FT8 Transmit Timeout/WSJT X Radio Connection

Jeff W7NEE

This is a 2 part Question and issue!

1st Question- I have WSJT X/FT8 working with my Flex 6600. I am able to fully function WSJT X. If I have not transmitted for a bit of time (???) WSJT X will still key the radio but there will be no RF out! The only way to rectify this is to restart WSJT X. Once I restart the software all is back to normal. I have looked thru the setup both in SmartSDR and WSJT X. Am I missing something? Is there a timeout feature I have missed?

2nd Question- In setting up WSJT X I followed Mike's (VA3MW) setting up WSJT X youtube video.

Radio Rig Control

Rig - FlexRadio 6xxx, Network Server - 127.0.0.1:5003, PTT Method-RTS and Com 9. I test CAT and PTT and all is good. I also have created in SmartSDR CAT a TCP port using Port 5003, Slice A, Auto-switch is Enabled. EVERYTHING works GREAT! HOWEVER when relaunching the WSJT X program it switches my settings on the WSJT end to - Ham Radio Deluxe, Network Server - 127.0.0.1:7831, PTT Method CAT. Everything WORKS here Great as well.

I am just not understanding why this is switching. I have nothing setup in my SmartSDR CAT for Port 7831 or Ham Radio Deluxe. (I have in the past used Ham Radio Deluxe)

I thought that possibly my issue was using Slice Master to Launch WSJT X, but it does not matter whether I use Slice Master or just Launch WSJT X manually it still does this. Like I said all still works GREAT! Except my TX timeout issue (1st Question). These programs are also all working greatly with Log4OM logging software and Grid Tracker.

I have searched the community and did not locate any info on this topics... I hope I am not repeating something already posted!

Any suggestions or fixes would be appreciated!

Jeff Neely

W7NEE

Erika - KØDD

Its wsjtx after hitting the halt button. Hit tune quick and unkey the audio will come back. Mine does it every si often DD

Jeff W7NEE

UPDATE: Just found my answer to my 2nd Question. The answer was in the Slice Master Documentation. SlicerMaster uses the Ham Radio Deluxe protocol for Rig Control. It is a normal thing to happen!

Erika, I will try what you have suggested about using the tune button quickly to see if that will resolve my issue after using the Halt TX feature. Not sure I have used that every time this happens, so I will test it out!

Jeff W7NEE

After more testing and trying the suggestions from Erika my problem is still there. If WSJT X sits idle for a little while it will not create RF. The PTT will work just fine, but no RF. Reboot WSJT X and we are back on line. Any other suggestions?

KT5N Jeff

I am having the same problem. WSTJ-X keys the relay on my 6500, but no RF out. This started happening after the system sat idle for about an hour, but now it happens after sitting idle for as little as ten minutes. I also tried Erika's suggestion of nudging WSTJ-X by momentarily hitting the TUNE button on WSTJ-X, but it just keys the relays in the 6500 without any RF output. IF I shut down WSTJ-X and restart it, it works fine - for a while. Annoying, but such a first world problem to have!

Mike-VA3MW

If you get TX but no Audio to the radio, does SmartSDR DAX show Audio in the TX Stream?

You might try turning the TX Stream Off and back On to see if it solves it.

Jeff W7NEE

Thank you Mike! I have tried this and it makes no difference. It shows no signal in the stream even with the TX stream connected. I am still looking for the answer to this issue, mean while i am rebooting WSJT X multiple times a day when I loose my transmit stream. Any other suggestions anyone??

Mike-VA3MW

Can you show your WSJTx Audio Settings?

Jeff W7NEE

Not sure how to capture screen...

Soundcard

Input- DAX Audio RX 1 (Flexradio Systems DAX Audio)

Output- DAX Audio TX (FlexRadio Systems DAX TX)

Save Directory

Location: C;/Users/Jeff/AppData/Local/WSJT-X/save

AzEl Directory: C;/Users/Jeff/AppData/Local/WSJT-X

Remember Power setting is not enabled for either transmit or tune

John KB4DU

Jeff

most recent versions of windoz include a snipping tool. Click in the snipping tool, select “ new”, use the mouse to select the area of the screen to save, save it, and drop it into the chat window here.

Brian_W9HLQ

I am having the same problem where WSJTX keys the rig but fails to send audio. In the next cycle, I will get audio and everything is fine. I get a failure once in 50 to 100 key-ups. Quickly hitting the tune twice, will clear the failure and I can complete the cycle. It seems to happen when I am most anxious to snag a DX station. Perhaps sitting idle as others had indicated is what is occurring. I look at the screen and see the DX and double click on the colored bar and the relays click but when I look up there is no RF.

The system is Flex 6500, Windoze 10, and the latest version of WSJTx.

Brian, W9HLQ

Mike-VA3MW

I have seen the same symptoms as your Brian. That happens is that the audio path between WSJTx and DAX fails for one cycle on TX. Then, it seems to re-establish.

Is it a DAX issue? WSJTx issue? Who knows. I have some guesses but no facts to back it up at the minute.

K1FR

Just wondering if any solution has been found yet? Thanks.

73, Tom

K1FR

Larry Benoit

I've experienced this bug several times with a 6600 running SmartSDR 2.12.1 and WSJT-X in FT8 mode for several hours. The radio keys, but no RF output. Unfortunately, these were random events as far as I could tell. Restarting WSJT-X usually restored TX, but sometimes a restart of DAX was necessary.

Also, I have an 8600 running SmartSDR 3.8.19 and have experienced the same bug again with WJST-X 2.7.0 rc7 after running for several hours. Restarting WSJT-X restored normal TX power.

73,

Larry KB1VFU

KD0RC

Hi Larry, probably not related, but if you are on 3.8.19, I would recommend upgrading to 3.8.20. There are a few bugs that were fixed that are specific to the 8000 series radios.

K1FR

Thanks for the update, Larry & Len.

I have the problem using WSJT-X on both FT8 and WSPR and also find that restarting WSJT-X fixes the issue. That is not so bad on FT8, but I was hoping to run WSPR for extended periods to see how well a couple of antennas compare. The repeated stop/restart cycles really hurt there.

So far, I have updated to SSDR v3.8.20 and installed the latest release of WSJT-X. I found a "TX Watchdog" setting in WSJT-X and disabled that (appears that is mainly to keep FT8 transmissions from going on too long). None of this helped.

I just found an item on the WSJT-X google group where M0PWX commented that he has found the problem seemed related to windows and HDMI monitors when the screen saver comes on.

Going to give a try on disabling the screen saver in windows and see what happens.

73,

Tom, K1FR

W2PP

I believe this has been discussed before. The consensus is that this is a windows issue. I’ve had this with my Icom radios. Now I’ve recently had a windows update. The problem is now gone.

Check your USB power settings that’s where windows turns off the power to your USB ports

Hope that helps

Peter

K1FR

Well, my experiment seems to have paid off. With all the same except setting the Windows screen saver to "never", WSJT-X ran for 21 hours with no issues. After waiting for the next WSPR transmit event and seeing good output, I then set the screen saver to 1 minute. The next WSPR transmit event produced zero output. WSJT-X keyed the rig, but the DAX TX stream showed no audio going out. It's possible this was just coincidental, so will give it another shot to see if it repeats. Given the post on the WSJT-X Google group, my guess this is the culprit. An easy work around if so.

Agree this appears to definitely not be a Flex issue.

73, Tom, K1FR

Larry Benoit

Tom,

Many thanks for the suggestion on the screen shutdown — that partially solved my problem.

I had my Win 11 power settings configured to turn off the screen after 30 minutes with no activity. Changed it to 1 minute as you did and waited for the screen to go black. Awakened the display and FT8 TX produced zero RF output. I repeated several times to confirm results. Incidentally my display is a TCL 43" 4K LED HDTV

Now that I know the intermediate cause I can manage my computer and radio software accordingly. But, finding the root cause is what we need. When keyed and there is no RF, the DAX TX Stream bar meter is completely dead and the status changes from Streaming to Transmitting. The rig seems to keying normally with a relay click and power button glowing steady red.

73,

Larry KB1VFU

W2PP

still recommend you check USB power settings that’s when screen goes to sleep it’s likely power is turned off to your USB ports

Peter

K1FR

Thanks, Peter. Good suggestion. I just checked it, and for my Windows 11 box, the USB power stays on when screen saver comes on. USB power goes off when the entire computer goes into sleep mode.

73, Tom, K1FR

W2PP

there are two places to look. Go to device manager. Go to the appropriate Serial USB port. Right click on it. Snoop around you will find a choice for power options