Apache Labs Community Forum

This is using the latest version PSDR, I believe 3.4.2 and an 8000DLE. I've been working on the radio, getting things set up the way I like it for a couple weeks now. With the help of Scott, Rob and Stu. For the most part everything is working well - or was working well.

I had the system up and running, been working digital modes, FT8 and JT65 off and on all day, yesterday some CW and SSB (and digital) ... to day it was a contact or two then back to work (self employed)... I was on 15 a while ago. Worked a station in EU. I am using WSJT and M-VAC. Again - all this was working fine.

I went to call CQ and noticed there was no output on the wattmeter (external LP100). It wasn't showing anything so there was nothing there. I looked at the screen and I noticed a red flashing light - it said "ADC1 Overload". I also noticed the TX meter wasn't showing watts - rather it was "pegged" and showing S9+60db (I had "S-meter text" checked). I shut it down - tried again - same thing. The power was at about 50W. I reduced power. finally the red "overload" message changed to yellow and only blinked occasionally ... and with lower power yet it was off.

I turned DUP off ... no change. I couldn't get it to work no matter what. NOTE I had only been using it - its been a long time, hours, since I changed any parameters - the last I believe was selecting a different TX profile and it had worked fine with multiple contacts since having changed that. So the answer to the question (that I ask my customers) "What changed" is nothing.

I restarted the program (cycled power on the 8000 as well). Now I can't get any power out other than 4 or 5 watts with the DRIVE set at 30 (PA setting the same as previous). I am still getting the "S9+60db" at these settings but can't/don't see the overload warning anymore. NOTE for clarity - this display is while transmitting and on the TX meter! It is as if it is STAYING in receive while transmitting and without (with limited) any attenuation!!!!

I have since gone back to an earlier DB from this morning. Didn't work to correct it. Went back to a DB I saved a couple weeks ago entitled "stable DB" - that works. Watt meter is back, power out is back. But this is well down the path before lots of changes were made.

So I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place here. I can once again (for the 4th time) start from scratch with a 'stable' db and rebuild ... which I am not going to do routinely - one should rarely if ever (never in my opinion) have to reload the/an earlier DB unless by choice.

I'm currently still at the point if i select the DB from this morning, the one that worked (one prior to the last one saved by about 10 minutes) I can't get full power out - and the TX meter is reading in 'S9' units as if it is ... I don't know - you tell me. NOTE Scott, I had mentioned a couple weeks ago at one point I was not able to get the TX display to show TX power ... this too was in CW mode. I had said it was only showing a 'dbm' value ... I realize now that is what I'm seeing only instead of seeing the dbm, which ISN'T transmit level but instead receive level WHILE TRANSMITTING, I'm seeing "S9" text because I checked that box. SO I've seen this before - and its back without a fix unless I start from scratch which I can't keep doing once a week. Besides that fact that this just stopped working mid-operation.

Gary
K9RX

I was sitting here thinking "well if I want to use it I have to go back in and redo all the parameters from that 'stable db' level .... but I can't keep doing this. Nor should one have to be doing this. I'm seriously wondering if I have a bum unit.

The issue is in CW only ... no - that's not true. The current issue, the same as what i had before, is and was in CW. SSB seems to work now in that I"m getting power and the wattmeter reads. I've not tried DIG mode however. BUT this time it 'happened', went bad for lack of a better term while in DIG mode.

Does that help anyone in suggesting what it might be?

Note I had issues with the fact that the "Keyboard" is defaulted to LOTS of values (active keys) ... which I have on my list to suggest this should not be. There should be a parameter called "Keyboard" with two values, ACTIVE, and "OFF" with the latter as default). The majority of users are NOT power users and won't care about this - and the vast majority have one computer and need to use their log book which is where I've had issues multiple times where i went to log a contact, mid contact and all of a sudden the radio changes - turns out PSDR had focus and I just did a key command! So I've gone in ans set all of these to "NONE" ... that was one of the last DB export changes.

thoughts anyone?

Gary

Gary,

First, it's all about options when it comes to PowerSDR. If you don't like the keyboard shortcuts, disable them.

Second, your situation with bad databases is unique in my experience. This is not to say that database corruption does not happen. I've had it happen here more than once. However in my case it's been associated with testing unstable alpha and beta software. However, there is something about either what you are doing or your PC configuration that is obviously causing near daily problems. It seems unlikely that it is in anyway related to your radio hardware. You could try reloading your firmware, but that's a real long shot.

Given the uniqueness of your situation, unfortunately I have no definitive suggestions for you. There are a million potential reasons, from the way your PC operating system and drivers are configured, to how you are operating the radio, to bad RAM, to a failing hard drive.

All I can suggest is to export a copy of your database frequently, perhaps even several times a day. As soon as the database goes corrupt, use something like Notepad++ or another tool to do a comparison (a "diff") of the most recent good and corrupt databases and see if you can identify what's going wrong in the XML that comprises the database, then report out on that.

73,

Scott

AHHH!

I had a detailed response ... I went to try and start the program to try a few things today, after having shut everything down over night, the program won't start at all! The initial Hpsdr screen comes up, the green bar moves a small amount and windows says there's a problem and closes it.

I downloaded 3.4.2 (the one I had was .1, not 2 as I thought), did an install - it seems to get hung up on the merge DB thing. Did an uninstall.
I renamed the ROAMING/Flex PowerSDR folder adding "old" to it ... and did the install again - this time it seemed to go through all the COMMAND tests (black dos window) ... and then it tried to run the program and sure enough - same thing. It won't run. Stops at the same point with the green progress bar.

So now I really am dead. Is there a link to registry 'stuff' that needs to be removed?

Gary

There are no registry entries associated with PowerSDR mRX.

Since successful installation does not require any radio hardware to be present, this points the finger solidly at the configuration of your PC and operating system.

Some people have had problems with certain audio interfaces, both USB and internal. Make certain that all drivers are fully up to date, consider removing all audio interfaces if possible.

Do you have another computer to try?

Gary

I had the exact same problem (the progress bar stalled when I opened HPSDR) with my Windows 10 -based computer every time I installed a Windows 10 update.

I was using a USB hub that was several years old, and also a couple of older digital audio interfaces that did not have available Windows 10 drivers.

I bought a new hub and a new Focusrite digital audio interface... and this problem has not recurred.

Before I made those replacements, the only way I could get HPSDR to open was by doing a "system restore" after backing out the update to a version of Windows 10 that preceded the update.

Separately:

I agree with Scott that the database problems that you are experiencing are most likely associated with your computer.

Every time you close the HPSDR application, the current version of the database (including all the settings) is moved from RAM to the hard drive of your computer. Every time you open HPSDR, the last version of the database the was stored on the hard drive is moved to RAM.

It is during those database transfers that the database corruption is likely occurring.

Stu

BINGO!!!!!

I KNEW this wasn’t the computer ... computers just don’t fail (99.999999999% of the time)! (and the drivers are the latest and there weren't any windows updates).

update: This problem, CW xmit shows low power output (<2W when it should be 50) and the TX Meter shows S units and not power (or SWR or...). It just does this every time all the time.

HOWEVER ... I discovered yesterday that if I hit TUN or if I xmit on SSB the low power issue goes away on CW! The TX meter however remains not usable on CW xmit showing S meter readings or TX dbm. (Note: the TX meter works fine on TUN or on SSB).

Today I found 2 versions of the saved DB - one that worked and one, saved 2 hours later, that didn't.

I started going through using the one that worked – checking things that I knew I had ... on the first page – GENERAL | OPTIONS there is a box labeled “All Mode Mic PTT” ... and it is checked. I unchecked this. I then also changed the time on some of the PTT and CW delays .... and checked another option on the list in the center there – I tried it, hit the CW paddle and BAMM! An S meter reading on the TX meter while xmitting was BACK!

So I reversed the process... it turns out I can do this with one key click!

If you leave the “All Mode PTT” checked, which I believe is default but nonetheless on this one checked works. If you uncheck it – it doesn’t! AND if you uncheck it before doing anything – i.e. start the program with this version that works – and then uncheck that before hitting the CW paddle – lo-n-behold the power is low and the TX meter is reading S units on XMIT.

I also loaded in the very latest saved DB – and checked this box – it works fine every time. Proper CW output power and proper TX meter reading. Closed it – restarted it – same thing, works fine.

I AM meticulous – I need to know that this isn’t some random issue ... if that were the case I’d have no interest in this radio/project as I don’t believe in randomness... the fact that it is simply either a bug or an unintended consequence is fine – THAT can be found and fixed if the former or explained if the latter.

Gary Myers
K9RX

NOTE however .... this doesn’t explain WHY this whole episode started ... I was using it on DIG mode... I literally worked someone and then went to type in a frequency in WSJT to call CQ. I hit ENABLE on WSJT, the transmission started – but there was no power output. Then I saw the ADC1 Overload warning and saw the TX meter was reading in S units instead of watts... THAT still bothers me – SOMETHING caused it to get to that state. Like I tell my customers – it WILL fail again. That is the nature of intermittencies.