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My 6600M will not transmit or receive.

Tom Teague
Tom Teague Member ✭✭
edited June 2020 in FLEX-6000 Signature Series

I had my 6600M on all
day yesterday monitoring 12m FT8 and everything was working fine, I stepped out to do some chores and when I came back it was frozen up so I did a shutdown and restart.

It starts up fine but will not transmit or receive on any band.

I have done everything in the troubleshooting tips on page 152

Any helpful ideas of what to do?image

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Comments

  • FRED  W9TB
    FRED W9TB Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Tom, You are not the first to have this problem. https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/lost-all-signals-and-ability-to-transmit-on-my-6600... Just wonder what the fix is and if has anything to do with the mods that have to be done ?

  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Thank you for the help Fred.
  • AH0U
    AH0U Member
    edited May 2018
    In addition to power off, did you remove the power cord ???
  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Yes thank you. I did everything that is in the troubleshooting tips on page 152.   I even removed everything hooked to the radio.  Computer and all... 
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Tom the picture if i see it clearly shows 2 slice A's and the lower one in the picture is the acrive slice now the standalone display will only show 2 slices unless you are using the computer then you can show 4 is it possible the active lower slice in the picture shows the A slice that is not showing at the top left but maybe on another scu or would only be displayed on ssdr for windows which would show both scus and up to 4 slices. Just wondering since I have a 6400M without that capability but the yellow line in the lower pan indicates it is the active one while the upper pan indicates it is the inactive one but only 1 A is shown on the top left of the screen, just a thouhht.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Also if I do not see the picture clearly and the lower pan is for slice b then thats why you cannot transmit since only the A is transmit enabled red background.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    I do agree though the black square looks ominous and may be the issue here.
  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Wayne I think I understand.  You are asking if going to other slices will make a difference and the answer is no, even with it hooked to the computer and running 4 slice it still will not TX or RX.  Thank you for the idea. 
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited May 2018
    Tom, I see you have an open HelpDesj ticket for this issue and Neal is working the problem.  I see that you replied to his initial questions.  Although he is working 50 open tickets at the moment, he'll be replying back to you shortly to continue to triage your issue.  Thanks for using the HelpDesk to receive official support for this type of issue.
  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    With I just use one slice the waterfall is black and the panadapter has no activity.image
  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Thank you Tim.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Is it possible that if you turned the audio down to a lower value it also reduced the inner knob agc-t to close to 0 which would give you no receiver gain?
  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Thank you for all the input but Neal Campbell, K3NC a Technical Support Engineer is helping me now.  I will let you all know what it was when we find the problem.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Thanks for your patience.
  • Bill Billingsley
    edited May 2018
    Just getting back from Dayton...I have a 6600 back at the factory that exhibited the same symptoms.  Does the PAN/waterfall look the same on SSDR?  When the tech calls, have him download wireshark onto your PC to verify that the UDP data packets are being sent from the radio and that they do not contain null data.  I was receiving null data in the UDP data grams sent to my 6600.  I was told at Dayton that since my 6600 is a pre -12 April model,  I may have ADC issues resulting from the heat sink problem.  Mine went back to the factory before the product enhancement notice went out.

    I my case, the tech was claiming that my anti-virus program was blocking data, and initially would not give me an RMA.  Since you have a 6600M, they may not make that claim with you.

    Bill, N5IR
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited May 2018
    Bill, I looked at your support ticket and I the behavior you are seeing is not heatsink related.  And I concur with Neal in his initial assessment because we have seen the exact same behavior before and it was exactly that - a software firewall causing problems with the VITA-49 data stream.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Tom try booting your radio stand alone without any network connected if it works right then you know that what Tim is saying is verified since you dont need a network connection to operate the M series rigs.
  • Bill Billingsley
    edited May 2018
    Tim, I was trying to be somewhat diplomatic.  The ADC comment came from speaking with the assigned "repairman", who reviewed my support ticket at Dayton.

    The tech lead off with the initial assessment that you noted. I accepted the software firewall comment from the tech and uninstalled the SW firewall. He really offered me no choice.  No change to symptoms was noted when he subsequently called back.  I also connected a different PC.  Symptoms did not change.  I was told that both PCs were somehow blocking the data.  Kinda of end of discussion time, no RMA. (i.e. Too bad your $4K radio doesn't work cause both of your PCs are eating data.)

    Only after much insistence, that I wanted proof that 1) UDP broadcast data was being sent and/or 2) what the UDP datagram actually contained, before I would accept that two separate PCs were blocking UDP datagrams and not TCP packets from the same trusted source (one PC with the SW firewall un-installed, and the other with the SW firewall installed).  The tech installed wireshark on my PC.

    The results of the wireshark test showed UDP datagrams with null data was being transmitted from the 6600.  Even with those results, the tech had to check with engineering first.  He called back with a RMA.

     A simple wireshark download and test at first would have prevented another delay and phone call, and a lot of tap dancing when test results didn't support a preconceived view of a problem.  This experience left me with the impression that I had called COMCAST to complain about a modem issue. 

    Bill, N5IR




  • Tom Teague
    Tom Teague Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    I have tried all of that and then some.  I have had nothing but the power supply and the antenna plugged in then unplugging EVERYTHING!!! Waiting up to 10 minutes then doing a factory reset with no luck.  I just need to send it back to be fixed.  If I can get an RMA# ?
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    They will make it right Tom your in good hands.
  • [Deleted User]
    edited April 2020
    It sounds to me like these new models needed a little more testing time.
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    Steve KK9W,  let me get my dog in this fight. The new models worked FB until this latest update. I know Tommy very well and he is in our group the "go to guy" for Flex questions. His 6600M worked perfect before this latest update. It will get worked out but it is very unsettling until it does. It is without a doubt the latest update that has caused this condition to his 6600M. Nothing has changed on his end with a perfectly working 6600M for a couple of months now but this latest firmware.
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    By far most are having a great time with their new radios Steve. A matter of fact almost all trouble reports are right hear on the community.
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    I know that is how it seems, but if it is caused by the latest update then all of the radios would be seeing the same problem.
  • [Deleted User]
    edited April 2020
    I agree with Bill . . . If it were the latest update all would be seeing it.

    Doug . . . There have been many many issues with the new rigs like sideways displays, not transmitting, radio's needing to be returned brand new.BTW . . . I have an order in for a 6400 and at this point I'm considering just keeping my 6300 because it just works.
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    Yep I respect everyone's opinion that is what makes this forum what it is. Lets hope Tommy can get his radio going soon.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Thats cause the squeaky wheel gets the grease first.
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    That is true, and it is intended that way. The Idea, is for people to use the community first then start a help desk if needed.
  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    If it was the latest update then all he has to do is go back to the previous version which worked and his problem would go away. Since he still has the problem and was the goto guy then i am sure he has already tried going back to the previous version and found that he still had the problem thus the helpdesk ticket so they can make it right
  • FRED  W9TB
    FRED W9TB Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    It was the heat sinks that fell off that was the problem with Tommy's rig.

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