External PTT and missing Audio

Andrew - G0RVM

Description of issue:

When using SSB, AM or FM I key my Flex6600 using the 'Mox' button in SSDR for Mac 2.4.12 the transmitter starts (light on Flex turns red and red box appears on panadapter) transmitting my audio from the computer microphone and the RF Power meter indicates power being generated. That is all good and just how it should be. :-)

If I repeat the same actions but instead press a PTT switch I have attached to the PTT RCA socket on the Flex6600 there is no output generated by the Flex. It's red light DOES change from green to red and a red box does appear on the panadapter. I can even hear the microphone audio when Monitor 'Mon' is selected. The Flex and SSDR does think its in transmit mode but the Flex just doesn't generate any RF output!

Other info:

• When the 'Mox' button is pressed a relay can be heard to 'click' inside the flex. This does NOT happen when the PTT switch is pressed. (But the Flex and SSDR for Mac do enter transmit mode as described above)
• If the floating SSDR for Mac PTT button is enabled (Menu option View | PTT) that can be used to successfully key the transmitter which then generates RF power.
• I've power cycled, even disconnected the power from both the Flex6600 and Mac.
• This problem ONLY occurs when using Computer audio. If the Microphone is plugged directly into the balanced mic input 'Bal' all works just fine with the PTT/Mox and RF is generated.
• Traditionally I've been using the microphone directly in the Balanced input until today so cannot comment on how long this issue has existed.
• Flex6600 firmware: 3.6.8

So, Is there some setting somewhere I may have missed? Am I doing something ****? Or is there something amiss elsewhere? Thoughts and help greatly appreciated as I've explored just about everything I can think of...

Kind Regards,

Andrew

G0RVM

Ted VE3TRQ

I see now one has yet commented on your request, Andrew.

If you use the PTT facility ON THE RADIO, the assumption is made by the radio software that the audio will be coming from the mic attached to the radio(as selected in s/w).

Ifyou wish a foot switch or other physical closure to work with the PC/Mac audio input, you need to use CAT PTT from the PC/Mac, either by serial port signaling, or a CAT command.

Ted VE3TRQ

From the SSDR 3 manual:

21.2 TRANSMITTING USING THE DEFAULT RECORDING DEVICE

To transmit using a microphone connected to the PC, select the PC option from the MIC input menu. This automatically selects the Windows default recording device for your MIC input.

  Note: When PC is selected as the MIC input, transmit can only be initiated by the MOX button in the Transmit panel, or by VOX. The front and rear panel PTT will override the PC MIC input and transmit using the last hard-wired MIC input that was used (MIC, BAL, LINE or ACC).

Andrew - G0RVM

Ted, Thank you. I was starting to fear that may be the case :-( It feels like an incomplete implemtation of a PTT capability as the radio and SSDR are moved into Tx mode but the remaining functionality - to enable the PA - is missing. I guess there must be some good reason for this but it feels like an opportunity for improvment to me. :-).

Do we know if Flex have commented on this 'feature' and why it's the way it is previously or whether anyone has requested an update?

Thanks again,

Andrew

Andrew - G0RVM

Thanks Ted.

As I'm using SSDR for Mac I hadn't spotted that in the SSDR for Windows Manual :-(

Andrew

G0RVM