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JTDX 'Lost Audio'

M0TNX
M0TNX Member ✭✭
in Third-Party Software
Thanks for reading and for any advice if offered.

Station - 6400 with Maestro, connected to PC and internet via Ethernet via a five way switch.

PC is an i5 12th gen with 16Mb of Ram, SSD on all drives with good memory available.

My issue. I am using JTDX with Slice Master 6000 and am getting a lot of packet drop outs saying 'Lost Audio' with varying numbers between 1 to 49, the colour of the lost audio block can be either beige, yellow or red when it drops out leaving me un decoded messages on FT8.

Firstly, how can I come off the network and go directly to PC to eliminate the network, to see if that is the issue.

secondly, has anyone else had these issues and how did they cure them, if achieved, please?

This issue happens on RX only and without having transmitted, RF is not the issue.

Your guidance is welcomed.

Kev

Comments

  • Erik Carling EI4KF
    Erik Carling EI4KF Member ✭✭✭✭

    Connect an ethernet cable directly between the radio and the computer.

    If the issue continues, the problem is with the computer. If not, you'll know it is the network. If computer..

    a) ensure that your PC clock is correct

    b) the usual cause of lost audio packets is Windows OS doing other things at the same time you're running JTDX so therefore stop it from running background tasks

    you can install and run LatencyMon, not that it is a substitute for manually making your computer more efficient but if it does throw up a negative result it will also show the responsible dll(s)

    https://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭
    Erik.

    Thanks.

    Will have a go this afternoon, I hadn't thought about background processes - I'm not a computer expert.
  • Erik Carling EI4KF
    Erik Carling EI4KF Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 12

    I should have mentioned that if streamlining the computer does not help, or you only get a partial improvement, you can experiment with decoding settings in JTDX.

    Firstly look to see what your the Lag is after a decoding period.

    jtdx_2UaqgexAi4.png

    Mine -0.79 which means JTDX has finished decoding, processed the audio blocks, and has 0.79 second spare before the transmit period starts. A negative figure is ideal but up to 0.50 positive is acceptable. At this figure there should not be lost audio due to JTDX settings.

    If a positive lag figure that is more 0.5 second is showing, the best bet is to reduce the number of decoding cycles

    jtdx_PXvarqWz9e.png

    Mine is maxed out at 9 decoding passes per receive period because my computer can handle it and still give a negative lag. But when a computer is exceeding 0.50 positive, try reducing the number of passes. Try to retain subpass for decoding sensitivity but do not use SWL mode.

    Another trick, less useful but you never know it might help, is to have JTDX use all but one threads available in the computer processor.

    jtdx_4gJqz9kk10.png

    So if you have 16 threads, set this to 15. Personally I see no difference but the developers include this in case it helps.

  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭

    Erik.

    Thanks for the really detailed information.

    I have found some processes that are causing issues with the LatencyMon program. It has advised me to update power settings which has made a difference. I am still getting some drop out, but not as much as before.

    I tried to plug the Flex directly into the PC via ethernet, SSDR would not see it, I'll have to revisit that sometime.

    All noted on the JTDX settings, I have updated mine.

    Your advice has helped, thank you.

  • Erik Carling EI4KF
    Erik Carling EI4KF Member ✭✭✭✭

    Don't worry about the direct link. You want it working with the normal network configuration. It looks like you are on the right track.

  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭

    A full day spent today on trying to find the fault with some success.

    Not in any particular order.

    BIOS Updated, Latency Mon used, reinstalled graphics drivers as a kernel was very high latency. Stopped CPU cores parking and finally used a power usage app to high latency kernels, sys and dll files dropping packets. Stopped windows dynamic tick service.

    There are less instances of dropped packets, sometimes 3-4 minutes. At times, I am still dropping 45 packets and losing a full decode.

    They do say it is a technical hobby and I've learned lots today with thanks to @Erik Carling EI4KF

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited June 12

    Personally, I get those message all the time, just not a flood of them. I don't know what the threshold is for that message, but I can honestly say they are likely pretty trivial to your JTDX operation.

    You will know if your machine is getting really bogged down if your DT times start going longer than normal (a few tenths) to over 1 second then you may wish to dig deeper. It is a good indicator of how hard the PC is working. If they go long, it means that the PC is getting behind on dealing with all the data in the Queue.

    But, there is a big window here. +/- 2.5 seconds. Beyond that, JTDX will ignore the data.

    73, Mike

    image.png
  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭

    Hey Mike.

    Thanks for the reply.

    My PC is a fairly decent gaming spec thing and I tend to run Dimension 4 and JT sync Lag is between -0.05 and +0.10

    In the summer I am purely six metres, today I missed FS/K9EL here as he was in and out so quick to G Land, he gave me a -3….. and gone :D The joys of Six.

    Cheers!

    Kev

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

    Keep trying for John, K9EL. He is a friend of mine!

  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭

    Update. Plugged the Flex directly into my PC and have had a huge improvement in decodes and Lost Audio now happens irregularly.

    Now I need to sort my network out - Gulp.

  • Erik Carling EI4KF
    Erik Carling EI4KF Member ✭✭✭✭

    Mike VA3MW, some time ago, pointed me to a useful FlexRadio guide to optimising the ethernet settings. I am not saying this will fix your issue but it cannot hurt. Before I implemented these settings, I cannot remember if I had packet drop outs but I did have glitchy receive generally.

    https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118518-Optimizing-Ethernet-Adapter-Settings-for-Maximum-Performance

  • M0TNX
    M0TNX Member ✭✭

    @Erik Carling EI4KF Cheers Erik. Good to see you on KST recently, I've bookmarked the above for review later. Will be going full Tonto this weekend on 6M, pushing for DXCC in two seasons on the band. Saw your other call on QRZ and know that area extremely well after living near there for 32 years. As we said in mails - Small World!

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