ALE operations incorrectly switch to LSB on 40M ?

Andrew O'Brien

I use ALE software that causes the radio to scan several frequencies on various bands.  Within the software there are frequency settings that include the mode (USB, LSB, USB-D, etc) that should be selected for each frequency . Using a Flex 3000 and PowerSDR this works fine.  However when using a Flex 6300 , SmartSDR, and the same ALE software, when the scan lands on 7102 the mode switches to LSB.  The  ini file specifically instructs the radio to be in USB.  I posted about this in a ALE forum and the suggestion is that a Flex 6300 has a "band plan" that forces a switch to LSB for 7102.  Anyone know if this is true and how to change ?  I'm baffled as to wny this would be a deliberate Flex band plan while 80M and 60M ALE frequencies correctly land on USB when scanning.  

Bob G W1GLV

80M & 40M are LSB unless you are doing something special. At least that is what The ARRL band plan is.

Ria

Not with ALE. Also digital modes like JT65 use USB.

Andrew VK5CV

But FreeDV uses LSB on the low bands like analogue SSB voice.

Dan -- KC4GO

Try using DIGU  instead of USB

Watts - K4QJZ

What software are you using for ALE and the Flex 6000? Watts

Andrew O'Brien

I did, it makes no difference. 

Andrew O'Brien

Bob, not at all. 0n 40M meters all digital modes except RTTY use USB. This has been the case since 1999. 

Andrew O'Brien

Watts,   I use MARS ALE and PC-ALE , sometimes ALE within Multipsk.    FYI, SmartSDR works fine with ALE other than the LSB issue on 40M.  I have also used ALE with a 6500 in the past and had four slices involved with the ALE data channels. 

Tim - W4TME

I suspect band persistence is setting the mode

Andrew O'Brien

but why would this happen on 40M only ?

Tim - W4TME

band level persistence.  Changing the slice to 40m "remembers" it was in USB mode and sets it

Moose

I'm having the same issue, how can it be resolved?

73 Chris AK4SK

Tim - W4TME

Clear band persistence.  Do a full export of your profiles.  The do a factory reset of the radio.  Start up SmartSDR but test for the proper behavior before importing your profile data.  If it works properly, then import your profiles, making certain you unselect the preferences options so you do not re-write the incorrect band persistence data back to the radio.

Moose

Thanks Tim. Is this the same procedure if I'm using the Maestro?

Tim - W4TME

Yes.  Persistence data is stored in the radio.

Moose

Thanks

Moose

Tim,
I gave this a try this morning and the issue still occurs before I import my profiles back to the radio. I did it multiple times but it didn't make a difference. Is there anything else I can try?

Chris

Tim - W4TME

Not sure.  You may need to look at the CAT log and see if the radio is being sent a command to change modes.  What we find most often than not is the radio is doing exactly what it is told to do.  You just have to figure out what is commanding it.

Moose

Thanks Tim. The software uses a file where the frequency, band information, etc. is stored. I have verified that the file states USB for these frequencies. The two frequencies near 40m are the only two I'm having this issue with. I was previously using this with an Icom IC-7600 and a Yaesu radio with no issues. I'm going to try to contact the original poster to see if he resolved it.

73 Chris

Moose

Andrew, if you have resolved this issue, would you please get in touch with me and let me know how. I tried lookin ytou up on QRZ but you don't have an email address there. I can be reached at ak4sk at arrl.net.

Thanks,
Chris 

Moose

I'm going to try a different radio profile in the software. Support for Flex 6XXX hasn't been implemented yet so there are a few choices that will work with the Flex 6XXX series. Maybe another one will work better.

Moose

Tim,
Where do I find the CAT log?

73 Chris AK4SK

Ria

The bottom where it Says "Log..."

Select the port that you want to log first

Moose

Great, thank you Ria!

Tim,
What I see is the mode being set at first (correctly as USB) and then individual commands for all the freqeuncies as the software scans. Nowhere does SmartSDR CAT send another mode command while scanning.

Chris

Andrew O'Brien

I still have not resolved this, gave up but ran in to the issue again today.  I need to find a fix for some ARDOP experiments on 40M where I am using ALE as a "front end" .  I guess it is not resolved in new SSDR release. 
Andy K3UK 

Tim - W4TME

Is the frequency actually in the 40m ham bands?  The default mode when a slice is created on 40m and below (except for 60m) is LSB.  It sounds like the CAT logic driving the radio needs to do a mode set (ZZMD or MD) after a band change.

Andrew O'Brien

Yes, it is in the ham bands.  There is something odd about 40M and SmartSDR since other bands (except 60M) below 20M do not have this problem.  Example:  I set up ALE to scan 30,40,and 80M last night.  The ALE software controls the Flex and ALE software setting  specifies whether you want USB or LSB for each frequency you scan. On 80 and 30 it correctly lands on USB but no matter what, the 40M frequency lands on LSB.  The same ALE software behaves correctly with PowerSDR , so it is not the software (as confirmed by the ALE software author.I will try scanning bands with Commander and see what happens.

Andy K3UK

Andrew O'Brien

With Commander, when switching from a 20M  USB channel to a 40M USB channel, the SmartSDR graphics momentarily say LSB but quickly changes to USB and stays on USB. On other bands the momentary switch to LSB before correction to USB is not noticed.
Andy K3UK

Andrew O'Brien

but I solved things..

 WAY earlier in this thread Dan KC4GO suggested changing ALE software settings to DIGU.  A couple of us said this made no difference .  Today it does IF you change the RECEIVE channel settings in the ALE software (ALE software requires we specify both the TX and RX frequencies for mode , separately) . SmartSDR momentarily wiggles in LSB but quickly switches to DIG-U .  So there is softing there that cause hesitancy that does not exist on other bands but the fraction of a second switch to the correct mode will have no impact on ALE operations with SmartSDR .   
For any ALE operators out there.  Use CHANNEL, MODIFY, then select the channel you wish to modify , then in both TX and RX set the MODE to USB-D 

Moose

I got it to work using MARS-ALE but I had to write MMI Radio files that set the mode as DIGU for every frequency change. Changing settings in MARS-ALE never made a difference for me. 

What I found is that things would gradually get worse. After I reset the radio to clear persistence memories when I would use MARS-ALE I would have this issue on maybe one channel. After a week or two I'd have the issue on 2-3 or channels.

73 Chris AK4SK