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Auto Calibration v1.5

Member
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
I have a Flex 6300    Version 1.5 does not seem to autocalibrate well.  Using Fldigi and the previous Flex radio software calibration routines my calibration for correct frequency is approx. +450 offset.   With the current 1.5 version it is -1200.   That's is absolutely not correct. I use Fldigi and other to check the flex.   Not sure why this version centers on the incorrect offset.  Its easy to tell if the auto calibration is in the "ballpark".   switch between USB and LSB on 15 MHZ...if you detect a difference in tone...you are off calibration.  thanks   Bruce N0JX

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Comments

  • Member, Super Elmer Moderator
    edited June 2020
    There is an improved frequency calibration routine in 1.5. Have you gone into radio setting and run the calibration at 15 MHz? How strong was the signal when you ran it?
  • Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Bruce,

    Flex 6300
    SSDR 1.5.0.145

    I am chasing the same problem using fldigi. When I calibrate at 15 Mhz I get a negative offset of around -1400. I have to manually correct to an offset of positive 625 to get into calibration ( +/- 1 Hz.). However, after 3-4 hours, thermal drift will cause me to change the offset to around 725 to get back into calibration. Some drift is to be expected but in my opinion, the auto-calibration needs a closer look by Flex.

    Roy  
  • Member
    edited September 2015
    I'm glad to know that I am not the only one seeing this error.  Auto-cal was about -825 and to get correct, measured, frequency required a setting of about 
    +i620.My testing was almost identical to the way Bruce does it.
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Identical results here. If 15-meters wasn't so hopping good on AM this afternoon, I would break out the HP signal generators and help characterize my findings. Perhaps later on when the band dies.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited June 2017
    Also noticed the auto calibration error. It was closer in the previous version however was more inconsistent with each run. Now it is just consistently off by an order of magnitude, the correction is roughly -1000 and I find -100 is more like it.
  • Member
    edited December 2019
    Similar problem here. Autocal on strong 15mhz signal give -950 to -1000 (consistently) but it's far off since manual calibration is around +800ppm
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    What radio?
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    What radio?
  • Member
    edited September 2015
    6300
  • Member
    edited September 2015
    6300 here also
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    Interesting.  This may (or may not) be related to the transmit distortion issue we are currently working on that is FLEX-6300 specific.  Is anyone having the calibration issue also observing the distorted TX issue too?
  • Member
    edited September 2015
    I will have to read about the distorted tx issue and will let you know. Also I don't think my wnb works as it supposed but I've already mentioned this on another topic.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    6300 here and same issue with auto cal....

    N3CAL
  • Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    6300 here and same auto cal issue.
    Haven't noticed any xmit distortion but only used one band and SSB/tune.

    Mike W9OJ

  • Member ✭✭
    edited September 2015
    6300
  • Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Tim,

    I have the 6300 here. I also listened to the FlexNet on Sunday and a station with a 6300 was low in frequency. Audio was distorted until I tuned him in. Unable to get anymore due to poor band conditions on 20.
    I have been tinkering with the manual setting for some time now on our local nets and have had success clearing up my SSB distortion.
       
    Roy
  • Member ✭✭
    edited September 2015
    No transmit distortion here that I'm aware of 
  • Member ✭✭
    edited September 2015
    No transmit distortion here that I'm aware of 
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited March 2017
    We are digging into this issue as I write this.  I hope to have a status update for you later today.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    No transmit distortion, auto calibrate is off
  • Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    I too seem to have this problem with my 6300 and vers 1.5.  I ran some calibrations tests and my results are:
    2.5 Mhz  signal approx. S-7  offset showed as -5893
    5Mhz      signal approx. S-9  offset showed as -3209
    10Mhz    signal approx. 10db over offset showed -1643
    15 Mhz   signal approx. S-5   offset showed -1032
    I can't hear WWV on 20 Mhz

    Last night I had someone tell me I was 40 hertz high on 40 meters but other Flex owners said no I was on freq. Hope this helps.
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    Thanks for the additional data.  We are investigating and I should have an update on this in the near future.
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2019
    We have reproduced the issue and determined root cause for the FLEX-6300 calibration problem and as assumed, it only effects the FLEX-6300.  It is not related to the transmit distortion issue; that investigation is ongoing.  It was related to a situation where initial test conditions were not set properly under certain circumstances causing an error in the calculations.

    The FLEX-6300 frequency calibration fix will be included in the next release of SmartSDR.  Sorry for the inconvenience. 
  • Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Thank you for the update Tim.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited October 2015
    Can I change it back by just entering the old offset in the box? 

  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    Absolutely.  Just manually enter the offset that puts the radio on frequency.
  • Member
    edited February 2018
    I thought that v1.51 corrected the Auto-cal issue but once I rechecked things, it didn't seem to.  The first reading I took didn't change my manual setting, so it looked like it was working OK.  My readings in Auto-cal show about -857 and when manually corrected are +450.  6300, Windows 10 - 64bit  Used FLdigi for testing.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited October 2015
    Same here Bob. I have tried calibrating tonight using the 10 MHz reference signal from my Spectracom Netclock (it has a 10 MHz GPS-locked output) as well as with WWV on 10 MHz. Similar results - I get -990 with auto-cal but manual calibration places me at +190.
    73,
    Doug K4DSP

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