Popping in speaker on transmit

DonE

Running 6400 in ft8 mode, on transmit i hear a popping through my speaker and the power output fluctuates, a happens on all antennas and all bands any idea what going on?

Gary NC3Z

When did this start? I have noticed earlier today my 6500 is doing this too on another digital mode. Wonder if this issue is also related to SmartLink being down?

Erika - KØDD

I've had my 6500 doing this all day I've been redoing grounds, antenna stuff ... its driving me nuts. I'm not using smartlink at all. Just a switch between rig and computer and internet v3.5.8 Erika DD

WX7Y

Try Powering down the Radio and Power it back up. This is what I do if I ever have the crackling audio and NOT sure why people are having crackling audio all at once but my 6700 is fine here with no crackling at all.

In ten years and the last approx. 5 years since Smartlink came out, I have never heard of the Audio crackling because SmartLink goes down, sounds like stretching for something to blame I guess, but sounds far fetched to me otherwise a LOT more then 10 people would be up in arms over it.

SmartLink had this same problem about 3 or 4 years ago and the fix of a new patched version of SmartSDR was required which was out within a couple days.

Andrew M

Flex 6600 Here was connected through a switch with internet provided. Have not really had many issues until last few days.
Running FT8 was hit or miss if I got a clean signal. Waterfall had me out looking for RFI issues checking connections, radials changing coax etc.
Till i came here to flex forum and see past few days others with distorted signals.
Previous clean TX line was randomly spikey, Power meter and swr meter was shaking normal down to 0 and back rapidly. Like millisecond tx drops in the 15s ft8 transmission. You could also see the RX portion get drawn on waterfall beside the tx during the dips.
Sometimes it was clean sometimes distorted around 50/50
This is local with Flex + PC on netgear switch fed with internet from isp router dhcp.
To cure and give me a most excellent clean tx I had to direct connect PC-Flex with no internet.
Sharing PC wifi so as to leave the flex-pc direct connect , flex picked up a ip (back on the net) the distortion in tx started again.

Flex 2.2.10
GI7NKK

KM4CQG

I'm hearing it as well and seeing jumps on FT8 on transmit as well.

Checked for RFI and looked over my SteppIR. I am empiercing the exact same issue as GI7NKK

Running the v3.5.9 release.

KM4CQG

It's interesting I wasn't using SmartLink I had the Popping noise the Panadapter showed surges of 20db.

Now that SmartLink is working all is normal again at my QTH.

I'm curious if you guys are also back to normal operations. I did also upgrade the software to 3.5.9

Ian

I

DonE

mine is getting worse

Andrew M

Im still getting it when connected through switch(internet) , I am picking up some shielded cat8 today to run from my router direct incase im getting rfi in switch.
Its just strange everything has been fine up until around same time smart link went down but maybe a coincidence.
Will report back later.

Andrew M

Yesterday Replaced cabling with Cat8 direct to router, operated for 5 or 6 hours no glitch/distortion. Smartlink working again, Radio internet Available. (Not using smartlink Local connect)
Got up this morning (uk time) started doing some ft8 and I am back glitching again during tx.
What I notice this morning, I have no smartlink connection, my Name/Callsign field is empty and the Radio Internet: Available is now pulsing from Available to None! about very 15s. Eventually get session expired please log in from SL. If Im Txing while it drops to None! thats when my tx signal gets distorted(ms of Rx breaking into signal) ,popping in speaker and meters bounce down not really many if any dropped packets.
Cure is to remove internet so it stays in one place : None and all is fine. Its the up and down of connectivity causing signal distortion.

So even tho im not using Smartlink(Direct through router) , the Flex is still being affected by the up and down of connectivity to smartlink servers while in tx.

Andrew M

Heres a we picture of waterfall during tx still no auth to smartlink, flex keeps on trying to get connected till it times out. Pop Pop https://imgur.com/a/cDk6UcD

Andrew M

May as well update again , Popping still ongoing.
One thing I have confirmed by sitting a laptop beside hovering cursor on the red dot in smartlink then on main pc start some "local" Ft8 tx.
Radio internet still None! for about 5s then Available for 5s , none for 5s available for 5s over and over.
When Radio Internet: None! smooth tx. I watch the laptop for Available to come then look over at my tx and the pop/distortion happens to be there 100% of time.
How bad you see it randomly depends when you start tx cycles.

KM4CQG

Andrew

I was looking over my 2 STV images I transmitted and the Pops showed on remote stations I utilized.

I see the pops with no amplifier and low wattages on my 6700.

Tested Smartlink as of 9/16 01:26Z it's still not working.

Ian

KM4CQG

Andrew M

Left Flex on while Zzz. Monitoring smart sdr status on laptop while connected local with desktop my Radio Internet has finally stabilised on Available. (No more None! every 5s)
Some early Ft8 tests show all is well for now with clean signals.

Idea would be in smartsdr advanced network screen have a option to go Local Only (flex stops trying internet). For when these exact situations arise.

Keep posted if any changes through the day.

KM4CQG

So Far as of 14Z on 9/17/2023 finally tested the past 3 hours all looks stable here as well.

Ian

KM4CQG