CW issues, thinking of software rollback

Lasse Moell

As a number of us CW operators suffer from the erratic CW transmissions where the transmitter drops its output power, does anyone remember when when this started to occure? As I get more and more irritated, I am prepared to do a rollback, but the question is how far back? Do I keep the CAT/DAX drivers that I'm currently using i.e. 2.60

JohnSweeney

CW works perfect on 2.4.9

Duane_AC5AA

I have not seen the problem you are describing, but if you do back down from 2.60 you will want to completely uninstall everything (including CAT and DAX) and reinstall from the lower level.  At least, that has been my experience with every install. (Tim may have better data.) 

Joe N3HEE

CW worked fine in 2.4.9.  I saw the problem start with 2.5.1 It seems worse with hand sent CW.

Duane_AC5AA

Have you considered moving forward to 2.6.1?  I do almost no hand keying, so maybe that's why I'm not noticing a problem.

Erika - KØDD

The company people have stated KEEPING the latest DAX and CAT drivers even when rolling back as they were improved elements...

They always recommend backing up Profiles. It has been noted repeatedly v 2.4.9 is the recommended version to roll back to for best all round functionality. 

CW issues sound more like CPU / Graphics Processing Unit / IRQ overload on your PC than the radio itself.  In extreme cases It can cause slow PTT closure and severely delayed PTT release... Stuttering screen.  Jamming up IRQ's on the PC can make everything jerky...

The most important note: CW has very precision timing and would demand a LOT from your computer especially if running SSDR AND any logging programs at the same time. I had to tweek windows performance to get mine to key nice at first...

People repeatedly underestimate the Sheer Horsepower required to display an SSDR screen... Especially if you dial in the DISPLAY settings for a pretty looking display.  Which I do...  I'd have pretty roses around my display if I could make it so... a little Girl humor.

Keying CW is exceptionally PICKY.  Why high level CW contestors invented the WINKEYER in the first place to perfectly form the code outside of the Radio & PC.  I have no idea what dropping power is about. But might be back to IRQ issues.

Seriously I've thrown AWAY... TWO LAPTOPS  Guys have been on here with issues saying my desktop is an i7 etc But when push got to shove it was a bottom of the line i7 w/processor integrated graphics.  There's i3 processors that can run circles around the lower performance i7's.  Their issues were just jerky screens. 

Make sure your machine is up to the CW keying task...  LOOK at your performance monitors and open programs.  Windows loads all sorts of **** that hogs processors. In windows 10 Cortana MUST DIE. Good luck.

Erika DD

k0eoo

Hello Erika,

Are you sure you're just not getting RF into the rig?  Do you have lots of Ferrites clamped on the cables going into the radio and the PC?  Reason I ask is I have NO issue on CW with my 6500 running V2.6.1.

Dennis, k0eoo

Steven WA8Y

V2.6.1 works perfectly.

Erika - KØDD

Hi Dennis, my rig works perfectly keys nicely (except the recent relay explosion,,,,  but it took tuning the windows programs to free up processor time.  I did that stuff months ago.  And most who have issues, once they get stuff cleaned up theirs works good too...  Some computers just cant handle the pressure.  :-)

Erika - KØDD

Oh yeah, about Cortana...  What a chatty ****.  While I was looking around seeing who was using all my internet time...  Low and behold, little old me, who watches YOOTOOB and gets email, talks on skype, is typing this on the website while SSDR is running...  I use a lot of internet / month...  BUT CORTANA that first month had used 3 times as much internet as I had used!!!!!!  I'm thinking whats this thing doing when I'm not looking?  I'd never brought it up...  Also the second biggest offender was EDGE...  Those two were busy sending EVERYTHING off my computer to Microsoft...  The last thing I need is MIcrosoft and Google and whoever else digging into my purse and ripping me off in the guise of marketing.  I switched to Firefox, but recently GOOGLE started blocking  firefox internet searches. so to get anything done, required me to make the swap back to CHROME.  Evil corporations. 

WK2Y

Turns out my Cortana was never configured, but for those interested, I found these instructions for turning Cortana off and they were correct:

Disable Cortana in Windows 10 Pro #
To Turn off Cortana completely on Windows 10 Pro press the “Start” button and search for and open “Edit group policy“. Next, go to “Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search” and find and open “Allow Cortana“. Click “Disabled“, and press “OK“.
73,
Bob, WK2Y

Erika - KØDD

Exactly Bob...  The other is getting rid of EDGE.  Those two will really free up internet bandwidth.  Thanks for looking that up for people... Even NOT configured its still out there doing its evil bidding. 

My computer still has a listing in the processes for cortana, but it says its deactivated. and using zero resources. Unfortunately anybody using HOME, cannot use group policies...  I've always had pro versions of windows here.   Once its done your search window just looks and behaves like a V7-8.x windows search window.

Latest news in windows development, is Microsoft is going to dump Cortana in updates.  Even they found out it had become self aware and was killing off underling windows developers in the Microsoft 6th sub basement development room....  gaak. And they thought Skynet was the problem, hardly.

Erika DD

Al K0VM

If you use DAX at all, I would recommend keeping the latest versions of the DAX drivers installed. I don't think the CAT drivers have changed recently.  

AL, K0VM

Lasse Moell

Not sure if everybody are talking about the same issue.  This is aknowledged by Flex, and Tim replied:
"This is defect G7759 and it is currently being investigated by the software team.  At this time the workaround is to stop sending and allow the radio to transition to RX and then start resending."

G3PDH reported to suffer from this usingSSDR 2.3.9 and did see this when reverting back to 2.2.8.
Note,both G3PDH and I are using Maestro and key directly at the radio, either using built-in Winkeyer or use external keyer.

As there are limited number of SSDR available for a roll-back, I may have to revert to V1 to see if it's gone.

Stan VA7NF

Interesting topic.
FRS - Please also investigate if digital Winlink may suffer the same results.
Environment:
6700 with latest V3 version and DEMI 2M amplifier
Latest Winlink and using the software TNC
Problem: RF drops 1/4 second into transmission, therefore no connection
PTT works correctly and remains up with the DEMI still keyed
DAX works correctly with data still streaming, and at the same level
Power output meter on the DEMI drops from full power (75W in this case) down to zero

Community: Anyone else with a similar problem, or better yet a solution at latest V3?

Tim - W4TME

Sorry for the delay in getting this answered.

If you plan to revert back to SmartSDR v2.4.9 after running a higher version of SmartSDR, do the following.

There are two procedures.  The first one is where you have SMartSDR v2.4.9 already installed on your PC and the second one is where you do not.

SmartSDR v2.4.9 Installed on your PC

1.) DO NOT UNINSTALL any later versions of SmartSDR that are installed on your PC
2.)  Start SmartSDR v2.4.9 and downgrade the firmware
3.) Shut down SmartSDR v2.4.9 and power down the radio
4.) Factory Reset the radio
5.) If you have a Profile Export that was created with SmartSDR v2.4.9 or below, you can use this to reinstall your profiles.  If you do not have a Profile Export from SmartSDR v2.4.9 and below, DO NOT INSTALL A PROFILE EXPORT FROM A LATER VERSION OF SMARTSDR ONCE YOU HAVE INSTALLED THE v2.4.9 FIRMWARE.  The database is not compatible with v2.4.9 firmware.
6.) Start SmartSDR v2.4.9 and use the radio.

SmartSDR v2.4.9 is not installed on your PC

This is a little more difficult since there is a profile database incompatibility and the v2.4.9 DAX is susceptible to Win10 corruption via the Windows Update process.

1.) DO NOT UNINSTALL any later versions of SmartSDR that are installed on your PC
2.) Install SmartSDR v2.4.9 on your PC.  This may reinstall your DAX drivers.
3.) Reinstall SmartSDR v3.1.8 or v2.6.1 depending on the license version you have installed for your radio.  This will re-install the updated DAX drivers.  DO NOT START this version of SmartSDR you just installed.
4.)  Start SmartSDR v2.4.9 and downgrade the firmware
5.) Shut down SmartSDR v2.4.9 and power down the radio
6.) Factory Reset the radio
7.) If you have a Profile Export that was created with SmartSDR v2.4.9 or below, you can use this to reinstall your profiles.  If you do not have a Profile Export from SmartSDR v2.4.9 and below, DO NOT INSTALL A PROFILE EXPORT FROM A LATER VERSION OF SMARTSDR ONCE YOU HAVE INSTALLED THE v2.4.9 FIRMWARE.  The database is not compatible with v2.4.9 firmware.
6.) Start SmartSDR v2.4.9 and use the radio.

If you run a later version of SmartSDR than 2.4.9 and do a firmware update and want to use 2.4.9 again, you have to re-run the first procedure listed above.