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Ideal laptop???

Francesco Doenz
Francesco Doenz Member ✭✭
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
Is there such a thing like an ideal laptop brand when considering RFI?
Or otherwise stated, does Flexradio recommend a brand of laptops for it's Flexradios and SmartSDR?
Many thanks in advance for your inputs!

Answers

  • FISHULA X
    FISHULA X Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
     I can tell you this. I run my 6300 on  2 different computers. One is a tower and when I first started with the 5000A and upgraded to the 6300 I had RFI issues until I bought ferrite snap ons and used them on every connection at both ends, And the main thing was grounding the case with the ground ****, All the RFI diapered with both the 5000A and the 6300. As for my laptop, Its a Lenovo Ideapad   I-3 with no issues what so ever. Wired or wireless. Both machines using Windows 10 and yes I take the updates on the laptop. But keep in mind that when you except updates on your laptop because you are gonna need the internet to use SmartLink, windows updates sometimes  messes with the drivers, like your Dax and you will need to go into the file explorer and under administrator  right click uninstall and reinstall. This happens only once in a while. Get to know your laptop  and what to do in a case of lost or disabled drivers on the laptop you plan to use remotely. Windows 10 works great. otherwise.
     As I said Lenovo I-3 works great, I-5 would be better. I am  sure other makers will work just as good. But I have had good luck with Lenovo that use to be IBM.. Hope this helps.
  • KL4QG
    KL4QG Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Did u ground your computer tower to same ground as Flex radio
  • FISHULA X
    FISHULA X Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    yes.
  • Francesco Doenz
    Francesco Doenz Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Spooky! I do not have ferrites at home for the moment, so I started grounding the flexradio, and suprisingly the noise floor jumps up as you may clearly see on the attached link, each time I contact the ground! Any ideas whats going on?
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/R5b7vb5vUbQ7s4gy8
  • WX7Y
    WX7Y Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Hi Francesco, Some times grounding causes a ground loop if all the ground points aren't bonded together causing noise. 

    Also to answer your question about laptop's I have had very good luck running the Panasonic Toughbooks in a RF invineranment, I have used the CF52, CF53 and CF54's models with good results with at least a I5 processor and 4Gig ram on 32bit OS and preferably 8Gig ram on 64Bit OS. 
    These are more of a commercial grade computer so the price and weight is about double of what the El Cheepo laptop's are but the metal shielding really helps in the RF environment.

    You can find these for sale online used and Refurbished  for pretty reasonable prices.

    This is only my opinion and has worked well at my stations and portable setup for several years so may or may not work in yours due to differences in stations. 

    73
    Bret
    WX7Y

  • Michael N3LI
    Michael N3LI Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Toughbooks are very good, as Bret noted.

    The biggest offender on a laptop is the wired mouse. I've seen the pointer slam to the right, and take a couple minutes to recover.

    Francesco - that's odd that you would get that mess when putting the ferrites on - I suspect as Bret notes, a grounding issue.

    First thing I would do is operate the laptop off of battery power should be clean.

    Second thing is there might be some actual non-noise voltage present if you are getting that mess on the panadapter when you attach a ground.

    I think it might be time to do a whole station ground exercise in your home. What country are you located in?
  • Steven WA8Y
    Steven WA8Y Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    I have 2 Dells (lap and Desk) and a Toshiba laptop, no RFI .
  • David-N5PSM
    David-N5PSM Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    I have a ASUS Tower and an HP 17" laptop.  No RFI Issues.
  • Michael N3LI
    Michael N3LI Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    What is the model? I've had both that have simply shut down. Was running full legal limit.
  • Francesco Doenz
    Francesco Doenz Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Thanks for all your inputs! My QTH is in Switzerland, and I have to correct, I get that mess when I connect to ground with the the heating pipe of my room...for the moment I do not have yet ferrites, they are on order! And yes, I get clearly less RFI when my laptop (Acer Predator) is on battery! Playing around with the power supply of the laptop I noticed that the RFI changes quite a lot  when varying the position of the dc supply, if I hold it vertically or horizontally, parallel or at ninety degrees to the laptop, and so on, really interesting! I will let you know as soon as I get the ferrites!
    In another post I mentionned my Flexcontrol usb cable which was also responsible for a lot of RFI spikes, I got rid of them by coiling the usb cable!
  • Francesco Doenz
    Francesco Doenz Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Acer Predator
  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator
    edited June 2020
    I have two Dell XPS 15 laptops (work and personal). I have used both locally with a Flex 6500 and 6600 with no issues. They are pricey but beautiful display and blazingly fast. Overkill for Flex clients. I ran both radios and both laptops in a 2A configuration at this year’s Field Day. Ran perfect the whole time. One was used for SmartSDR and N1MM+ while the other was used for SmartSDR, WSJT-X, and N1MM+. Dave wo2x
  • Michael N3LI
    Michael N3LI Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Okay Francesco. THere is a real good chance that your heating pipe isn't actually connected to ground. At leasy over here in the States, metallic pipes used to be all connected, but in recent years have occasional PVC pipes in the lines, which breaks the ground. So it could be acting more like an antenna than a ground.

    Also, check to see if your power supply might be a switcher. Some of those are great, and some throw out a lot of RF hash.
  • KL4QG
    KL4QG Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    What be gain using lap top with 6400M I have not needed a computer.. I do hear about SmartSDR — SmartSDR make the radio transmit and receive better ??? or just easier to control Radio with computer or fancier to just look at?? Joe
  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator
    edited June 2020
    Joe A laptop or PC computer running Windows would allow you to install SmartSDR CAT and DAX. Then you can run different digital mode software. WSJT-X is very popular now, especially with poor band conditions. Dave wo2x
  • KL4QG
    KL4QG Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Ok WSJT-X like sending a text message over Air I guess
  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator
    edited September 2019
    Similar https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html Read that page. It describes the software and what WSJT-X can do. Dave wo2x
  • KL4QG
    KL4QG Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Thanks I read it little it’s not for me I’ll stay with SSB
  • David-N5PSM
    David-N5PSM Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    Wrap the power supply in adhesive backed metal tape and add a ferrite to the power cord?........just thinking out loud.....

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