Leo Bodnar GPSDO

John Watson W4JCW

I have been using the Leo Bodnar GPSDO with my 6600 without issue…I just interfaced it with my 6500 and am unable to see it anywhere on the SmartSDR software…advise?

Mike-VA3MW

This is correct.

In SmartSDR, you will only see it as a 10Mhz reference oscillator.

KA9CFD

That menu item for 10 MHz Reference showing External 10 MHz Locked in Smartsdr is not available for the Flex 6500. I know, I have a 6500 and a Leo Bodnar. I wish it was…

73 Jay KA9CFD

Mike-VA3MW

I guess I am not understanding the question.

To the best of my knowledge, the only way to use an OEM GPSDO is to have it create a 10mhz reference and supply it to the radio. On the FLEX-6500 there is an RCA input for a 10Mhz reference.

The Leo Bodnar GPSDO cannot be installed in the radio.

Here are the details from the Hardware Reference Manual:

KD0RC

Hi Jay, can you provide a screenshot of the TX tab of Settings, Radio Setup? I think it will help to clear the confusion as to what your 6500 is showing you as opposed to what the newer radios show.

KA9CFD

This is what Smartsdr with the Flex 6500 shows in the RX tab. It does not show that I have the Leo Bodnar connected to the external 10 MHz reference jack on the back of the radio. I dont think the radio is capable of doing that unlike the 6600.

Mike-VA3MW

I don't have a 6500 to test with, but this may be working as designed. To follow up, you may wish to open a support ticket.

On the 6400, 6600, 8400 and 9600, it shows that 10Mhz is connected and it takes priority over all other sources.

KD0RC

To test if the GPSDO is working, click the calibration Start button. If the offset is a low number, then the GPSDO is doing its job.

In my 6400, I get around 4 ppb when my Leo Bodnar GPSDO is connected. Anything under 50 is probably good.

If you rerun the calibration with the GPSDO disconnected, you will get an idea of how much the GPSDO is helping.

WX7Y

This is correct, on the 6300, 6500, and 6700 Radios the ONLY way to know if the External 10MHz is working is to run the calibration routine, AND there is ALSO NO indication to see if it has lost the 10MHz connection other then to run the calibration routine.

If it fails to connect to the 10MHz source, the ONLY way you have to reconnect the 10MHz source is to Power off the Radio and Power it back on.

There is NO auto reconnect on the older 6000 radios like the 6600 and 6400 series Radio's.

KA9CFD

Alternatively and what I have been doing is using the FreqCal mode that is available in WSJT-X. The DF column tells me if I am off frequency. It should be less than 1 hz when Leo Bodnar is connected. I believe the Leo puts out a square wave signal as I can receive a carrier at 50.000 MHz which would be a harmonic from the 10 MHz output. So, I have 50.000 MHz entered as a FreqCal frequency in WSJT-X. WSJT-X then commands the radio to tune to 49.9885 MHz DIGU mode to put the carrier at 1500 hz on the waterfall. Hope that helps someone. Its a nice tool in WSJT-X.

73 Jay KA9CFD