SmartLink does not support 2m LDPA without local help

Doug

My 2m LDPA is configured with the remote option, meaning the USB cable is used to power on the device when one of the panadapters is configured for the 2m band . The cable is also used for PTT.

Using SSDR on the local computer, the LDPA power LED is lit when a panadapter is configured for the 2m band. It is not lit when there is no such panadapter. When the transmitter is keyed by pressing the MOX, the red TX symbol is displayed, a transmit waveform is shown in the panadapter, the power LEDs on the LDPA are lit, and an antenna SWR bridge shows forward power. The SSDR window is shown below:

Using SSDR via SmartLink, the LDPA power LED is NOT lit when a panadapter is configured for the 2m band. When the transmitter is keyed by pressing the MOX, the red TX symbol is displayed, the transmit waveform is shown in the panadapter, the power LEDs on the LDPA are NOT lit, and an antenna SWR bridge shows NO forward power. The SSDR window is shown below:

As shown above, the USB Cables settings are identical on both instances of SSDR.

Note: if the SSDR running on the local PC has a panadapter configured for 2m, then the power light is lit on the 2m LDPA, and the the SSDR connected via SmartLink can transmit on 2m.

Mike-VA3MW

@Doug

Just to confirm, are you saying that you can't use your transverter when connected by SmartLink?

In your Bit cable, can you open up the setting (under Edit) and show how you have it configured?

73

Doug

Permit me to clarify:

This is a multiFlex issue (as shown in the screenshots), when SmartLink was started last, the local SSDR prevails: the 2m power amp is powered up or not according to the need of the local SSDR. The SmartLink SSDR is ignored in this respect.

When not in multiFlex, i.e. only the SmartLink SSDR session is active, the 2m power amp is powered up or not as expected.

Exiting multiFlex by closing the local SSDR does not release control to the SmartLink session until the profile is reloaded.

Mike-VA3MW

Hi Doug

It might be best at this point to open a support case since we have very few people using LDPA.

It is possible there is something that needs further investigation. The support team does not monitor the community.

Are you using the PreConfigured cable that DEMI used to provide?

Please open a support case with the details (version) of SmartSDR you are using. There might be an issue where this does not work under MultiFlex, but I am guessing and I don't have a DEMI LDPA, so I can't test it personally.

73

Bill AB7AA

Hi Doug,

Sorry that I haven't responded sooner but I had to rebuild my VHF/UHF profiles after the profile fiasco, then wait until I had an internet remote operating opportunity.

I have both a 2M LDPA amp and a 432 transverter configured for full duplex operation and via remote on a 6700. I first connected via Smartlink while a local connection was in progress and everything operated properly. I was able to transmit a tone with MOX and key up local repeaters on both bands. Then I disconnected the local connection from remote and repeated the transmissions with no problems. I then loaded an HF profile from remote and join a regional net both transmit and receive. I then went to 2M again and keyed up the repeater with no problems.

What am I missing from your anomaly?

Bill AB7AA

Doug

Bill,

Thank you for your reply. I would like to know the difference in our configurations.

Please let me know if you get the same results on each of the 2 steps below:

1. With SSDR running locally with no panadapter on 2 m, verify that your LDPA is not powered up.
2. Then with this same configuration running locally, add a second connection that does have a panadapter on 2 m, and verify that your LDPA is not powered up.

For #1, I am using SSDR v3.2.39 running on Windows 10 Pro desktop. Usually it is on 75 m LSB.

For # 2, I have tried different configurations:

a. SSDR v3.2.39 running on Windows 10 Pro laptop connected via ethernet to same local network as #1. It is on a local 2 m FM repeater. SSDR displays "multiFLEX" on both machines. The LDPA is not powered up regardless of the PTT status using the multiFLEX dashboard on this computer. (This is not using SmartLink.)

b. SSDR v3.2.39 running on Windows 10 Pro laptop connected via Wi-Fi using hotspot from iPhone 11 Pro. (Ethernet cable unplugged from laptop and iPhone is not connected via Wi-Fi to local network before turning on hotspot). SSDR displays "multiFLEX" on both machines. The LDPA is not powered up regardless of the PTT status using the multiFLEX dashboard on this computer. (This is using SmartLink.)

c. SDR on iPhone 11 Pro using cellular data. (This is using SmartLink.)

(If #1 is omitted, LDPA is powered up when #2 is activated.)

Doug

N4CZ

Bill AB7AA

Hi Doug,

I had to update to 3.2.39 to somewhat replicate your environment because I don't have a Maestro. I use just Windows 7 Pro. I had previously tried your test conditions via Smartlink with 3.2.37 and it appeared to work as it should.

With 3.2.39 In test condition 1. the LDPA did not power up (it behaved as it should).

In test condition 2. with 3.2.39 and the second connection on HF, it also did not power up. However, I was not using Smartlink because I cannot get a cell connection from my house.

Then I selected 2M on the second connection and the LDPA turned on as it should.

I will be at our other house tomorrow night and try it via Smartlink.

Bill

AB7AA

Doug

Bill,

For test condition 2, when I launched SSDR, it came up on 2 m and the LDPA was not powered up.

I tried switching bands to 80 m, exiting SSDR, then relaunching SSDR so it came up on 80 m. Then I switched to 2 m. The LDPA was not powered up.

I wonder if we can identify a difference in our configurations that is causing our different results.

I am using the Q5 Signal 28 MHz / 144 MHz Diplexer/Switch connected as shown in the DIPS instructions.

Thank you.

Doug

Doug

ps

When you performed test condition 2, that was with test condition 1 active, correct? That is, "multiFLEX" was displayed on both computers?

Because it is only with test condition 1 active that I have the problem with test condition 2. (using multiFLEX)

Thank you.

Bill AB7AA

Doug,

My Dips switch is connected as per its instructions.

Yes, I performed test condition 2 while test condition 1 was still active. It was in Multiflex but not in Smartlink.

Bill

Doug

I examined the Settings/USB Cables with both computers running SSDR. On computer #1 I could enable logging and view the edit window. On computer #2 I could not do either of those. But both show the name, serial number=FT2HDTPJ, Type=LDPA, and Enabled=Enabled.

Earlier I compared all the settings I could find in SSDR and did not find any difference listed for SSDR or the 6700.

Thanks,

Doug

Bill AB7AA

Doug,

I think that is where your problem is. It's in your second computer installation. I am able to enable the log or edit the USB cable from either installation.

Bill AB7AA

Doug

I switched the order of which computer launches SSDR first.

The first one launched can power the LDPA. The second one launched can not power the LDPA.

As mentioned earlier, I can find no difference in the SSDR installation on the 2 computers.

Doug

Bill,

To clarify (hopefully)

After a factory reset, and no profiles imported or created:

I can edit the USB Cable setting - just had to first select the cable to set it for to LDPA.

The LDPA is powered up using SSDR on 2 m on either computer alone (not multiFLEX), with RX B used for the receive antenna and XVTR used for the transmit antenna on 2 m, and ANT1 used for both antennas on 80 m. The band is selected from the top-left menu within the panadapter.

But using multiFLEX, i.e. with both computers running SSDR on 80 m and connected to the 6700, when switching one computer from 80 m to 2 m (also switch the antenna selection), the LDPA does not power up if the computer connected 2nd is switched, but does power up if the computer connected first is switched (regardless which of the 2 computers is connected first). Thus if both computers are switched to 2 m (also switch the antenna selection), the LDPA does power up.

This is with both computers connected via ethernet to the 6700 via an ethernet gigabit switch, and with a single slice on each SSDR.

If you follow the above procedure (except without the factory reset), do you have the LDPA powered up when I do not?

Thanks,

Doug

Bill AB7AA

Unfortunately, I've made two changes recently that cloud my results. It's going to take me a while to assess. First, I updated to 3.2.39 to insure that my software was identical to yours. Second, I changed my HF receive antennas from ANT1/2 direct to RXA/RXB to take advantage of other accessories and switches.

I get strange behavior now when operating with Multiflex. The second SmartSDR instance to connect now changes the panadapter of the first to be on the same band as the second to connect. This may be a latent consequence of the antenna 6700 antenna switcher with too few resources, and too many requests, plus XVTR.

You may also have a something like this happening. Give me some time to figure it out.

Bill

Doug

Bill,

Thank you for your response.

I did learn one other thing from the following procedure - note below the 2nd computer switched off the LDPA in one instance.

Here is my sequence of operations:

1st computer to launch SSDR - Desktop - came up on 80 m ANT1

2nd computer to launch SSDR - Laptop - came up on 2 m RX B XVTR

2nd computer - switched to 80 m ANT 1

2nd computer - enabled logging on LDPA cable

13:37 - 1st computer - switch to 2 m RX B XVTR

13:38 - 2nd computer - switch to 2 m RX B XVTR

13:39 - 1st computer - switch to 80 m ANT 1

13:40 - 2nd computer - switch to 80 m on ANT 1

13:41 - 2nd computer - switch to 2 m on RX B XVTR

13:42 - 1st computer - switch to 2 m on RX B XVTR

13:43 - 2nd computer - switch to 80 m on ANT 1

13:44 - 1st computer - switch to 80 m on ANT 1

2nd computer - view log

1st computer - view log

The logs were the same on both computers:

 The LPDA power switching timeline was:

13:37 LDPA powered ON - 1st computer switched to 2 m

13:39 LDPA powered OFF - 1st computer switched to 80 m

13:42 LDPA powered ON - 1st computer switched to 2 m

13:43 LDPA powered OFF - 2nd computer switched to 80 m

Thus, after the switching process was completed, the log entries match my observations about the LDPA powering up and down. (Assuming ON is 0x10, and OFF is 0x20.)

Note: I noticed when switching bands, sometimes the antenna selections needed to be changed (if so, I changed them), and sometimes they did not need to be changed.

I supposed that is why during 13:37 there are 3 log entries, I assume corresponding to my sequence of operations, which was, in order: change band, change rcv on ANT1 to RXB, change xmt to XVTR.

Doug

N4CZ