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SmartSDR for MAC No Panadapter on 6400 Firmware 3.3.22.10471

In am Using a Mac mini M1 on Ventura 13.0.1
It fine on 3.2.29...

Best Answers

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    Answer ✓

    I have used SmartSDR for MAC on 3.4.23 without issue. I also know that SmartSDR for MAC did a software update recently.

    If it isn’t working, you will want to reach out to the Author.

    73

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited June 2023 Answer ✓

    Well ... since my June 1 post, I've been unable to reproduce this problem, on either of two machines, both of which have been on and off wireless and wired networks willy-nilly. Go figure.

    The last two actions I took related to this were a) factory-resetting the 6400, and b) per my June 1 post, resetting the software's "radio client id". It's been fine since.

    So, no root cause identified, but those are my observables, if anyone else wants to try them.

Answers

  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭
    Sorry got the numbers wrong The Firmware is 3.3.33.10471
  • Ian.L
    Ian.L Member
    Hi MIke, did you get an answer to this issue? I've just tried to upgrade past 3.2.29, and I also have the same problem, tried all versions above 3.2.29 and get the same problem. ( No panadapter on 6300 ) but TX/PTT works. There is no Network traffic for Waterfall, RX Audio, and FFT in the Network Stats box...
  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    No I didn't get an answer. So followed the instructions to step back to the firmware that worked.

  • va3fmn
    va3fmn Member
    Same problem in the upgrading of firmware to 3.4. I guess I will downgrade back to 3.2, I know that will work. I wish this would be resolved
  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    Well there you go.

    SmartSDR has updated and I successfully updated the Flex to 3.4.23.

    Thanks Allan for reawakening my interest in having the latest firmware.

    73

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    This is 3.4.23. I see no issues and no loss of a panadapter. Next time you have this problem, please post a screen shot so that we can review your settings.


  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    I was working on "It's not broke so why bother mending it" That is until Allan brought it up again.

    In the end I got a quick reply to my Help Desk query so all good.

    Up and running with new firmware and new software.

    Hope it is the same for Ian and Allan.

    Thanks & 73 Mike

  • EmMSW
    EmMSW Member ✭✭

    Looks like I'm in the same predicament. I just updated my 6400 to firmware 3.4.23 and now have a solid grey panadapter. SDR for Mac seems to "see" the 6400 (e.g., I can access the Flex-6400 settings) but there is no activity. The same situation exists with SDR for iOS on my iPhone.

    I'm working through suggestions with the help desk, but so far no joy. I'm also awaiting a reply from Marcus.

    This may be off-topic, but might I expect the same difficulties with updating the PGXL firmware? I'm especially concerned about using an "old" utility with the new firmware.

    Emmett

  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    When I stepped back from the new software I followed the instructions to basically reset the machine.

    The only other thing I did was come out of SmartSDR and the re start it after I had updated.

    Don't know about PGXL I'm a bare foot guy.

  • AA5SH
    AA5SH Member ✭✭

    Have you guys reached out to Marcus the developer of the Mac version? If you got to Settings->Information and Support -> Click on 'Contact the Developer' and let him know what is going on? In my experience he is very responsive. If you go through this method to contact him it gives him version information and all that will help him. I know I've had weird issues in the past and he had me reset the settings in smartsdr for mac and it cleared he issues right up.

    I am using the latest version with no issues on my Macs with a 6400 and 6400M.

    73, Michael, AA5SH

  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    Hi Michael

    I didn't originally think of it being the software but like you with the new software from Marcus it works fine.

    It is problem solved.

    Marcus is red hot with the software updates.

    73 de the other Michael G4HCC

  • EmMSW
    EmMSW Member ✭✭

    I have contacted Marcus and he is recommending that I revert to version 3.2.39 until this issue is resolved. He also indicated that Flex is working on an updated firmware version (with the implication that the new version would address this issue).

    Having said that, Ken is suggesting that I try to reinstall the latest version one more time; so I'm going to give that a try before I take a step back.

    73

  • EmMSW
    EmMSW Member ✭✭

    Problem solved!

    I followed Ken's suggestion and tried downloading and installing the latest firmware again. Once it was installed, he had me do a cold boot of the radio (i.e., unplugging the power, etc.). And this time it all worked! I'm back in business running the latest firmware 3.4.23.

    Thanks for all the discussion above. It helps not feeling you're all alone with your problems.

    73, Emmett W9EMY

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited May 2023

    I have experienced and documented this issue, and have submitted email to the developer. Sharing the details here in case it's helpful.

    After purchasing SmartSDR for Mac and using it for a couple of days, the panadaptor is now solid gray and unresponsive.     

    == What I have found == 

    * The radio controls still work. I cannot drag the slice receiver or interact with the panadaptor in  any way, but if I expose the "slice details" panel, I can change frequency, and the radio does respond.

    * I can open DAX and CAT on a Windows machine, and can connect to the SmartSDR instance running on the Mac, and it works fine.

    * I can even continue to use WSJT-X on the Windows machine, controlling the SmartSDR instance on the Mac.

    * I can open SmartSDR on Windows, and it works correctly, including the panadaptor. 

    * The only thing that doesn't work is the panadaptor on the Mac.

    == What I have tried ==

    * Powering off the radio completely and back on. This had no effect.

    * Logging into the Mac as a different user - the other user has the same problem, so it is not something in my user account settings.

    * Completely reinstalling MacOS. This worked, but only for a couple of days, until the panadaptor once again failed.

    == What I cannot do ==

    * Downgrade the radio firmware, as some have suggested. Per release notes from Flexradio for this brand new 6400, the firmware cannot be downgraded.

    == Versions ==

    * SmartSDR for Mac: v2.4.8

    * SmartSDR Data version 4.1.6

    * Radio model: 6400 (May 2023)

    * Radio firmware version 3.4.23

    I'm stuck.

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭

    Here's what it looks like.

    I'm pretty sure it's not any settings issue. It worked fine, until it didn't, with no changes except a reboot or two. Connectivity is apparently fine.

    I have not tried reinstalling the existing version of the radio firmware, but I haven't yet found instructions for that.

  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    I started this odyssey in January the only thing that changed in the shack was to swap to Cat 7 cables. I did that to reduce hash from the router.

    like almost all my rig computer interface problems I have no idea what I did different or what solved the issue for me.

    73 Mike G4HCC

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited May 2023

    It's definitely not a connectivity problem, at least in my case. It's a showstopper bug. 🙁

    I got a reply from Marcus, who suggested I reset the radio client ID. That fixed a new problem I had this morning - which was a connectivity issue - but didn't fix the broken panadaptor. Unfortunately, the software is unusable at moment.

    I'm using the Windows version in a virtual machine as a workaround in the short term (and it works remarkably well that way, though the audio is not as smooth when multiple realtime applications are running, like WSJT-X and JTAlert).

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited May 2023

    A few things to add here, in case it helps someone else.

    First, my OS version is 13.4. I should have mentioned that previously.

    Second: I was able to get the panadaptor on the Mac working again by resetting the radio to factory defaults, with no changes on the Mac, or to the radio's firmware (which remains 3.4.23). I don't know what, if any, of my radio configuration settings were at issue. If others with this issue are able to try that and report back, that would be useful info.

    The Windows version of SmartSDR continued to work both before and after the radio reset.

    Finally, another thing I learned, which wasn't germane to my issue but can nevertheless complicate troubleshooting, is that changes to the Mac firewall configuration apparently do not always take effect until reboot. I found that setting the firewall to "block all incoming connections" did not break radio communication immediately, but did break it after reboot. Similarly, turning off "block all incoming connections" (which allows SmartSDR.app to communicate) did not restore connectivity, until I rebooted.

    The firewall configuration wasn't my problem, but its behavior certainly did confound the connection between cause and effect, so just thought I'd mention it.

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited June 2023

    Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

    After the above resolution, SmartSDR for Mac worked fine for a day. Then last night, I shut down the application, did some other tasks, and did not make any changes to anything. An hour or so later, I opened up SmartSDR again - and once again the panadaptor was blank.

    This time, resetting the radio client ID (as Marcus had suggested in our first exchange) did fix it, though it did not last time.

    If (when?) it happens again, I will direct-link the Mac to the radio, completely disable the firewall, and capture the traffic with Wireshark.

    The "reset radio client ID" thing makes me wonder if there's an application identifier in the stream that is becoming mismatched with what the application is expecting. Totally spitballing, and I doubt I can determine that on my own, but at least I can determine whether data being delivered at all.

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    I think the next test would be to use a different computer (PC or MAC). Do not test this in a VM. The goal is to make it as simple as possible.

    You need this data point to help isolate if it is a radio or MAC issue.

    Just a thought, could it be your display values? Such as Gain?



  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭

    I hadn't thought of the display gain - I'll check that next time, thank you.

    I agree about trying a different machine, and I'm going to try to arrange for that. FWIW, none of the issues described here are VM-related; the problem (and my tests) have all been on the bare metal Mac. I mentioned the Windows VM only because it's the instance that does work reliably, albeit with some performance hit.

    (Aside: I recognize how fiendishly complex all of these moving parts are, and it's amazing that it works as well as it does. Despite this frustrating issue, the whole system, hardware and software, is pretty impressive.)

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited June 2023

    [ Well, that's weird; my post vanished. Sorry if it reappears and this turns out to be a dupe. ]

    I hadn't thought of the display gain; I'll check that next time, thank you.

    I agree about trying a different machine, and I'm trying to arrange for that. (The VM is not involved in any of this ... I only mentioned it because it's the instance that does work reliably, albeit with a performance hit.)

  • Mike G4HCC
    Mike G4HCC Member ✭✭

    For me I did the very Mac thing of seeing an upgrade and clicking on it. Once I read the info and did a reset it was fine. The moral is RFM.

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭
    edited January 20

    Just wanted to summarize here for others (and for future me, if I forget and go looking for solutions to this problem again).

    So far, I haven't had this problem since I discovered two things:

    • The Mac's firewall must be configured to accept inbound connections to SmartSDR. I don't like this, and I think that's a poor architecture in this day and age, but it's the way it works for now. If that isn't allowed, the application won't work.
    • Equally important: I have found that changes to the Mac's firewall exceptions will usually not take effect until I reboot the machine. This, in particular, has confounded troubleshooting this issue, because things will sometimes work fine until I reboot, and then break, or vice versa, and the cause is not obvious.

    Resetting the radio client ID does occasionally seem necessary, but so far, not because of this particular problem.

    Hope this helps.

  • frc2302
    frc2302 Member ✭✭

    Apologies, that wasn't the most diplomatic way to put that. I have nothing but respect for what you all have accomplished with this product, especially given its multidisciplinary nature, and at the price point of the 6400.

    I meant to be constructive, not insulting. There are definitely aspects of SSDR's client-server network architecture that aren't well suited to the modern internet, but I'm sure the tradeoffs (mostly unknown to me) are legion; and after using this radio for awhile, I wouldn't trade it for any other. I have no doubt it'll improve.