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VFO B "FB;" & "FT;" do not work when split is initiated via SmartSDR GUI

n3oc
n3oc Member ✭
edited December 2025 in SmartSDR CAT
Hi I am new to Flex, so maybe I don't understand this correctly. But I did search and looks like this issue has come up before, so I think it is valid.

I understand there is no true VFO B. I get it.

CAT does not report VFO B frequency or split unless split is initiated from CAT with FT1;

If you initiate the exact same spit scenario from the GUI, by pressing the split button, FB; does not work. It will only work if you initiate split from CAT.

This is a problem for those of us with solid-state amps that absolutely must know the transmit freq for every PTT or risk blowing the amp because the tuner is not informed of the correct tx freq.

N1MM does not see split either, unless it initiated the split. Then VFO B can be read and split is fine, and can be toggled on and off.

But if you do it strictly from the SmartSDR GUI, all the devices dependent on CAT are blind to this tx freq change.

I hope I am just doing something wrong, but I don't think so.

Rig is 6400 and firmware and SmartSDR are 4.1.5

Has this always been this way, or is this something new/bug in 4.1.5? Or am I missing something to initiate proper split just from the GUI, I am just pressing SPLIT and the GUI looks exactly the same as if CAT sent FT1;

thanks!

Brian N3OC
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Answers

  • n3oc
    n3oc Member ✭
    some further info....

    this is a bug, how do I inform them for a future release?

    I see now that FA; just changes to the split freq when you click split.

    However, it ONLY works on the USB Cables CAT connection, that CAT switches FA; to the split tx freq

    the regular CAT connection via serial cable, either existing or FlexVSP do not report the split tx freq with FA; they just continue to report the rx frequency

    is this by design, or is this a bug? I would think both CAT connection types would report the same info, so I think this is a bug

    Brian N3OC
  • Rich M5RIC
    Rich M5RIC Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2025

    Brian, submit a helpdesk ticket and just include everything already stated above.

    Screenshots and/or videos also help too.

    https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us

    Top right - Submit a request

    This is a separate website from the community so you will need to create a new login etc.

  • n3oc
    n3oc Member ✭
    thanks Rich, I did, with screen shots and smartsdr debug screenshots

    the two different CATs definitely report different information, which does not seem right
  • n3oc
    n3oc Member ✭
    I really hope the developers will be willing to work with me on getting this fixed for the next release. There are several bugs in the CAT concerning ZZFT, ZZFR, FT, FR - bottom line they are all broken and don't do what they are documented as supposed to do.

    I don't get it why ZZFR and ZZFT are not mirror images of FR and FT, like most of the other commands. They really need both a set and read ability.

    A logging app has no way to tell the radio was set to split via the GUI because none of these either have read implemented, or in the case of FT and FR which do have read implemented, they DO NOT return the actual status of the a & b VFOs! This is plainly apparent watching the log windows.

    And the USB cable CAT, it seems to be a different beast that has TX Slice as an option - and it's a good thing it does, that is the only think keeping my amp on the correct tx freq. But that probably needs some work too, all these CATs need to be the same and have the same selections, that work correctly, and include tx slice as an option too.

    I am happy to help and test.

    The N1MM people will likely have to adjust too if changes are made, but the end result will be much better. Right now it is limping along half-broken. N1MM is sending ZZFA, ZZMD, ZZFB, ZZME, ZZSW, ZZRG, ZZRT, ZZXS, and ZZIF and getting answers on some of those, and ?; on the rest. Hoping they get something useful out of that I guess.

    thanks!

    Brian N3OC
  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Brian, if you have not yet opened a support case regarding this, then it won't get looked at. Make sure you have.

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