PGXL Fault

Bill NE1B

This could be related to the PGXL clicking, aka thermal expansion/contraction between 60C and 70C warm up/ cool down cycles. After moderate use chasing DX during yesterday's 6 meter EU-NA opening, this morning my PGXL tripped while I made a transmission. Yesterday I ran mostly around 1 KW with no issues. Today, I immediately saw a High SWR Alarm flash up on the app.

After I checked the SWR on my T11 Log Periodic with the F6600, SWR looked normal, around 1.6:1 on 6 meters. No further alarm info displayed, other than the "chart" which I have attached. However, the amplifier is now in a state of a quick key up with a fast shut down. No power out! No alarms displayed in the app or front panel. The F6600 works fine in the "Standby" (bypass) mode. I shut down the amp and also unplugged it from the 240 vac, but no reset of the fault. I turned Meffa off and tested, no change. I forgot to put the amp in Standby overnight, so the Vdd remained at a level above zero as shown on the chart, but don't know if that is relevant.

Mike-VA3MW

@Bill NE1B

The PGXL is very very fast. So, when some baluns heat up and they change their value, it is possible to trip. BTW, even if you test your antenna after an event the Core in the balun will have cooled off and what you measure will be different.

It is not related to any thermal expansion at all. The thermal expansion is something that is planned for and expected. Also, when they are testing, the PGXL is worked much harder then you or I would even on 6M FT8.

Leaving your amp in operate overnight will also not cause an issue. It isn't that fragile.

I will open a support case for you.

73

Bill NE1B

Mike,

Support case is open. I have tested with 300 watt level into an RF load and several different antennas. It does not seem to be a balun issue. The T11 Log Periodic also uses a coax choke. The same result. With 30 watts drive, the amp keys up and displays 100 watts momentarily on the Utility (and Front Panel), for 2 msec., then shuts down, even though the PTT (in PGXL) is still red. I then de-key. No Alarms are displayed in the Utility or Front Panel. I have eliminated all jumper cables (RG-213) to the various loads with new cable, totally bypassing the Antenna Genius. I am thinking that a relay is dropping out. Yes, I have done a Factory Reset, per p.38 of the PGXL manual (3 times).

73, Bill

John WA7UAR

I wanted to document that I am currently experiencing a "software fault" as well.

I am currently away from my station on vacation and was accessing my station just fine... until shortly after 10 PM (2200L).

I can remote into a virtual PC that is "local" to both the amp and the Flex 6700... and I can bring up both the radio using SmartSDR and the PGXL using its utility (so a network connection to both the radio and the amp are working)... but I can not get my SmartSDR to recognize the amp that it had earlier in the day. I no longer see any amp-related displays on my radio panel window or even the FRStack utility. Nor can I get the PGXL utility to put the amp into "operate" mode. It seems locked in standby (probably a good thing under the circumstances).

I will try to have someone power the amp off and back on tomorrow (I don't have that remote ability yet for the amp). Is there anything else -- maybe a log file somewhere -- that might tell me more about what might have caused the fault in the first place?

If this is not resolved after a physical reboot of the amp then I will file a ticket. Any other ideas? Thank you.

Mike-VA3MW

@John WA7UAR

I opened a support ticket from you.

Can you respond to the ticket with the PGXL firmware version, the desktop application version and the version of SmartSDR you are using please.

73

John WA7UAR

Yes I will Mike. Thanks.

John WA7UAR

Rebooting fixed my immediate problem. Ken opened a ticket for me and offered me a temporary firmware update to test -- I still might do that but I am complete with this message thread here. If anyone has a similar problem then please post here and we can circle back to compare notes. Be well all.