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CW SKIMMER noise

Steve Killeen
Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
edited May 2020 in Third-Party Software
Been trying to setup CW skimmer today to work with the CWT and found that I am getting a lot of noise. 

Is there something I can check to clean up the decoding. (see photo).image

Answers

  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I'm having the same issue. BTW did you use Slice-Master to get yours running or did you manually configure CWSkimmer?  (sorry off topic you can answer separately) Tom KB5RF tom.parish@gmail.com

  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Hi Tom, I used Slicemaster and setup the DAXIQ channel.
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    thx
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Maybe I should try SDR bridge ?
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I don't know. I have mixed results with both of them. It's rather frustrating when you see people say 'all you do is install it and it runs'.  I work with computers all day. I have been part of the computer scene since the 80's including SW development. 

    Be that as it may, an extremely thoughtful Ham operator sent me a private message about the noise issues. You should try this. I'll do the same if I can get Slice-Master or SDR-Bridge to work properly and consistently with CWSkimmer.

    " There is a setting next to the red X at the top of CWS which will eliminate the “noise”.
     
  • K1DBO
    K1DBO Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    When CW Skimmer, or any of the digimode programs, dont seem to be working right, I usually restart the DAX Control Panel.  If this doesnt work, next step is to restart the radio.  Finally, restarting the computer can even help.

    A "trick" I've discovered recently is that instead of restarting the radio, I just tell it to recalibrate itself. This closes down all slices, does the calibration, and starts them all back up again.  I really dont think it's the calibration that has anything to do with fixing things up, but the radio seems to reset many of its sub-systems on the way to and back from calibration. I think that's what helps.

  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    We how interesting.  How do I initiate a recalibration? I don't think I have seen that option. I'll give your recommendations a try,.
  • K1DBO
    K1DBO Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Another thing worth checking is in the CW Skimmer audio settings.  You can choose between WDM and MME soundcard drivers.  I usually recommend MME but some folks have reported better results WDM.   When there is a noticable difference, it's usually related to corrupt drivers.  One setting will work while the other doesnt.  From the pictures above, I dont think this will help any, but it wont hurt either.
  • K1DBO
    K1DBO Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    In SSDR select 'Radio Setup' from the main menu.  Then choose the RX tab and press the 'Start' button.
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thank you!
  • JohnK2CIB
    JohnK2CIB Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    I don't know anything about CW Skimmer (I work at 35 wpm easily without tools), but it looks like receive noise, like from LED lighting.  I have broad-spectrum white noise all over the HF and VHF bands until I turn off my office LED lighting.
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Well I got it working. I unsinstalled CW SKIMMER and re-installed it. Tried SDR bridge but preferred SliceMaster. 

    Working fine now with Slice Master. Also the noise blanker in CW Skimmer helps.
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Good. I'm going to do that today. Thanks for posting the note on your results.
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Wondering if it's normal that the sampling rate of all my DAX audio devices in the sound control panel are set to 48,000 studio quality ? Should this be higher to match like 96000 sampling in my DAX IQ setting ? 
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Both the record and playback IQ devices are set to 48khz by the installer. So I reset them to 96k since at 192k I got a blue screen !

    Will try this for a while.
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Found a lot of valuable CW SKIMMER configuration info in this document even though it is meant for SDR Bridge.  http://www.nn4zz.com/Data/NN4ZZ%20CwSkimmer%20Bridge%20setup%206-Dec-2018.pdf
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thank you for this Steve. I recall seeing it in the past but could not find it! Great timing. 
  • Al_NN4ZZ
    Al_NN4ZZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Hi Tom and Steve,
    There is a new "setup guide" version on my web page with some updates in the troubleshooting section about the Windows DAXIQ setup and sampling rate in the sound control panel.  

    The problem of an incorrect / low sound setting was recently reported.  See page 28, the problem was a little different but fixed by correcting the sample rate, so it may be of interest.  Just a guess but I wonder if the setting change s related to some Win10 update since we never heard about the setting being changed until recently.

    Here is the new link: 

    http://www.nn4zz.com/Data/NN4ZZ%20CwSkimmer%20Bridge%20setup%2019-Feb-2020.pdf

    Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
    al (at) nn4zz (dot) com
    6700 Win10 SSDR V2.4.9

  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thank you Al. Helpful and Update to date! I'm going to review and update my station when I get home this evening.
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thanks Al and great document !
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Much better now :)

  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Yay!
  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    If you need help Tom, let me know. We can do a Teamviewer ...

    Steve
  • tparish
    tparish Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Excellent idea. I might take you up on that. I'm going to 'lean into' solving this properly on both computers this weekend.  I'm a fan of sharing help like that.

    One note FYI: For some reason, - Teamview has locked me out saying I was using it for commercial work. I wasn't but I did use it to 'receive' help from FlexRadio. 

    I moved all my locations and desktops to ANYDESK.com which is free. Honestly, it's faster and cleaner with no nagging to upgrade. Just fyi. 

    I'll be in touch.


  • Steve Killeen
    Steve Killeen Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I will check that out "ANYDESK" . I did have that commercial usage nag also and ended up doing an unsinstall and registry cleanup... they re-installed it.  I see there is no private messenging on here. You can reach me at killeensteve @ gmail . com

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