Totally re-installing SmartSDR

K9KJ

Something interesting going on - when I key up 40m on my one computer, SmartSDR locks up.

When I go to my other computer and fire up SmartSDR, Everything works fine.

I tried reinstalling SmartSDR thinking that there must be something wrong with the install on my main computer, but it doesnt seem to do anything.

IS there a way to totally delete SmartSDR? seems like there might be some things lingering...

TJ

Ted VE3TRQ

Are you entirely sure you do not have an RF problem? Repeat the process by transmitting either with very low power, or into a dummy load.

Computers and their connecting I/O have different ways of withstanding (or not) RFI.

K0FLY

Yes I agree with Ted. Start troubleshooting the susceptible computer with ferrites. I had 40 meter problems also, multiple turns of the HDMI cable through a large diameter snap on core, as well as ferrites on the eithernet cables cured it. I always use snap on cores with large holes and run multiple turns through them.

Several years ago I came home from Dayton (Xenia) with about 25 pounds of ferrites, one of the best purchases I ever made.

Gayle K0FLY

K0FLY

Second comment.

If you need ferrites, get MIX 31 cores. I found that Pro Audio Eng to have some of the better prices. If you know which Fair Rite part number you want then Mouser has them. The cores are heavy so don't let them be supported by the equipment connectors.

Gayle K0FLY ( I'm not associated with either of the above mentioned retailers.)

KD0RC

One quick test to see where the RF is getting in (after confirming with Ted's low power test) is to disconnect everything possible from the computer. Unplug the power cable (if it is a laptop), USB cables, second monitor etc to see if any of that has an effect. Often, RF finds a path in that is not radio related. Sometimes, you can get different behavior by plugging in to a different power outlet.

73,

Len, KD0RC

K9KJ

Thank you everyone for helping out. I took the opportunity to try some troubleshooting with lower power, but even odder things started happening when I tried to launch SmartSDR on my main computer. Im at the point when I launch SmartSDR from this computer, it appears to boot the FlexRadio...

When I am on my laptop connecting to the Radio - all is perfect.

Ill open a ticket as it seems there might something really funky with my main computer (non-laptop) - but if anyone has any ideas - let me know!

TJ

KD0RC

Well, if you get bad behavior from the one computer without transmitting, and the other computer behaves fine, then I would guess there is corruption in the main computer. When you reloaded SmartSDR, did you reload DAX and CAT as well?

What else do you have running on the computer? You might want to start closing apps to see if that helps. You may need to use Task Manager to find everything that is running, Just be careful not to stop anything that the system needs.

If none of that helps, it may be time to re-install Windows.

73,

Len

K0FLY

TJ you might try a system restore to an earlier date, a Windows update or app install/update my have messed your computer up. System Restore is under the Control Panel Recovery screen.

Reloading the operating system for me it was a leap of faith. The Windows 10 reload straightened every thing out.

If you can't get the manufacturers recovery applications to work I purchased a "Windows 10 "recovery disk from NEWEGG ($10). I did this after several failed attempts to reload the operating system from the Dell recovery disk and a recovery thumb drive, The disk reloaded windows, found the Dell activation/authorization code, re-registered the computer with Microsoft, and was up and running after a bunch of updates from the internet. After the reload it as like a new install , I had to perform all of the user setup and re-install all of the apps as well as my backed up data files.

Gayle K0FLY