No attenuation for Pure Signal in Thetis on a 200D

[rbduck]

I've been kicking around a 200D that I came up on. I have an issue that I've not seen before and I searched the forum and don't see it mentioned anywhere. I wondered if any of you could give me insight. I put this in the Pure Signal forum since that is what I'm dealing with.

I'm running this 200D in Thetis v2.10.1 with Protocol 1 version 5.2. "S-ATT" is selected on the Thetis GUI and "ATT on Tx selected" on the Ant/Filters tab in Settings. Force "ATT on Tx to 31 when PS-A is off" is also selected. The symptom is that when running Pure Signal on, the signal should automatically attenuate PS to a level where it can lock in an function properly. It looks like the auto attenuate function is trying to work, but the actual feedback level from PS is still in the 250 range and not being attenuated. If Drive is set to about 15 watts, PS will lock and function properly. At this point the feedback level is in the green 150 range. As power is increased the ATT level also increases. The feedback level also increases until the ATT level is at 31 and the feedback level is in the red 250 range. I have tried firmware versions 5.2, 5.1, and 5.0. The results are the same with each. I have also tried a couple of different versions Protocol 2. Everything else works good, but seeing the same symptom in PS as with Protocol 1. Have any of you ever experienced this or is there a setting somewhere I am missing? Thank you for your help.

[W1AEX]

Hi Ruben,

I also am running a 200D and will pass along that with some Orion boards (including my own) pure signal does not work with protocol 1 versions 5.1 and 5.2 . Protocol 1 version 5.0 runs perfectly so that's what I run when I revert to protocol 1 to play with CuSDR. I also have "ATT on TX" and "Force ATT on Tx to 31 when PS-A is off" as you do. Additionally, I have "Bypass on TX" selected to force the use of my external coupler. I believe if that is not selected that it reverts to the internal coupler in the 200D.

I have never seen the exact behavior you are describing, but I was intermittently seeing very unstable PS behavior with both protocol 1 and protocol 2 firmware with my 200D last spring. I ended up opening up my 200D and re-seating all the RF cables on the Orion board and the PA. I used a small metric wrench to unscrew each SMA connector and lightly cleaned each one with a q-tip and some De-Oxit connection cleaner and then re-seated it. This was tedious but the 200D no longer has intermittent issues and has behaved perfectly for the past 6 months since I completed that little project. It's a long shot and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase but it could be you have a loose or intermittent connection with one or more of those interconnecting RF cables.

At any rate, I would suggest working with protocol 1 version 5.0 until you figure out what's going on.

73, Rob W1AEX

[vk1hx]

Apart from Thetis 2.10.0 or 2.10.1 having bugs in it, including PS.

Are you using an amplifier with an external or internal sampler or just the radio 100w?

Check that you have the correct ATT on Tx option ticked. A 200D running the Rev.16 PA board, you need to select Ext 1 on Tx in the setup (under Ant/Filters. If your 200D has the Rev.24 PA board, you select BYPASS on Tx for PS connection from the external/internal sampler.

Untick either of these if you are just using the 200D output of 100w.

[rbduck]

Hi Ruben,

I also am running a 200D and will pass along that with some Orion boards (including my own) pure signal does not work with protocol 1 versions 5.1 and 5.2 . Protocol 1 version 5.0 runs perfectly so that's what I run when I revert to protocol 1 to play with CuSDR. I also have "ATT on TX" and "Force ATT on Tx to 31 when PS-A is off" as you do. Additionally, I have "Bypass on TX" selected to force the use of my external coupler. I believe if that is not selected that it reverts to the internal coupler in the 200D.

I have never seen the exact behavior you are describing, but I was intermittently seeing very unstable PS behavior with both protocol 1 and protocol 2 firmware with my 200D last spring. I ended up opening up my 200D and re-seating all the RF cables on the Orion board and the PA. I used a small metric wrench to unscrew each SMA connector and lightly cleaned each one with a q-tip and some De-Oxit connection cleaner and then re-seated it. This was tedious but the 200D no longer has intermittent issues and has behaved perfectly for the past 6 months since I completed that little project. It's a long shot and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase but it could be you have a loose or intermittent connection with one or more of those interconnecting RF cables.

At any rate, I would suggest working with protocol 1 version 5.0 until you figure out what's going on.

73, Rob W1AEX

Thanks Rob, I believe I tried P1 5.0 and the results were the same. I will try it again today if I get the chance. I have read everything I can find and I see that the 200D transceivers are finicky when it comes to Pure Signal. I'll also try what your method and clean the connectors. I had just completed replacing the finals that were defective. I have been on several wild goose chases with this radio (mostly self inflicted). One more won't be an issue if necessary.

Apart from Thetis 2.10.0 or 2.10.1 having bugs in it, including PS.

Are you using an amplifier with an external or internal sampler or just the radio 100w?

Check that you have the correct ATT on Tx option ticked. A 200D running the Rev.16 PA board, you need to select Ext 1 on Tx in the setup (under Ant/Filters. If your 200D has the Rev.24 PA board, you select BYPASS on Tx for PS connection from the external/internal sampler.

Untick either of these if you are just using the 200D output of 100w.

Phil, My plan is to get to work with internal feedback before I try it with an amplifier (100 watts). For testing purposes, I did look at the signal coming back from the amplifier sampler (amplifier not on) The signal in that configuration is in the low 40 range which is to be expected. I have only tried using PS in the 100 watt configuration. This radio has the Rev 24 board.

My next step is to try P1 ver. 5.0 again and see if there was something I may have missed. Thank you for all the suggestions and any help nudging me in the right direction is appreciated.

[rbduck]

Well the p1 ver 5.0 firmware didn't do the job but I'm still looking What was strange to me was what I saw in the Linearity/AmpView screens.
The plot in the AmpView screen was no different at 100 watts then it was at 15 watts with a green/150 feedback indication. These screen shots were snapped while running PS at 100 watts.