off in the DAX control panel when they are not actually being used, it worked for me.

Jim K4JAF

Have not had this problem until this evening...  Several times in last hour the 6500 has frozen for several seconds, both audio and display.  All times it came back ok.  Reset modem and restarted radio, but continues to happen.  Never had this problem until today. 

Jim K4JAF