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6300 random pops and crackles during digital TX

Cal  N3CAL
Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
edited February 2019 in FLEX-6000 Signature Series
My 6300 pops and crackles while transmitting digital signals (DAC). I'm not using Remote. The radio and computer is wired through a gigabit switch and lan. All Ethernet cables have 31 mix ferrites on both ends. I can hear the pops and crackles with the monitor selected and also see the pops and crackles on the waterfall. With the waterfall display turned on during TX they look like horizontal spikes. Since I do not have another SDR receiver I'm unable to verify if these noises are actually going out over the air however I suspect they are. The radio has so many nice features and I enjoy running JT65, JT-9, PSK modes but I'm very unhappy with these random annoying sounds. This is not what I would expect out of a "Signature Series Radio" !

Comments

  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    Can you describe your computer setup? Frequently these kind of issues are related to computer/OS resources. Are you using DAX, or an external interface?

  • Steve N4LQ
    Steve N4LQ Member ✭✭
    edited September 2015
    The random pop problem in the 6300 has been noticed since day 1 but only on CW. There are several threads to this effect. When using QSK on CW it shows up as a loud pop with no particular pattern. It may be visible but the screen is really too busy to notice.
    Flex's response has been....."Yes we know about it and it affects all models and will be addressed in software updates."  However from my and other's experience this type of pop only happens with the 6300 and seems hardware related as if something is building up then discharging. 
    My 6500 is totally clean. No artifacts like this at all. If Flex can fix this I would buy another 6300 for the other shack. 


  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    Hi George, Intel Core I7-960 Quad Core Processor@ 3.2 GHZ ASUS Rampage III 6gb/sec USB 3.0 Motherboard 256 GB Crucial Real SSD SATA III/MLC Solid State Drive Kingston HyperX 16GB DDR-3 1600 Memory ASUS GeForce GTX460 1 GB/256 bit PCI Express Video Card. Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium. I'm using DAX. The computer and 6300 are connected to a gigabit switch (wired). The switch is connected to my gigabit router. I've seen this issue since Nov 2014 when I first purchased the 6300 direct from flex. Cal / N3CAL
  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Well the issue is also on digital modes (DIGU).  I also was able to confirm the noises do go out over the air.  I have an RT USB dongle receiver and can see and hear the distortion using a separate computer/RT Dongle Receiver.   

    Cal/N3CAL 
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    I recommend using LatencyMon to test your PC to see if it is suitable for processing real time audio via DAX.  https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118698-Using-LatencyMon-to-collect-DPC-Latency-D...
  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    Hi Tim,

    Okay I downloaded and ran Latency Mon.  I was surprised to receive the following results:  (What would you recommend I do next? ) 
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CONCLUSION
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. Also one or more ISR routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
    LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for  0:04:29  (h:mm:ss) on all processors.


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    SYSTEM INFORMATION
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    Computer name:                                        N3CAL-CORE-I7
    OS version:                                           Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 6.1, build: 7601 (x64)
    Hardware:                                             ASUSTeK Computer INC., Rampage III GENE
    CPU:                                                  GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz
    Logical processors:                                   8
    Processor groups:                                     1
    RAM:                                                  16375 MB total


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU SPEED
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    Reported CPU speed:                                   3238.0 MHz
    Measured CPU speed:                                   3752.0 MHz (approx.)

    Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

    Highest measured interrupt to process latency (μs):   6855.439171
    Average measured interrupt to process latency (μs):   2.785272

    Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (μs):       1976.040899
    Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (μs):       1.025622


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     REPORTED ISRs
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

    Highest ISR routine execution time (μs):              2012.333848
    Driver with highest ISR routine execution time:       nmserial.sys - Serial Device Driver, Windows (R) Win 7 DDK provider

    Highest reported total ISR routine time (%):          0.109949
    Driver with highest ISR total time:                   dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation

    Total time spent in ISRs (%)                          0.144607

    ISR count (execution time <250 μs):                   449983
    ISR count (execution time 250-500 μs):                0
    ISR count (execution time 500-999 μs):                0
    ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 μs):              13
    ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 μs):              1
    ISR count (execution time >=4000 μs):                 0


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    REPORTED DPCs
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

    Highest DPC routine execution time (μs):              3902.319024
    Driver with highest DPC routine execution time:       dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation

    Highest reported total DPC routine time (%):          0.057148
    Driver with highest DPC total execution time:         USBPORT.SYS - USB 1.1 & 2.0 Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation

    Total time spent in DPCs (%)                          0.261670

    DPC count (execution time <250 μs):                   2438904
    DPC count (execution time 250-500 μs):                0
    DPC count (execution time 500-999 μs):                0
    DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 μs):              26
    DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 μs):              1
    DPC count (execution time >=4000 μs):                 0


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.


    Process with highest pagefault count:                 firefox.exe

    Total number of hard pagefaults                       14
    Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process:          11
    Highest hard pagefault resolution time (μs):          281.313774
    Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%):              0.000017
    Number of processes hit:                              3


    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     PER CPU DATA
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       4.435296
    CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (μs):                2012.333848
    CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.438970
    CPU 0 ISR count:                                      287398
    CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (μs):                1954.186844
    CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s):                   2.656696
    CPU 0 DPC count:                                      1846621
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       1.064388
    CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (μs):                15.933910
    CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.059572
    CPU 1 ISR count:                                      6396
    CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (μs):                47.042001
    CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s):                   0.066632
    CPU 1 DPC count:                                      8386
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       5.272699
    CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (μs):                1992.042619
    CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s):                   2.372626
    CPU 2 ISR count:                                      116442
    CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (μs):                3902.319024
    CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s):                   1.424055
    CPU 2 DPC count:                                      271550
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       0.938822
    CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (μs):                0.0
    CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.0
    CPU 3 ISR count:                                      0
    CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (μs):                0.0
    CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s):                   0.0
    CPU 3 DPC count:                                      0
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       1.598147
    CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (μs):                0.0
    CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.0
    CPU 4 ISR count:                                      0
    CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (μs):                38.930204
    CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s):                   0.210481
    CPU 4 DPC count:                                      61441
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       0.869378
    CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (μs):                162.913527
    CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.004737
    CPU 5 ISR count:                                      851
    CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (μs):                45.339098
    CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s):                   0.006486
    CPU 5 DPC count:                                      967
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       1.056189
    CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (μs):                10.058987
    CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.023277
    CPU 6 ISR count:                                      4988
    CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (μs):                1964.679432
    CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s):                   0.172132
    CPU 6 DPC count:                                      14199
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s):                       2.926583
    CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (μs):                13.205683
    CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s):                   0.221337
    CPU 7 ISR count:                                      33922
    CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (μs):                1923.938542
    CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s):                   1.110198
    CPU 7 DPC count:                                      235767
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Steve N4LQ
    Steve N4LQ Member ✭✭
    edited September 2015
    Plug the rig directly into your computer's nic card and see if it still pops. 
    This is entirely a different problem than the CW pops.
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited March 2017
    Thanks for the LatencyMon report.  Your DPC latency (almost 4000 uS) is way too high for real-time audio streaming and the hardware that is causing the problem is your video adapter.  You need to have DPC latency less than 1000 uS and you should target for 100s of microseconds.  

    Until you get the DPC latency below 500 uS, you are going to continue to have these issues when running DAX.

    I recommend you do the following.  First update your PC BIOS to the latest version.  Second, update your video drivers to the latest version.  Third, update your ASUS motherboard's chipset drivers; I would get the ones from Intel for the Intel X58 and Intel ICH10R southbridge chipsets.

    You also have a MosChip PCI parallel/serial port card installed in your PC and this device is responsible for long ISR times.  I would see if there is an updated driver for that hardware too.
  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Thanks for the help Tim!  It appears I have all the latest drivers for my motherboard BIOS and Chipset. I removed the PCI parallel/serial port from the machine.  I also updated the Video Card drivers to the latest ones from NVIDIA but sadly I was unable to get the DPC latency down to acceptable levels.  Although it's better than before it's sitting at about 1900 uS.   That's with SSDR, DDutil, DAX, WSJT-X and HRD logbook all running. 

    I built this computer about 5 years ago.  It's been a solid performer.   WSJT-X still works and I make and receive contacts just fine but I can see the pops etc.   It might be time to update the mother board/memory/chip but before I do that I may try just updating the video card first.  

    Thanks again for the help

    Cal/N3CAL

        
  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    Cal, I have been working a similar, but less intense issue. Found that changing my NIC, and running at 100 MB/s helped a good bit. Still not perfect, but better. SSDR doesn't need the full Gb/s even at full tilt.

  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    Thanks for the info George.  I'll put it on my list of things to try. 73

    Cal/N3CAL
  • Cal  N3CAL
    Cal N3CAL Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    I've done some more BIOS tweaking and have gotten better results.  I can notice an improvement while transmitting. There are hardly no pops or crackles now. 

    image 

    Cal/N3CAL
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    Excellent!  Hunting down and mitigating long duration DPCs is not a trivial task.  Congratulations on your success.
  • Andrew O'Brien
    Andrew O'Brien Member ✭✭✭


    Hmmm, crackling and pops noted today for the first time , on two different computers. LatencyMon reported my Win 10 system with a 6600 was OK for DPC latency when I had four slices open and two digital mode software application , DAX TX active periodically. However, despite DPC apparently OK page faults were an issue. More detective work to be done

    Andy K3UK


    REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS

    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________


    NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.


    Process with highest pagefault count:        bdservicehost.exe


    Total number of hard pagefaults           9352

    Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process:     3847

    Number of processes hit:               67



    Your system appears to be suitable for handling real-time audio and other tasks without dropouts.

    LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:15:11 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.

  • Andrew O'Brien
    Andrew O'Brien Member ✭✭✭

    My detective work seems to have worked. The page fault report from LatencyMon pointed to Bitdefender as the cause of most. I removed Bitdefender and then got good reports from LatencyMon . No pops and crackles when transmitting FT8 now . Thanks to Tim for his past contributions on resolving such issues .

    Andy K3UK

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

    Good work.

    I just found an issue with a switch I had and I swapped it out. I'll write it up later this week with all the details include some birdies I was dealing with.

    73

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