SmartSDR v3.9.19 and the SmartSDR v3.9.19 Release Notes
SmartSDR v2.12.1 and the SmartSDR v2.12.1 Release Notes
The latest 4O3A Genius Product Software and Firmware
Need technical support from FlexRadio? It's as simple as Creating a HelpDesk ticket.
Interpreting MicPeakData Values

I'm having trouble making sense out of the MicPeakData values I'm getting from FlexLib. I'm hoping that somebody can shed some insight in terms of what this value is actually reporting.
If I send, via DAX, an steady sine wave (mode = DIGU, so there's no compressor activity)... I will get two rock-steady values for MicData and MicPeakData.
For example:
MicData: -0.6
MicPeakData: +3.28
I initially figured MicPeakData would be rapidly changing "peak" VU meter type data and MicData to be more of a smoothed (damped) value. But this clearly isn't what's going on.
My question is: What the heck is MicPeakData telling me? MicData at -0.6 looks "right" to me, as it appears to result in the power output I would expect.
The "Level" meter in SmartSDR appears to be showing MicData, if that's helpful at all.
Answers
-
The MicData is in units of dBm (power). It is the area under the curve. This is a sum of the squares kind of value.
The peak value is in dBm (voltage). It is literally the highest voltage sample since the last peak was sent -- as close to instantaneous as you are going to get in this system.0 -
Thank you, Eric. Much appreciated!
But I'm not sure what that implies, in terms of use of these values.
If I pump a steady sine wave into the radio, and get a steady MicPeakData value of 3.28 and a MicData value of -0.6, is that signal clipping or not?
I *think*, if I understand what you just explained to me, that this signal would be clipping.
Thanks again,
Peter K1PGV
0 -
The hard and fast answer is that you should shoot for no peaks over 0 dBm. There is actually another 2.5dB of headroom above 0 before clipping begins, but full calibrated output power is achieved when the peak is at 0.1
-
Thank you. That's abundantly clear.0
Leave a Comment
Categories
- All Categories
- 349 Community Topics
- 2.1K New Ideas
- 615 The Flea Market
- 8K Software
- 2 SmartSDR+
- 6.3K SmartSDR for Windows
- 173 SmartSDR for Maestro and M models
- 412 SmartSDR for Mac
- 267 SmartSDR for iOS
- 249 SmartSDR CAT
- 186 DAX
- 375 SmartSDR API
- 9.2K Radios and Accessories
- 22 Aurora
- 207 FLEX-8000 Signature Series
- 7.1K FLEX-6000 Signature Series
- 921 Maestro
- 53 FlexControl
- 860 FLEX Series (Legacy) Radios
- 894 Genius Products
- 455 Power Genius XL Amplifier
- 323 Tuner Genius XL
- 116 Antenna Genius
- 283 Shack Infrastructure
- 199 Networking
- 444 Remote Operation (SmartLink)
- 138 Contesting
- 754 Peripherals & Station Integration
- 139 Amateur Radio Interests
- 973 Third-Party Software