Thetis v2.8.11 - UPDATES and current issues

[Joe]

Really, everything is much appreciated. I understand. I guess the biggest part for me was getting my hands on the source code as I have a few items that I add for my use. I will revert back to the latest source code that I have until it is available.

Thanks and 73’s
Joe
WD5Y

[Joe-W4WT]

Update: I think I found the culprit. QSK appears and works UNLESS I switch the Rx Ant to something other than Ant 1. As soon as I switch it from 1 to either 2 or 3, the CW Break-In goes to Semi from QSK. Switching back to Ant 1 causes it to return to QSK. Obviously, this appears to be a bug in Thetis as I can't think of a reason the break-in selection would change with the Rx Ant selection. Can anyone confirm this behaviour?

Update 2: Looks like a work-around is to use Ext 1 rather than Ant 3 for the Rx antenna. Setting it in Ant/Filters seems to not annoy QSK and works just fine. Not quite as convenient though; you can't select Ext 1 with the main screen Rx antenna selector at the bottom of the window.

I am having a problem with QSK in that I don't get the option in the CW panel, CW Break-In option MOST of the time. I get Semi with a check mark in the check box, click Semi again and I get Semi with a black square in the check box, click Semi again and I get Off. This just keeps cycling through these three options; rarely does QSK appear. I tried resetting the database, even removed the openhpsdr folder, went back to 2.0b firmware, etc and nothing seems to make QSK show up anymore.

I said above "Rarely" does QSK appear because it has appeard and I used it tonight for about 20 minutes then I changed bands and it went away again and I haven't been able to get it to show up after that. When it went away it went back to Semi. Really strange.

Anyone have any ideas or seen this happen before? I'm using a 7000 DLE Black, 2.1.18 firmware and Richies 21K7 Thetis version. Maybe I'm doing something incorrectly or there is some setting that I should be turning on for QSK to "appear" and don't know it.

I was just about to post this and grabbed the mouse and checked again and the QSK option was back! Must have ghosts in the machine! I'm sure it will disappear again though.

Thanks,

Joe W4WT

[I2NOY]

Hi ramdor,
I found what I consider an annoying bug in Pure Signal.
Please watch:

Pure Signal is working as expected untill you open the AmpView 1.0 window.
As soon as you open it, the two tones test signal is distorted and you see variable but hudge lateral bands, when DUP is enabled to see what you are transmitting.

Please investigate when you have time and many thanks for your efforts.
Many thanks,

Maurizio I2NOY

[w-u-2-o]

Maurizio -- I can't duplicate your problem at my station. It is suggested that other folks would need to report this problem before calling it a bug.

[I2NOY]

I hope that sameone can duplicate it, maybe is depending on some configuration on my side or hardware of my PC. I use a laptop with ryzen cpu and integrated graphic. I use Windows 11.
For the moment we can call it an annoying issue.

[oe3ide]

I can't replicate that problem here.
PS-A = on
2Tone on
open Linearity window
=> all works as expected

73 Ernst

[I2NOY]

The sequence to see the issue is the following, in my PC:

- press DUP button
- press PS-A button
- press Linearity on top of the main window: a new window will open, named PureSignal 2.0
- press 2TON button: the system is switched to TX and the spectrum of the two tones is normal
- press AmpView in the PureSignal 2.0 window: a new window will open, named AmpView 1.0 and now the TX signal on spectrum is like you see in my youtube file, with a lot of variable lateral bands

I can simulate this issue any time and any band, with or without linear amplifier.

Can you check again, following step by step my procedure?

[w-u-2-o]

That's what I did in the first place. I cannot replicate your problem.

[oe3ide]

The sequence to see the issue is the following, in my PC:

- press DUP button
- press PS-A button
- press Linearity on top of the main window: a new window will open, named PureSignal 2.0
- press 2TON button: the system is switched to TX and the spectrum of the two tones is normal
- press AmpView in the PureSignal 2.0 window: a new window will open, named AmpView 1.0 and now the TX signal on spectrum is like you see in my youtube file, with a lot of variable lateral bands

I can simulate this issue any time and any band, with or without linear amplifier.

Can you check again, following step by step my procedure?

I tried it on different bands, with and without external pa. It always works as expected.
So unfortunatly I am also not able to replicate the problem, following the steps you described.

73 Ernst

[I2NOY]

Many thanks Ernst.
I will try to reset database to default and see if this will solve my issue.

[w9ac]

Update: I think I found the culprit. QSK appears and works UNLESS I switch the Rx Ant to something other than Ant 1. As soon as I switch it from 1 to either 2 or 3, the CW Break-In goes to Semi from QSK. Switching back to Ant 1 causes it to return to QSK. Obviously, this appears to be a bug in Thetis as I can't think of a reason the break-in selection would change with the Rx Ant selection. Can anyone confirm this behaviour?

Confirmed, Joe. Same behavior here running ANAN 7000DLE and Thetis beta 21K7.

Paul, W9AC

[w-u-2-o]

Note that, due to limitations in the speed of the hardware design, even if this bug is fixed it will still not be possible to achieve QSK if different antennas are used for transmit and receive.

[w9ac]

Note that, due to limitations in the speed of the hardware design, even if this bug is fixed it will still not be possible to achieve QSK if different antennas are used for transmit and receive.

Scott,

You are 100% correct. In fact, I went back and selected ANT 2 for both TX and Rx and QSK returns to Thetis. It's only when different antennas are selected (e.g., Tx = ANT 1; Rx = Ant 2) that QSK is disabled in Thetis. So, my conclusion is that it's not a bug -- at least not that part of Joe's issue.

Paul, W9AC

[I2NOY]

Hi, I was able to solve my issue.
I reset the database and the issue is no more present.
Working on default configuration I noted that as soon I set the RX1 e RX2 sample rate to maximum (1536000), the issue appears again.
So I reloaded my configuration and reduced by one step the RX1 and RX2 sample rate (768000) and voilà, the issue disappeared.
Probably my hardware is not able to work perfectly at max sample rate and the issue is visible only when it is stressed with PureSignal and AmpView window ON, with LoRes checkbox unchecked.

By the way, what do you use normally as sample rate?

[Joe-W4WT]

Note that, due to limitations in the speed of the hardware design, even if this bug is fixed it will still not be possible to achieve QSK if different antennas are used for transmit and receive.

Scott,

You are 100% correct. In fact, I went back and selected ANT 2 for both TX and Rx and QSK returns to Thetis. It's only when different antennas are selected (e.g., Tx = ANT 1; Rx = Ant 2) that QSK is disabled in Thetis. So, my conclusion is that it's not a bug -- at least not that part of Joe's issue.

Paul, W9AC

I agree with the above. I wasn't looking at it from a QSK perspective, per se, I was looking at being able to use QSK mode with 200 set in the delay as a semi break-in function that gave me sidetone since semi break-in does NOT provide sidetone using VAC (at least there is no way I've found to do it). There also seems to be some other odd issues with using the semi break-in setting too. Anyway, utilizing QSK to provide sidetone, and with the appropriate setting in the delay box and, if using a RX antenna plugging it into Ext 1 all works to provide what I was looking for; semi break-in with sidetone using a RX antenna so I'm happy with this setup and leaving the code as is. The only "fix" could be saving the delay setting as it appears to reset on program restart under this scenario.

Of course, if semi break-in mode worked like my QSK kludge does where it provides sidetone and no intermittant flashing SWR indicator, that would be a worthwhile fix.

Joe W4WT

[w9mdb]

When are we going to get a release and access to source code?
I've got some patches I'd like to work on like adding AI1 capability

Mike W9MDB

[w-u-2-o]

What's "AI1"?

[w9mdb]

ZZAI Command
ZZAI Sets or reads the Auto Information function
Get ZZAI ;
Set ZZAI P1 ;
Answer ZZAI P1 :
Notes P1 = 0 for Off, 1 or more for On. When On, the radio will broadcast the VFO (A or B) frequency when changed. Option checkbox on the Setup/CAT tab must be checked to allow this command.

Can also broadcast mode changes....have to double-check if the TS-2000 emulation is supposed to do that.

We are working on accepting async CAT info in Hamlib and AI mode is going to be supported. This will mean super-fast get_freq calls since it will only use cached values if the rig is sending frequency changes for example.

[ramdor]

ok, I am still here and working on it, but I have been busy with some other projects so not too much Thetis time. That said, I am currently back on Thetis, but up to my neck in all the SPLIT/VFOBtx issues, which there plenty !!! I have made some really good progress with it today (been at it since around 9:00, and is now 13:50).

I am really hoping to get this sorted out, and make a release of 21k8 in time for the weekend if all goes ok. I will keep you updated.

After a short testing period, I will draw a line under 2021 changes, and prod Doug to see if he is in a position to update the setup packages and the tapr distro.

Ref the emails and everyone asking for the source. As you can imagine, it is in a state of flux at the moment, and you are going to have to be patient for a while longer.

Cheers, Richie.

[w-u-2-o]

Welcome back, Richie, and here's wishing you a very happy holiday season!

[ramdor]

Welcome back, Richie, and here's wishing you a very happy holiday season!

You too Scott. Not even had a chance to put any decorations up here yet. Must sleep less

R.

[KA5KKT]

ok, I am still here and working on it, but I have been busy with some other projects so not too much Thetis time. That said, I am currently back on Thetis, but up to my neck in all the SPLIT/VFOBtx issues, which there plenty !!! I have made some really good progress with it today (been at it since around 9:00, and is now 13:50).

I am really hoping to get this sorted out, and make a release of 21k8 in time for the weekend if all goes ok. I will keep you updated.

After a short testing period, I will draw a line under 2021 changes, and prod Doug to see if he is in a position to update the setup packages and the tapr distro.

Ref the emails and everyone asking for the source. As you can imagine, it is in a state of flux at the moment, and you are going to have to be patient for a while longer.

Cheers, Richie.

Thanks for your continuing efforts, Richie.

As far as a possible new distro, are there others that we may not be aware of through this forum that could be working on updates that might also find their way into the possible distro?

Even for someone relatively new to Thetis your efforts have been substantial and useful.


Dick - KA5KKT

[Joe]

Thanks so much Richie and Happy Holidays!

73’s
Joe
WD5Y

[AG5CK]

Thanks for all you do Richie. May you all have a Merry Christmas. It's almost eggnog:30

[rbduck]

And Again! Richie! Thanks for all you do and may you and yours have a Happy Christmas!!

[ramdor]

Time ran away again this week, I am down to a couple of things on the bug list. Few more days required

R.

[oe3ide]

Richie, take your time

merry x-mas!

73 Ernst

[liam]

Nadolig llawen Richie
Thanks for all your work

Liam EI3GC

[I2NOY]

Richie, I am very happy you have again some time to work on Thetis.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Maurizio

[W4GM]

Merry Christmas to all!

Mike
W4GM