Distorted RX Audio on Strong Signals

Scott Russell - N1SER

Hello, I'm a new Flex 6400 owner and I've noticed distorted audio on rx stations that are strong. The distortion lasts about 3 seconds into the received transmission and then seems to smooth out. This only happens on received transmissions that are stronger than others. Any ideas? I'll try and attach an audio file and screenshot.

Thanks,

Scott N1SER

Neal - K3NC

Scott, you need to go to the Helpdesk and fill out a ticket so we can help you diagnose it.

Scott Russell - N1SER

Thanks Neal. I'll contact the helpdesk.

K0FLY

Scott:  You have the Noise blanker on (the narrow band one) turn it off.  I see the same thing with that blanker on.   I have never seen the problem with the "Wide Band Blanker".  Give that a try.
Gayle K0FLY

Scott Russell - N1SER

Thanks Gayle, I'll give that a try. It only happens on certain signals but I'll keep it off and see if it happens again.

Mike-VA3MW

Scott, if you haven't power cycled the radio in some time, that might not hurt either.  

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

I also have a problem every time I listen to my neighbor. I have to turn my noise blanket of so he sounds normal. I just tell him that my radio thinks he is signal is noise :-)

Patrick

I noticed that you had the NP (noise blanker) on. Chances are the distortion is due to a very srptrong signal. I have had that happen to me. Adjust or turn off the NB to eliminate distortion.

Pat

Scott N8UMW

And so the NB issue continues with the new models.

[Deleted User]

Yes it does

Lee

When can we get some of these issues we have had on NR, NB and ANL for a LONG time fixed...come on, now that they have the remote V2 working (marketing pressure should be off now?) lets get these things fixed / improved to where they should be.
Lee

Scott N8UMW

I'll buy a new one if they ever get them fixed. But I'll believe it when it works on my 6300 first.

Lee

Maybe Flex does not know how to make those features  excellent?? As much as I like a lot on the Flex...Icom dsp engineers/programmers have that figured out....My friends 7300 and another friends 7700 have outsatnding NR, NB ANL...Is it that hard?

[Deleted User]

It ia a low priority. PGXL and new radio shipments more important

Lee

t should NOT be a low priority...it is a given that in today's radios that stuff should work...My God...my Drake R-4C has a great NB...1974 technology. Why would the programmers need to be involved in shipping new radios?  PGXL??

Tim - W4TME

You have the Wideband Noise Blanker enabled and the spectrum does not show any wideband periodic noise.  Turn it off.

Applying noise mitigation features to signals that do not have that type of noise present will adversely affect reception.

Bill -VA3WTB

Now that you are comparing radios, what are the new features added to the 7300 lately?

Lee

I don't have one...but I can't think of a feature it would need if I did.

Lee

When I was at Orlando HF 2018 ...Flex folks working the booth.... said they know they have work to do on noise Mid features....I bought a 6300 oh, gosh it must have been 3-4 years ago at Dayton...they said the same thing then. Then the last couple years it was,,,well we need to get V2 (remote working first as promised) Since then I bought a 6500, now have a 6400....Maybe I expect too much...I always thought the 6000 series would be the best in this area...maybe someday. I'm rooting for them!  I brag to my ham friends all the time how great the Flex is...But it's way past time to make those features world class.

Bill -VA3WTB

Lee
For some the noise mitigation is a deal breaker, a radio must have the best noise filters on the market or the radio is no good. Others can get bye with the filters as they are and can wait till Flex finds the best time to fit them in along with all the other things they are working on.

One thing the Flex has that no other radio has is the WNB, have you tried it? It is so amazing when we have the type of noise it is meant for. Brag about that?

Lee

I see that its there....So far no use for it. I suppose if someone was running a electric drill out in their yard? Or a old Chevy with noisy ignition?
Most of us are concerned about the NR I think. I was over at a friends last week, he has a Icom 7700 and a 7300...when he showed me the NR I could not believe how good it was...my NR on the 6400 is not even close. So I don't use it at all, like many here...What is this something that takes 3 programmers a year or something? The DSP programming is where the work needs done. I like the visual operation of my radio..but as to the DSP, not near as good as my TT Orion II was. (The radio I had before getting the my Flex 6300). I guess the thing that bothers me is if the **** DSP programmers can do it, why can't we? Maybe hire one that wants to live in TX, Hi, Hi...(Also the autonotch is poor...usually I have to resort to doing my own TNF) The NB's (both) are not something here I need that much...the types of noise I have they do nothing for.

Bill -VA3WTB

The WNB is really a big deal to many, I can not use my radio some nights because of strong electrical noise, the WNB removes it 100%

We all agree that the DSP is not as good as many other radios. If you do a search for comments made by Gerald about this you would get a clear understanding of what is going on with this. One thing Gerald mentions is that most radios use a blanket kind of filter that covers about everything, It seems to work but at a cost to receiver performance. What Flex is doing and they have started the project, is to create filters for specific types of noise while allowing the receiver to perform at it's best.

Lee

Well, with the complexity of these series 6k radios...and the talent I think you would need (I used to write firmware and applications in 15 languages at IBM) I would think Flex would have BETTER DSP programming than the others! No most radios have NB, ANL, and NR all separate DSP functions. And they (if properly used) do not **** up performance...The Japanese have this nailed....This IMHO need to have some heavy resource on it. (No I don't want a **** radio, been there done that...I am happy to support a US made radio.)

Bill -VA3WTB

That is not what I mean sorry,  All the filters you mentioned are separate yes, but they operate a wider sloth of noises, and yes they do effect the receiver that you are not aware of. I hope you took the time to search Gerald's comments, he explains in good detail the technology that Flex is using in the DSP project. The DSP project it not finished. Flex is not interested in doing the same way as other companies do it. And looking at what Flex has done with SSDR so far, I think the programmers are likely the best around.

But this has been all answered and it is what it is, sometime Flex will get back to it, right now there are bigger things going on.

I hardly ever use any DSP other then WNB, by simply using the AGC-T correctly I can make almost any noise go down to a dull sound.

I hope you continue having fun with your radio.

Lee

Yes...I have read his comments of a long time ago......Bigger things going on?? Huh?Than having the base radio functions as good as any...any even better...Many are not happy about all the bigger things argument.....just for a small group of needs for a small group of users. I thought this was a general purpose radio for lots of regular hams...as a example...how may of us do you really care about remote operations?

Scott N8UMW

How hard could it be to add a second NB into the software that does work like competing radios? With an SDR radio, this is certainly possible. I see a lot of remarks about Flex going after bigger and better things and the DSP is an unfinished project. Please don't take it as bashing, because it is not, but those are the same arguments some in the community used to bash competitors, going so far as to call them science fair radios. None the less, I love my Flex when I can leave the NB off. Otherwise, I have to run my science fair rig.

Bill -VA3WTB

It is not simply about going after bigger and better things, that is not really a good choice of words. Flex has a list of things they plan to work on that fit into the time frame of other things, and how much man hours needed.

Gerald has mentioned many times that considering what to work on is a topic almost every day, and they decide. But the choices will not make everyone happy.

Nothing that can be said here can speed up the process at all, and they know there are some wanting it soon,  if not now.

Here is something to ponder. Everything done in SSDR is breaking new ground,so when they work on something it is something never done before in SSDR. Everything is research.
In the case of DSP, Gerald calls it a science project, it has begun but there is still work to do, as we all know.

Tim - W4TME

Since this topic has been answered and it is veering off topic, I am inclined to close the post because the follow-up comments are not related to the original posters topic.