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My Flex 6600 loses RX sensitivity on going back from TX about 75% of the time, can anyone help?

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Phil Holt
Phil Holt Member ✭✭
in FLEX-6000 Signature Series
Over the past few weeks this issue has slowly been worsening - it happens on all bands, all modes and with both ANT1 and ANT2. On clicking the PTT or the CW key if in that mode it will eventually return to normal operation. Does anyone know what is at fault? I presume it's a relay but have been unable to isolate it!

Answers

  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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    Additionally, use of the internal ATU does not alter this issue.
  • VE7ATJ_Don
    VE7ATJ_Don Member ✭✭✭✭
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    Hi Phil… so, when you say it 'loses sensitivity', can you describe a bit more of the symptoms you are seeing? Is there any sort of visual indication? If so, can you take and post a screenshot of what you are seeing?

    You mention that it 'eventually returns to normal operation'. How long does it take? Any audible or visual signs that things are back to normal?

    Has anything changed in your shack that could have initiated the behaviour?

    All this being said, it might be a good idea to also open a Help Desk ticket. The staff are much better at diagnostics in real time with you than us 'gurus' on the forum :-)

  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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    Hi Don, thanks for your reply. The RX sensitivity drops by about 15dB as shown by the background noise on the waterfall and the waterfall goes much darker. Strong stations are still just about audible. It does not return spontaneously to normal. Only by tapping the PTT once or often more times in SSB or the Key if in CW. Output power is not affected.

  • Erika - KØDD
    Erika - KØDD Member ✭✭✭
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    T/R relay bad or coax solder connection/intermittant. Caused by somebody trying to auto tune very high swr antennas.

    I've never done that myself. I wish.
    6500 Blowed relay, several fried caps. This was a bunch of years ago when the algorythum for the tuner was broken. I caught it when I noticed ANT1 and ANT2 antennas were shorted together. Took a month with radio back at the mother ship. DD

  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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    Thanks Erica, I bought this radio a few months ago from a local amateur. I have pretty resonant antennas so don't think I've caused this. There seem to be many possible candidate relays and I'm not aware of a single T/R relay that could cause this. Perhaps you are?

  • VE7ATJ_Don
    VE7ATJ_Don Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 27
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    Hi Phil… as I say, best bet now is to Open a Help Desk ticket. The staff will very ably help you through diagnostics. They can and will do a much better job than we can here on the forum.

    And, any repairs to relays, etc. are best done back at 'home base'. They're not really field repairable units.

    D.

  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭
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    To follow Erica's point, I had a similar situation. Flex thought it might be a failing memory card, but it turned out to be a faulty coax connector. Replaced it and all is well again.

  • Phil Holt
    Phil Holt Member ✭✭
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    Thanks everybody for your help. I am quite at home working with surface mount components but just needed pointing in the right direction. This has given me some ideas. If no joy I will raise a ticket. Thanks for your help.

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