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v3.8.20 TX Anomaly With Several RX Slices Open

W9AT
W9AT Member ✭✭
in SmartSDR for Windows

Hello!

Is anyone having intermittent signal issues when transmitting? (worse than a signal drop or cut out, though it could seem like that)

At first, I thought it could be an antenna issue but the problem persists with a dummy load.

Back in 2022, I wrote a post about v3.3.29 which was helpful as the response made me understand the issue was not confined to my 6700 but others also had a similar problem (Flex acknowledged an issue and was working on it back then). I appreciated the feedback and patiently reverted to v3.2.39 to sidestep the issue.

In late 2024, I took the plunge to upgrade the 6700 to v3.8.20 and found the RX stuttering issues seems resolved for me.

However, now I am noticing an intermittent signal issue upon transmitting. The issue persists though antennas, dummy loads, bands, modes, and at various power levels.

But, I can prevent the anomaly by closing all other slices I usually have open (usually about 8 slices)—not something a 6700 user probably wants to hear.

The attached three images exemplifies the issue. In this case, the mode was WSPR, but I've noticed it with other modes too.

Thanks for your careful reading.

73

Mark W9AT

250100a SmartSDR panadapter 3dot8dot20 anomaly.jpg
250100b SmartSDR panadapter 3dot8dot20 anomaly.jpg
250100c SmartSDR panadapter 3dot8dot20 anomaly.jpg

Answers

  • Bill NE1B
    Bill NE1B Member ✭✭✭

    Sounds like Windows DPC issue. I have seen this blip when running more than 2 slices on my 6600 and my 2011 I5-2400 computer with 2 GB RAM. I "upgraded" to a 2012 I7-3770 with16 GB RAM and did not see these blips with 4 slices running. So I think it relates to Windows resources and loading of apps and processes. Perhaps newer WIN 11 CPUs have resolved this.

  • W9AT
    W9AT Member ✭✭

    Interesting speculation Bill, thanks for your input. It is kind of you to spend the time and effort to relate the benefit of your experiences. I sincerely thank you.

    But, my I7 32GB Windows 10 computer (downgraded from Win11 for other reasons) is relatively new.

    Perhaps other 6700 users, if any, who experience this issue with 6-8 slices open will reply. If not, perhaps it is only you and I, Bill, who have ever seen this issue when running 6-8 slices under v3.8.20 or other recent versions is the last year or so.

    Of course, diagnosing the issue requires knowing what my Ethernet connection type is, if I have the radio plugged in, and other details. Before that process, I'd like to know if anyone else is having the issue as described.

    Again, thanks Bill.

    73

    Mark W9AT

  • WX7Y
    WX7Y Member ✭✭✭✭

    I brought up all 8 slices on the 6700 / 403a AMP Tuner and 8 X 2 ant. switch here and the 1st time I transmitted with the 8 slices active I got the Yellow Yield sign about the TGXL and ANTGen Interlock so I closed ALL the slices down and made sure I didn't still have the Interlock and brought up the other slices and all works fine here, I'll run all 8 slices for a bit and see if it starts having issues, Slice D and F keep giving me the Interlock issue, I have NO interlock issues and all is good if I just have the Radio on into a Dummy load with the TGXL and PGXL off, Anyway there you go.

    Take care

    Bret / WX7Y

  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭

    Have you tried a direct connection from the pc to the radio? This involves an Ethernet connection between the pc and the radio, bypassing the network. This would eliminate any network issues.

  • W9AT
    W9AT Member ✭✭

    Thanks John, a very insightful idea. Unfortunately, this is not the issue. Still, thanks much for taking the time to reply.

    As few others have also replied relating the same problem I described when TX'ing with their 6700 and having 6-8 slices open, perhaps I am the only one (other than Bill [above] who said he once had a similar issue).

    Since the community doesn't have the same issue, in-depth diagnoses as can be done with customer hardware and other software is the next step. (network can be ruled out after trying John's suggestion).

    These next steps can be enormously time consuming (reinstalling OS and dozens scores of applications) and may result in a subsequent step of installing on a brand new computer (which would be a sad diagnostic expense if that was not the solution).

    Thus, a logical first step was to ask if any else was experiencing the problem.

    Thanks to all that read carefully and replied to help.

    73

    Mark W9AT

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