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Want is the latest consensus on S-Meter reading? 10db too high or not?

K4EAR
K4EAR Member ✭✭
edited June 2019 in SmartSDR for Windows
Let's compare an RF carrier input with a Flex 5000 and a 6XXX see what the difference is. Inject a -73dbm signal, S-9, same bandwidth, which is right or wrong? PSDR or Smart SDR or does anyone see the same since we have a hover over dbm option with 13.10? Or is the S-meter gonna vary when you expand or contract the panadapter? I would think it would be relative to the rx slice.

Answers

  • W5XZ - dan
    W5XZ - dan Member ✭✭
    edited June 2019
    i agree, it's 10db too generous...think it's on the mend, though..73
  • K4EAR
    K4EAR Member ✭✭
    edited April 2014
    Waiting for the Flex guys to put this to rest...
  • Al K0VM
    Al K0VM Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2017
    As far as I Know, Flex is aware of the 10db error between actual signal and S-meter... The receiver slice s-meter readings should only dependent on the signals/noise within the slice bandpass.. Changing the panadapter span may change the noise floor on the dispaly but the slice noise floor should not change... Think of the panadapter as a receiver seperate from the slice that is only used for graphical display. The slice artifacts are overlaid on the panadapter graphics for visial presentation. AL, K0VM
  • K4EAR
    K4EAR Member ✭✭
    edited April 2014
    I understand Al, this was a "bump" to catch the attention on the group and grease the squeaky wheel, so to speak...
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited March 2017
    This issue has been previously addressed in the community http://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/s_meter_still_reads_10_dbm_high
  • Steve-N5AC
    Steve-N5AC Community Manager admin
    edited February 2017
    We found the problem here. Before we had full calibration in the radio, a fudge factor was applied to the meter. After full calibrations were added, we forgot to remove the fudge factor. It has now been removed and should be in an upcoming version of the software.
  • K4EAR
    K4EAR Member ✭✭
    edited April 2014
    Thanks so much, the Flex radios can be a spectrum analyzer and valuable tool for many tests going forward.

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