Flex 6600 not communicating with the N1MM bandmap

Robert J Krasowski

I have been using Flex 6600 with N1MM for more than a year. Last week for the first time when I started smart SDR and N1MM I got the message that "Flex Radio com4 port does not exist. Switching to manual radio". While this warning window is displayed in the background I have normally functioning Smart SDR with spots displayed on the screen. After clicking OK on that window, N1MM seems to be starting properly, I get telnet window, Bandmap window with spots on the band map but the frequency is different as compare to Flex Radio. Pressing "Reset Radio" in N1MM gives me warning that the radio is not responding. SO, in the sense, I have no ability to control Flex from N1MM as I had before and vice versa. Still, I can see Spots displaying on Smart SDR. I installed the newest N1MM software today as well as the newest Smart SDR and I am getting the same result. 

PS. N1MM ver 1.0.8211
Smart SDR ver 3.1.8

Craig_KØCF

N1MM is trying to tell you that somehow Com4 got deleted in SmartSDR CAT. Open SmartSDR CAT and verify the port exists, or if N1MM is trying to use the wrong port. You can easily create a new Com port for N1MM, or change N1MM to an existing port whose protocol is CAT.

Jeff_W4DD

I've been having this problem for a couple of months.  When N1MM boots up, it says it can not communicate with the CAT Com port.  Any previously created CAT port will not work, but it I create a new CAT port each time it works OK.  If I open Log in for the CAT port, and test a commands like FA, the port works OK.  I've tried as many as 6 CAT ports and any port that was created in a prior session of CAT will not work.  Not clear if this is a CAT problem, a N1MM problem, or a Windows problem.  Using Smart SDR 2.6.1, latest N1MM, and Win 7.

Jeff_W4DD

Further information:  Restarting Windows 7 makes the CAT port unresponsive.  Windows Device Manager reports the port as having a problem, but it also reports a newly created port that works with the same problem.

Joe N3HEE

Robert has anything changed ? Windows updates, Smart SDR version upgrade, N1MM update ? -Joe N3HEE

Robert J Krasowski

Thanks for all the answers. The story is much deeper. Lately, my Flex reboots with no warning. I know that is a different topic that has been discussed previously and I was hoping to find a solution for it. I read that the most common reason for it is the local network, so the only thing I did with the Win10 computer that I use for Flex was to allow to ping that computer. I wrote the program to ping continuously my Flex Radio and Computer trying to find out where is a problem. So, Flex Radio always responds to pings within < 1 ms time, but Computer will have rare situations that response is delayed by many ms. Below is a log from my program:
Comp: 19.8 Sat Mar  7 10:39:13 EST 2020
Comp: 32.9 Sat Mar  7 10:39:13 EST 2020
Comp: 7.73 Sat Mar  7 10:40:53 EST 2020
I change network cable, upgraded firmware to my switch (UniFi Switch 24) and just now I had QSO with Greg K3KV on CW and Flex rebooted 3 times. So, that is frustrating. Sadly I was not running my ping Test program during that time, but Flex rebooted, reconnected with the computer and I was able to carry on QSO. Yes, it takes about 2 min to reboot. I am more convinced now that the problem is in Flex, not my network. Answering Joe's question. I open Firewall only for ping and that is the only change that I made and started having problems after.

Joe N3HEE

How much RF power are you running ? Could you be getting RF into the radio ? Perhaps something has changed with a feed line or antenna connection ? You should also open a help desk ticket with Flex support. What computer are you running the ping program on? I doubt this is a network issue.

Robert J Krasowski

Yes, that was my concern as well. Last weekend I added 30m to my 40/80 meters fan dipole antenna. That could be a problem. But I had Flex disconnecting before that change. In terms of power, I run max 90 watts on CW on that antenna, If DX sometimes I do 1.5 kW, just now I called few times and tested at 1500 Watts and no disconnect. Flex can also get disconnected even if I do not transmit. Today I left it running for hours and had just one rebooting of the Flex. I am not sure if what iI get is Flex rebooting, or simply losing connection with Win 10 Computer running Smart SDR. I wish that there is a log in Flex Radio. That would help a great deal. The fact is that today while doing QSO It disconnected/rebooted 3 times within a few minutes and only once while running in Rx only. Interestingly the original problem that I had - lack of communication with Bandmap in N1MM is fixed. I have no idea why but now it is working the way it should. I did not change anything. 
I am running a Linux computer with a testing program that ping both Flex Radio and Computer with WIn 10 and Smart SDR. It logs only delay in ping response and failure of ping. Trying to figure out if the problem is rebooting or disconnecting from SmartSDR. 

Joe N3HEE

So you have two separate issues ?  Radio disconnecting from your Win 10 Smart SDR client.  Radio rebooting on its own without warning.  Are they related in any way ?

Probably time to talk to Flex support team.  They should be able to sort this out quickly.

ctate243

I would open a support ticket at this point.