V3.0.27 Frequency Jitter Observed versus V3.0.19 in CW and SSB Signals

mikeatthebeach .

Notice after a short amount of Time after install of V3.0.27 on my Flex6600M The received Signals get jittery in Stability and Both in CW and SSB If I downgrade to V3.0.19 this does not Happen Something causes the Jitter in Signals only In 3.0.27 and not 3.0.19 Like some Reference or Signal is going out of Sync CW Signals and SSB Signals get Jittery Raspy in sound, even Tx Signals folks can tell it Think there is a Serious Bug with the Flex6600M With V3.0.27 software If I downgrade to 3.0.19 then back to 3.0.27 all is fine but Within a few hours to a day or two the Jitter instability reappears in the received signals Only by Downgrading can I get rid of the problem To V3.0.19 So I hope the Software Folks At FRS take note that There a Serious bug in V3.0.27 with the Flex6600M 73 Mike

N8AUM

Just curious, are u using an external ref source ?
.   

mikeatthebeach .

No External Reference used Stock Flex6600M

N8AUM

if you dont have one I can loan you a GPS based 10MHz ref for testing if you wish ?

mikeatthebeach .

Will try with an External 10MHz Reference I use for Microwave MillimeterWave Equipment Hope it not the Internal Osc inside the Flex6600M getting flaky or due to it output level Mike

mikeatthebeach .

Here is my 10MHz I use for my Microwave Millimeter Wave Radio’s Mike

mikeatthebeach .

Will try the unit above with V3.0.27 Mike

Pat N6PAT

Hate to say it but your situation sounds just like mine when I first started having frequency stability issues.

Do you operate FT8? If so can you post a pic of the WSJT-X waterfall?

How long have you had your 6600M?

Ted VE3TRQ

One more data point - have a 6600M, since April of 2018. Decodes FT8 / JT8 like a champ. Still running 2.4.9, with xDax / xCat and wsjt-x 2.0.1 / latest js8call, all on a Mac. Panadapters / slices usually run on the M front panel. If there is an issue, it is definitely not that common, so keep digging for answers guys, even if those answers lie in your PC hardware and OS (which is unclear at this time, I think).

N8AUM

Just for giggles run WSJT in the FreqCal mode and pick a good strong station like WWV  depending on time of day and propagation and see what the "DF" is. I know my HP laptop sound card sucks when it runs too hot but my typical DF is +-.05 HZ  on a good day.
Good luck and hope u find solution.
73 N8AUM Vidas

Joe N3HEE

Please open a ticket with Flex support to document this issue.

Pat N6PAT

I suggest making a video of the pan and slice to include with your ticket.so you can show what's going on.

Bill W2PKY

A very local AM station might be a better source of a stable signal as WWV can be all over the place during the day and especially at sunrise & set.

John - AI4FR

Well said Bill. Plus the question may not be how far off you are from the receiving station but rather how much change you are seeing. E.G. DF = 4.0, .09, 2.0, .005, and so on.

N8AUM

I was surprised how far off AM broadcast can be, +- 20 HZ. and international broadcast tolerance can be 0.0015%. Been a very long time since I got my 2nd class but I thought local BC use to be much tighter?
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/73.1545

Bill W2PKY

John & I were also surprised how far off some stations here in Fl are. Back in the '60s the local AM station wanted to be within 30 Hz. Some offsets are by design to avoid the zero beat QSB, read this somewhere.

mikeatthebeach .

Just connected my External 10MHz Reference here with Flex6600M with V3.0.27 Very Accurate Source I used for PLL locker Sources at 10GHz, 24GHz and 77GHz Company ERC built Crystal Sources for Microwave and Millimeter Wave GHz SATELLITE Applications Mike

mikeatthebeach .

Not sure I can sleep at night being off by -2 ppb Part per Billion compared to WWV 15MHz Mike

Pat N6PAT

This is mine after rig was repaired for frequency stability issue.

mikeatthebeach .

Use to dealing with Crystal Sources At Work in a SATCOM house and it a Real science to it all for stability, crystal quality, jitter, Offset Phase noise, etc Mike

mikeatthebeach .

Here is the YouTube Video The Raspy CW Note and SSB Signals Appears with my Flex6600M with either the Internal TCXO and External TCXO The Issue is not a TCXO Issue but Something in V3.0.27 software after being on for 5 to 6 Hours Can leave V3.0.19 on longer and no Jitter ( see Update Below ) Come on FlexRadio you got a Bug Causing the Jitter hope you find it Can see how FT8 might stop decoding with this Jitter Issue Not good to reboot your radio every 4 Hours in order to use it where Frequency Stability is concerned See Video below I known bugs are hard to find but this one Is real https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9tjXcm... Mike Update, just got 3.0.19 to go Raspy with Jitter And got three pm e-mails noticing the Jitter Issue as well

Pat N6PAT

Create a ticket and hope they fix it

Joe N3HEE

Mike, I have a 6600M running version 2.49 that stays on for weeks at a time with no issues.  I haven't upgraded to 2.51 or 3.x yet.  Try downgrading to 2.49 and see what happens ?  

Bill W2PKY

Mike-
Are you observing the Best Practices for Installing / Uninstalling SmartSDR in the release notes?

mikeatthebeach .

Yes, Tim at Flex setup my DAX’s with remote login Etc and followed his advice for V3 software to the Letter

mikeatthebeach .

Frequency Clock Jitter not a good thing especially On FT8 http://www.panoradio-sdr.de/analog-di...

mikeatthebeach .

Set my Super Stable Crystal Satellite TCXO 10MHz External Source to 2V Peak to Peak Output 1VAC/div With my Tektronix Scope - Time or Frequency will tell.....

mikeatthebeach .

For you technical types out there https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/AN513.pdf

Joe N3HEE

Did your Super Stable Crystal Satellite TCXO 10MHz External Source fix the problem ?

mikeatthebeach .

Yes it did been running great No Jitter with Flex6600 now Been solid and 3.0.27 is very happy now Mike

Joe N3HEE

Thanks for the update Mike. So this looks like a hardware issue ?