Newbie to Flex-1500 - No RX...

Ben

Just bought a second hand Flex-1500 but I don't have any RX at all...
"PA" is of course selected in "Antenna" but what other(s) parameter(s) indicate the antenna?
Thx and regards.
73

Gavin Badenhorst

Hi if you post some pictures of some of the settings I may be able to help. It is really plug and play. Regards Gavin

Ben

Thanks Gavin for that fast reply!
Right now, I'm at work so I can't make any screenshots at the moment. I'll do some this evening.
But as you said, it should be almost very "plug and play" and I did a "reset to factory" after having trying to deal with many parameters.
One thing: is the "wire ground" that important? I mean, I'm using a laptop and it's not very easy to put a "ground wire" between the ground of the Flex and the laptop...
73   ;-)

Gavin Badenhorst

Hi Ben the ground wire is for ensuring you have no rf issues. Wonder how you did a factory reset. Send me some screen shots this evening and lets see. When you say no receive is there audio but no stations being received. Regards Gavin ZS6BG

Ben

Okay. First of all, I'd like to use it in RX only so I'll let that ground wire down for now...
And the right terms are: "Factory Defaults", in "Setup".
When I said no RX, I mean there is no useable audio, just like there was no antenna connected.
The only thing I can bearly hear is a chinese radio station (not a ham) on 7.215, which is almost inaudible. On my non-sdr rig, it's 59+40dB/+50dB, with the Flex it's 10. (audio= let's say1, signal = 0)
Maybe the Flex itself and the usb cord is acting as a antenna... but it's just like there was not antenna connected. And I can tell the antenna/the connection is ok as, with the bnc, it's working very well on my hand-scanner. (so, using a bnc too)
73
My call is F1CLC    ;-)

Ben

By the way, what kind of screen shot can be helpful?
Of the main window?
Of the "setup" menu? (with of course many sub menus)
And the "Mixer" menu? And the "Antenna" menu?

DH2ID

Hi Ben! Are you using the original FlexRadio PowerSDR 2.8 or the improved and developed
version by KE9NS http://www.ke9ns.com/flexpage.html ?
I've installed the KE9NS software and my Flex-1500 runs without any problems. If you
don't want to use a transverter or Flexwire, you don't have to change anything in the "ANT" settings.
BTW reading KE9NS's page is a must for all Flex-1500 to 5000 users! You get a lot of
information, how to update your radio for 60m, and so on.
Regards, Alex

Ben

Hi Alex!
I've started with the original version (2.7.2, no?) and installed the KE9NS's version too but the result is the same...  ;-(
I've read so much before receiving the Flex (in order to be "ready" once I have it), even been watching video during hours but can't find the solution by my own... that why I'm asking to the community...
And that's right, I'm using neither a transverter nor the flexwire cable and "PA" is indeed showing up in "ANT".
73

Gavin Badenhorst

Hi Ben lets start with the main screen first. Perhaps the AGC is all the way to the left but lets see.
Remember that nothing needs to be changed for the Flex to work after the initial installation. There is a setting under mixer where perhaps the output for the audio is set way to low.
Regards
Gavin

Ben

Concerning the AGC, no, I don't think so...
And in the Mixer, I don't think either... when moving the cursor, it changes the audio level (what I can hear) but not the "Panadapter waves" level. It remains at -125 dBm or so...
Thank you again.
Did you get my email? (found your address on QRZ)
;-)

Tim - W4TME

Try using the XVTR RX antenna port.  If the radio receives using that port, then you have a hardware problem and will need an RMA to have the radio repaired.  To get an RMA, you open a HelpDesk (https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us) support ticket.

For details on how to submit a HelpDesk support ticket, please refer to the following URL: http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118688-How-to-Submit-a-Request-for-Technical-Supp...

Mike-VA3MW

I use  a tool call GreenShot for making my screen shots.  Very awesome program, it is free and it really helps diagnose issues when we can see the screen.  http://getgreenshot.org/

Mike

Ben

Pretty logical and smart advice, I'll give a try.     ;-)
Thx Tim.

Ben

I've mwsnap installed so I'll use this one.   ;-)

roger na4rr

Dito what Tim said.  If you use a bnc to so239 adapter it can put a lot of stress on connector in the radio and break.  I've had this happen until I started using a short piece of rg8x with bnc at the radio. end and so239 at the other.

Wayne

I hate buying used equipment cause within a week or month you discover the reason it was being sold and usually its not the reason they tell you when your buying it.

Ben

Yes... can it be?! Oups...
So, it will be the next control to do...
Thx

Ben

Yes, that can be indeed...
Even if, in our case, we're located not too far from each other so that can be a good point for me...
Thx

Ben

Hi there!
So, I put the bnc into port 4 (XVRX) and it works just straight without doing anything special!
I didn't try the port 6 (Antenna) again but I suppose it still doesn't receive anything... Grrr...

By the way, yesterday evening, I only tried the KE9NS version of PowerSDR and there's a screen shot tool (a small red camera icon) included. Next to "Reply".   ;-)



Thanks again to all the contributors!

Ben

Dear Tim,
So, I've tried connecting on the XVRX and it works just straight... But the guy selling the Flex is now telling me that it's something about the configuration and that all the ports are working...
What do you (Tim and others) think?

Thank you and regards,    ;-)

Ben

Ben

Dear Gavin,
can you see something wrong in my screen shot? (which can prevent RX on PA port)

And something is coming to my mind... let's suppose RX is ok on XVRX and TX is ok on PA. (I haven't do any TX for now)
Is there somewhere you tell the Flex to RX/XVRX and to TX/PA? (which is not what I want/need)

Thx,

Ben

P.S.: a few things are a bit weird to me...
1) when moving AF cursor, it changes nothing. AF:0 or AF:100, the audio level is the same.
2) when moving AGC-T cursor, it changes almost nothing. AGC-T:30 or AGC-T:120, the audio level is the same as well.

Wayne

What does the settings tab show when clicked at the top bar. Goto the KE9NS site and look at the windows settings recommended your cpu % is showing 38% in the snapshot which seems high to me. Also you might check out the flex downloads for the manual on the sdr1500 which may provide other tips. What version of windows are you using?

Ben

Hi Wayne!

Do you mean the "Setup" tab? I'll do a screen shot once at home.  ;-)
And I'm using a Win10 laptop. Yes, 38% can be considered "high" but the waterfall is never "slowing down" nor the audio stopping so this is good point, isn't it?

Thx

Wayne

The reason I ask and where I'm headed was there have been many issues with the firewire interface when utilized with win 10 due to the updates which occur frequently, which might explain your comment that you can move the slider on agc-t but it changes very little. I think you may find you have firewire communications issues being caused by win10 which is another reason I indicated that you needed to review the KE9NS website for the windows setup, he goes through step by step how to setup your computer for optimization with the flex.

Wayne

I have a flex 3000 setup with win 7 running bootcamp on an mini mac running i7 @ 2.8ghz but haven't used it in a while and when I use it I have the KE9NS software on it as well, but due to the power of the machine my cpu% stays right around 10% most of the time.

You may want to make sure you have the KE9NS software setup to match how you want to run, there are extensive videos and information on his website all free.

Ben

Okay. Mine is a 1500 only.
There's no firewire port on it and there's a Flexwire port but I'm not using it.     ;-)

For now, I just wish I could use the Antenna port for in and for out. (PA/PA).

Ben

OMG! It would be so nice to have PowerSDR running on Mac OS!!!

My laptop PC I've connected the Flex-1500 to isn't as fast as yours of course, let's say it's an "average" PC but I don't think that 38% is critical...
Concerning KE9NS page, I've read almost all, I'll read all once again with PowerSDR running in front of me...

But, you know, a few OM told me at the beginning of this topic that when you're using the Flex for the first time, so, after a fresh installation, it's supposed to work (in RX) without doing anything...

(and see my other answer up.)     ;-)

Bill -VA3WTB

Ben did you start the help ticket? bye this time you should have...

Ben

Hello Bill,
no, not yet. I first wanna try to know if this is something wrong with the parameters or with the hardware...

Wayne

Ben I would start the help desk ticket I found they answered all my questions even before i bought the used flex 3000 back then im sure its the same way now they will most likely help you out and give you things to do and check at no charge until it is clear its a hardware issue.

Ben

Okay! I'm doing it right now!
Thank you Wayne and thanks again Tim for providing all the infos.      ;-)