Flex 6300 and Maestro - Transmit cuts WIFI link

Mike Golden

New Flex owner.  I am running a “previously loved” 6300 w/AT, a new Maestro , and a new Flex FHM-2 hand mic.  The 6300 is using a multiband vertical powered by an Astron 35.  The 6300 is plugged into a dedicated 5Ghz router/wifi.  The router/wifi is 3 feet above the 6300 using a 5 foot Ethernet cable.  The Maestro is communicated with the 6300 via the wifi.   Receive works well.  Wifi is full scale and green.

Mic is set at 75% and power is set at 75%. 

When depressing the ATU at 14.250 Mhz the unit tunes as expected.

Calling CQ locks the system up after 5 seconds of transmission.  Resolution is to reset the router/wifi device.

Suggestions?  Thanks and 73

WK2Y

Sounds like RFI.  As a diagnostic step, try using a dummy load and also try lowering the power to 5 or 10 watts. 
73,
Bob, WK2Y

Bill W2PKY

My 6300 seemed extra sensitive to RFI intrusion. Had a 15 foot earphone extension cable that needed ferrites to stop my rfi problem. Al NN4ZZ has a lot of good info about RFI reduction on his website.
Read through this thread for some ideas: https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/flex-6500-abruptly-shuts-down-after-tx

Ken Hansen

You cite two use cases, one that has no issues, the other that does, and the only difference between the two is the amount of RF output. That points to RFI. Do you have a common mode choke on your vertical feed line? Is your radio grounded?

Mike Golden

I have a good ground and no chokes.  I was assuming RF was getting into the router/wifi device.  Thinking about looking into ethernet filters being sold by DX engineering which appear to get high praises

K0FLY

Mike:

Plug the Maestro directly to the 6300.  If the problem is cured, that will help you determine where the problem is located.  The DX eng filters are good, I use some mix 31 clamp on cores (large hole) with several turns of Cat 6 through them as  prevention.  My problem was 40 meters blanking the computer monitors, that took several big clamp on cores attached to  the HDMI cables to fix it.  

Dont for get that you may have common mode RF on your coax.that is finding ground through your gear.

Hope this helps, it's all magic.

Gayle K0FLY

Jim Gilliam

RF more than likely RF is coupling into your Ethernet or power supply cable. This RF is more than likely corrupting your data. Probably you can eliminate the problem by winding both the power supply cable and ethernet cable using a ferrite torroid or maybe even the clip ons. However, this is just a bandage. More than likely, RF is radiating from your transmission line going to your vertical. This probably is due to insufficient grounding of your antenna. It would be advisable to either add more grounding or add tuned radials to decouple the RF.


Jim, K6QE

Mike Golden

Gayle,  I did attempt to plug the 6300 into the Maestro (first time ever) and it did not work at all....Maestro did not see the 6300.  Another problem to be addressed.  I did move the router/WIFI to the top of the 6300 reducing the CAT cable to 8 inches.  So far that fixed the problem.  I am going to take your advice and drop a few torroids around the place.  My antenna situation needs attention also, as you stated.  

David Hickman

I would put a 1:1 balun right outside of the shack. I am thinking that you are having RFI bleed in from the vertical.  I used to have the same problem a long time ago with a hustler 5btv and my icom 706MK2.  A homemade 1:1 solved the problem.

To this day I run a 1:1 even though I run a g5rv.

Bob- W5TX

One of the fixes I have employed is the use of a fiber converters at both ends of the Ethernet run. My problem only existed on the lower bands and when running high power. Total expense was about $30. Pair of converters on eBay ~$25 and fiber cable about $5. Absolutely no issues now.even at 1kw out. Bob

Tim VE6SH

I would second Bob's fix. Once I switched to fiber the bulk of my RFI issues disappeared.

Tim VE6SH

Cal N3CAL

I use fiber converters  as well on my Ethernet run.  It also provides additional lightning protection. 

Cal/N3CAL

Cal N3CAL

Please let the group know how those DXE Ethernet isolators work out for you!   I'm curious how well they work? 

Cal/N3CAL

Kevin

It was a preemptive strike. The advertising made sense to me so I bought two sets.

I Wish I could say they solved a specific problem. I can only say they didn't create any problems.

Kev

Mike Golden

Problem solved.  Thanks everyone

Cal N3CAL

Mike,  what was the fix?

Cal/N3CAL

Mike Golden

I set the router/wifi on top of the 6300 and used a 9 inch Ethernet cable in lieu of the 5 footer I was using.  Router now survives 100 watt on all bands.  A short term fix until I can implement the other great ideas here.

Thanks tons