SmartSDR 2.3.7 - It's Deja Vu All Over again, and again...

Roy Laufer

We gotta stop meeting like this...

Well, I didn't see any problems mentioned with 2.3.7, so I took it for "a spin"...

Guess what?

I get my old 6700 lock-up, requiring a hard reboot AGAIN. (three times in the past three days - sometimes it just takes hours, the last time it took a whole day).

(No, it isn't my computer, or my hub, or my cables, it is the firmware in my 6700 running out of  resources and locking up. There are versions of SmartSDR firmware that do this and others that decidedly do not do this.)

SmartSDR 2.3.7 seems to do this as well...

So, it is back to good old 2.2.8 - my latest firmware that hasn't caused this problem.

I would appreciate it if Flex can let me know when they fix it again in a future version of their firmware.

Until then I guess I will have to forgo spotting and full band buttons, in favor of consistent performance.

Vy 73,
Roy AC2GS

Duane_AC5AA

Hope you opened a ticket with Flex!

KF4HR

I'd also recommend opening a trouble ticket.  No problems with v2.3.7 here.

Roy Laufer

Yup!

(By the way, it crashed again before I got a chance to put it back to 2.2.8)

Dave-N9CHM

Yep, had a lock up (6500, Win7 64 bit), buzzing tone like days of old, on the first day (6/27) while in the band zoom mode. Ran it for 3 days since with no freezes, but haven't used the band zoom mode either. If it freezes again, back to 2.2.8.

K6HN

Same here on my6700. 2.3.7 and radio lockups, 2.2.8 and all is good.

EA4GLI

Just FYI, I have not suffered any lock ups (6700 v 2.3.7) but I will keep an eye. Good luck Roy!

KY6LA_Howard

I ran various alpha versions of 2.3 during alpha testing on my 6700. No lockup’s. Perhaps your 6700 should be added to the alpha Test group.

Johan / SE3X

As previous posts. Updated my 6700 and Maestro following guidelines in SSDR manual and release notes. Works as it should, no problems at all. Say as Salvador "but I will keep an eye. Good luck Roy!"

Jim Runge

No problems yet with 2.3.7 with my 6700 and Genius amp.
Two thumbs up!!!

Tim - W4TME

Thanks for the report.  This issue has been entered into our bug tracker as issue #6450 for further investigation.

NM1W

Same issue on my 6700. 2.3.7 ran fine past two days, but in the crapper this am.... Will file a ticket.. 

Lawrence Gray

I had one lockup on my 6500 on the first day after loading.  Totally locked up.  IT hasn't happened since, but I haven't left it on as long.  Now that I see that there might be an issue, I'll leave it up longer.

I like the new features, so I'm hoping it was just a one-time glitch.

Larry, W1IZZ

Bob N7ZO

Although Tim has acknowledged this problem, I wanted to add some information:  I am also having problems with 2.3.7 disconnecting.  I am running SSDR on a 3.70GHz i7-8700K PC with GTX 1070 Ti video card connected to a 6700 through a Cisco SG300-10 switch with green features disabled.  The disconnect happens anywhere from 60 minutes to 24 hours after starting SSDR.  When it occurs, it always takes a long button press on the 6700 to get the hardware to shut down.  Also, I get a lot of audio popping with 2.3.7 (from the speaker out on the back of the 6700).  I am normally running 5 slices with 4 panadapters (one maximized).   I was running spots from DXLab Commander, but I shut those off (for testing) and the problems continued.

I am now back to 2.2.8 for about three days and am not having these problems.  I will miss the spots, but stability is a higher priority.

73, Bob, N7ZO

Roy Laufer

I would be happy to provide the "kicking the tires" that my configuration seems to supply.

I think that FRS should include at least one of us from the "it crashed again" community, rather than test it with more fortunate people that haven't caught the first firmware release crash, or the second firmware release crash, or the third firmware release crash, or...

You get the idea <grin>

Ed, K0KC

I am not sure if a problem that I have been experiencing is related to the above issues, but I will mention it anyway. I have upgraded SmartSDR as each update has become available. I own one of the first Flex-6700s that was available to the general public which I think makes it about five years old. When I upgraded to v 2.1.33 I started experiencing several network disconnects each day.
Upgrading to 2.2.8 and recently to 2.3.7 has not improved the problem. Whenever I get a network disconnect, I always need to close down DAX and restart it and I sometimes also need to close down CAT and restart that app (I primarily operate the digital modes). I do NOT get a freeze as mentioned above. My CAT-5 cables and 8-port Cisco switch seem fine. I am almost to the point where I am going to purchase a new switch and cables just to try to solve the problem although I really suspect that the problem is either SmartSDR or the 6700. If anyone can share any troubleshooting ideas with me, I would be grateful.
Ed, K0KC

Bill -VA3WTB

I had it happen to me yesterday for the very first time, it was a lost connection problem, I don't know why. but I may never have it happen again.

Tom N5MOA

I leave my 6500 on 24/7.
Came in a bit ago, got the "lost connection" message sometime overnight, had to **** the pwr supply to re-start. First time it has happened since installing v2.3.7 on 6/27.
Win10, latest updates, connected direct to the computer, 2 panadapters.

3.00GHz, i5-7400, 16GB RAM, AMD RX-480 video card.

Sergey KN7K

I have 6600 over 1 week, installed 2.3.7 as soon as it was released. 
Yesterday it was crashed in the middle of nowhere.
Not sure what the issue is, but reporting it for Flex as FYI

My PC – Intel i7700 overclocked to 4600Mhz, 64Gb DDR at 3400Mhz, 1TB SSD, Windows 10 64bit


Sergey, KN7K

Bill -VA3WTB

what has been happening is some people do the update without doing a proper cold restart before using the radio. These sort of things are known to happen in that case.

Stan VA7NF

Been running 2.3.7 on my signature edition 6700 without problems (24 hour RAC contest CW solid).  
Has your "old" 6700 been updated with the long ago PEN for processing power?

Roy Laufer

Perhaps this the case for some... But not for everyone. Like they say, “this ain’t my first Rodeo”. I know to power down and unplug my power, and if needed to reset to manufacturer’s setting and reinstall my profiles. Sometimed the firmware is just buggy. These beautiful radios are really computers in disguise, with all the pseudorandom settings that they possess. I am happy that many others are not having this problem, but that really doesn’t help me when a QSO I am having is cut short due to a lock up of my 6700.

Ted VE3TRQ

I don't think these kinds of issues are entirely unique to 2.3.7. I'm running 2.2.8 on my 6600M, and experience occasional drops of DAX and CAT to my MacBook (using xDax and xCat). These could be flaws in xDax/xCat, network drops, or issues in SSDR on the radio. The M front end is connected to the radio during these dropout events (when running digital on the Mac I don't connect a Mac or Windows GUI to the radio), and that GUI has never failed (yet :-). Local operation in the house only, on 5G WiFi.

Ed, K0KC

Stan,

My "old" 6700 was back in Austin a couple of times as I recall. I believe one trip was related to a heat sink upgrade on the FPGA board and I cannot recall what the second trip was for. I do not recall a PEN for processing power but I could be forgetting. I also have a Flex-5000 that has been back to Austin a couple of times.

Ed, K0KC

Sergey KN7K

Bill (VA3WTB) , My "proper cold restart" was done several times. 
Regards
Sergey, KN7K

Lawrence Gray

I left my Flex-6500 on overnight, running WSPR, Rx only.  When I came into the shack in the AM, the radio was locked up.  Long press turned it off and then it restarted normally.   Yes, I cold booted before and after the update.  I have changed nothing else in my shack other than the update to SSDR.  Everything in my shack is connected to a Tripp-Lite line conditioner.  I'm leaving 2.3.7 installed, but I do think that there may be an issue.  I understand that the cause could be very hard to find, and it may be caused by a combination of events, some of which are external to the Flex.

Doug g4ovr

I also have a 6500 and noticed when I changed from WiFi to ethernet, the problem disappeared
Doug G4OVR

Lawrence Gray

I don't use WiFi for the Flex connection.  I have a GB Cisco switch and the Flex is connected with CAT 7 (each pair has individual shielding), as are all other connected devices.

Greg N8GD

Well, I haven’t seen any reports of a 6300 lockup thus far in this thread, so I’ll have to add my Flex-6300, May 2014 vintage, currently running V2.3.7, to the list.  Lost the hard wired CAT6 network connection while running for about 8 hours during the 13 Colonies event (idle at the time).  I had to hold the power button to shut it down and restart.  I’ve never had a lockup in over 4 years of operation until now.  Just thought Flex would like to know this is affecting 6300 models running the latest 2.3.7 SSDR.

Harry W0LS

Installed 2.3.7 on 7/2 on my 6700....had my first and second lockups this morning. Downgraded to 2.2.8....bummer.

73's
Harry
W0LS

Johan / SE3X

Sad to say but I have starting to have this hung-up's as well. At least 3 or 4 since my first comment. Seems to happens when I leave the radio on, but not using it for 4-5 hours. Not seen it on my 6500 yet.