Newbie to Flex-1500 - No RX...

Ben

Well... I can't fill the form right now as I need the serial number and I'm at work at the moment...

Ben

Thx Tim for your ticket message.        ;-)

Lee Mannchen

Since the 1500 is out of production, you will be placed on a waiting list for repair. Min repair is $100. If you have receive at the transverter connection, the problem may be K16. I have replaced this before with success. That does not mean something else is not wrong also but it may be the only thing wrong. Does it transmit? K16 can go bad in one direction or both RX and TX. If you have surface mount skill, you can replace K16. Flex will not help you or sell you parts. Lee WS4BS

Ben

Hello Lee,
thank you for your message.

I haven't try any TX for now...

You said: "Flex will not help". (by the way, Tim was very helpful)
Don't they try to repair it? (mine we'll be sent to Germany if sent to fixing)

Thx
Ben

Lee Mannchen

They will not give tech assistance over the phone. They will repair your rig but it will not be quick and it will be expensive. When you consider that they are only worth about $500 at best, $100 min labor for first hour plus parts and shipping is going to quickly exceed the value of the rig.

Bill -VA3WTB

Flex is not really give tech support over the phone for any radio. And yes they fully support all radio products as long as parts are there.
But to Lee's point, It may be cheaper to locate another radio to buy. If you stay with the 1500.

Duane Baade

Ben,

I think that the problem with your 1500 is that the receiver input protection diode is shorted. This input diode is not used when you connect to the XRVTR input. This diode also will not effect the PA output. It does make the rcvr ant input deaf. 

Ben

So, the next steps on my side are:

1) check if the PA port is working in RX.
Would be a miracle because it wasn't working the first time I tried but I didn't try it after I saw that RX was ok on XVRX port.
2) check if the PA port is working in TX. (would be better than nothing...)
But it means I need 2 different antennas. Well, well...
And what would think the RX to have a TX just next to him (on the same band, of course!) Is there a way to "cut" XVRX while TXing?

And if I get the Flex fixed, it means I have a 5W rig... not very sexy...       :-)
Maybe I'll use it in the end in RX only...

Ben

Ok Lee and ok Bill.   ;-)

Just that I'm in Europe and it can change things... I mean, something usually sold 500$ (430€) in the US is, because of that weird calculator which is flying over the Atlantic ocean, sold something like 1,000€ (1160$) in Europe... So, this can change a bit the way we think about the price...

Ben

Thank you, very interesting!

So, let's suppose that TX is ok. (on PA port, of course)
How is it possible to TX without "burning" the RVXR port?! (even with 5W only)

Ben

<<How is it possible to TX without "burning" the RVXR port?! (even with 5W only)>>

Not sure my question is clear...
I mean, if I'm using PA port for TX an XVRX port for RX, it's just like I'm using 2 rigs with 2 antennas at the same location.
What if I'm TXing on, let's say, 14,200 while RXing on that same frequency?!

Thx
Ben

Wayne

I dont think the 1500 will do full duplex which i believe means that when you transmit , the xvrx port is protected. Thats the way it works on my 6400 unless i specifically select full duplex mode. You should be able to verify that in the owners / operator manual.

Ben

Thank you Wayne for your post.
I don't think either...

Well, for now, I'm far from this... I'll see that later...     ;-)

Gavin Badenhorst

Morning Ben apologies for the late reply. Cant see the screen shot clearly so cannot comment. As mentioned before it you do a new installation from Flex or KE9NS it is plug and play. Think there is a problem with the unit. My flex was not recognised by my PC after a few weeks of purchasing it secondhand. The voltage regulator had failed and was replaced. Hope you win. Should not be a setting problem. Regards Gavin

Ben

Hi Gavin,

you can click on the pic so that you can see it "Full screen". (or go there: https://nsa39.casimages.com/img/2018/08/08/180808090049942031.jpg )
And yes, from my point of view it's a hardware problem too but I have to make some more checks. What is working, what is not...

73

Gavin Badenhorst

Ben what are you using to listen to the audio, headphones or computer speakers. Also the VAC can be unselected as this is a virtual audio cable for other purposes

Wayne

Yes i would turn off vac1 and move the squelch to 0 till you get it figured out.

Ben

Oups, I missed your post!
I tried all that can be used. The jack on the Flex, the jack on the laptop and the external speakers of the laptop.
If I remember well, the KE9NS software creates the VAC1 by itself but there's no RX if VAC1 is unselected... (no matter the audio parameters I put)

Ben

I think there's no RX at all if I unselect VAC1. (no matter what's in Setup>Audio)
And on the pic, the squelch is at -92 but I put it at the lowest (-160 I think) maybe 1 minute before...
Meaning it changes on its own...

Wayne

Ben just a thought have you went to the flex radio site and downloaded the usb driver there and installed that one? Of course you would have to uninstall the current one, but im thinking maybe your issues are with the installed usb driver for the 1500 or if you have a laptop with win 7 or win xp to try it with installing the usb flex site driver there, i just dont have much confidence in win 10 when it comes to sdr via computer. Just some thoughts. After all the 1500 came out with usb 1.1 initially and flex has stopped supporting the operating system drivers for xp now.

Wayne

Ben i found another post which shows built in diagnostics if you can dl the srvc manual from flex dl and run it. see the picture this may show if your flex is ok.

Bill -VA3WTB

What I am not clear about is...
Is the radio starting so you have a panadapter screen, you see signals? if you do then you can rule out an USB problem.The PSDR will not even load if there is a USB problem.
Is there any audio in headphones?
And is the settings ok in the mixer tab?

Wayne

Ben here is an article indicating some win 10 updates cause problems with the usb driver and tells how to correct it by removing and reinstalling the usb driver in win 10 step by step ... hope some of the info i posted today helps out. good luck.

Ben

I previously downloaded the driver on Flex site but I'm pretty sure I didn't use it...
I'm using a Win10 laptop and once PowerSDR installed and Flex running, everything (supposedly) goes on it own...
Via the usb cable, the audio is coming out, the frequencies/bands can be changed using the mouse, etc... so the usb cable is "alive".   :-)
Everything seems to be working when using RVRX port so... but still, I can try...

Bill -VA3WTB

Ok then your USB connection is all ok
make sure you powered speakers are in the correct jack
and check the mixer settings in the mixer tab at the top

Ben

Very interesting! I'll do this too!       ;-)
Thx Wayne.

73
Ben

P.S: I may be online at 7:00 UTC tonight... if someone is "nearby"...

Bill -VA3WTB

Ben, what is the latest problem your having at this time..
Do you have PSDR running with everything working but no audio?
Or no receive? nothing on the panadapter?

Ben

Hi Bill, yes, usb should be ok.

In "MIxer", there's not much to change.
And on PA port, waterfall is fully black (means empty except interference) so the audio isn't faulty, is it?

Bill -VA3WTB

Are you hearing audio?

Ben

Yes, audio in speakers/headphones but only interference/static.
(with antenna on PA port)