Eric,
I just imported one of the databases (saved during a database reset)
where the 222 XVTR (VHF2) was working. As soon as I did that, the TX
relay started working again on VHF2. It appears something is getting
confused in the database when more than one transverter is added to the
XVTR Setup menu.
73,
Clay W7CE
On 1/3/2011 9:42 AM, Clay W7CE wrote:
Hi Eric,
My settings for VHF2 and VHF 3 are below. These aren't the settings
I'd normally use. They are just where I have them after testing.
Antenna Form:
Expert: Checked
Enable Preamp on 6M: Not checked
Use RX1 Out to Rx1 In Loop: Not checked
Switch Relay with TR: TX3 checked, no delay (I've tried several
combinations of TX1-TX3 with and without delay).
XVTR Setup Form:
VHF2: Enabled Checked, UCB Address 2, LO=194.0, LO Error=0, Begin
Freq=222.000000, End Freq=224.000000, RX Gain=0.0, RX Only Not
Checked, Power=100, Split RF Not Checked.
VHF3: UCB Address 3, LO=874.0, LO Error=0, Begin Freq=902.000000, End
Freq=904.000000, RX Gain=0.0, RX Only Not Checked, Power=100, Split RF
Not Checked.
UCB Form:
Doesn't matter at this point, because I'm looking at TX1-TX3 outputs
directly, not through my FlexWire interface (which is currently
disconnected).
Results:
On any band from 160M through VHF2, TX1-TX3 switch a relay during
transmit. On VHF3 and VHF4 nothing happens on TX1-TX3. Next, I
reversed the settings in VHF2 and VHF3 on the XVTR Setup Form. No
relay switching during TX on either band. Finally I put everything
back as shown above. Now, I can't get TX1-TX3 to switch for VHF2 or
VHF3. I've tried exiting PowerSDR and power cycling the 5000A with
no luck. At this point, none of the transverter bands are working!
I tried a database reset and set the VHF2 settings in the XVTR Setup
form to match the above. With a relay connected to TX2, Expert mode
selected in the Antenna Form, and all three TX outputs selected on all
bands, I get no activity on the relay on VHF2, but it works fine on
all 160-6M, 2M and 70 cm. Next step was to unselect TX1-TX3 in the
Antenna form and re-select them. Now VHF2 is switching the relay
again. I added VHF3, tried unchecking and re-checking TX1-3 and now
VHF3 works, but VHF2 doesn't. I disabled VHF3 and VHF2 still doesn't
work. I haven't tried another database reset.
There's definitely something goofy with the way TX relay selection
works on VHF2 and up. I can't get a handle on the exact problem or
user work-around, but so far I can only get one of those bands to work
at a time. I apologize for the rambling nature of these notes, but I
was writing this down as I tried things. I have to get to work, so I
don't have time to try to organize it better.
73,
Clay W7CE
On 1/3/2011 7:34 AM, Eric Wachsmann wrote:
Clay,
See my notes inline below.
Eric
On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 1:01 AM, Clay W7CE <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
-snip-
1. When I added the 125cm transverter to the transverter menu
and UCB form, I was getting all "0's" output on the I2C slave
even though I had one of the relays selected. I had to close
PowerSDR and re-open it for everything to take effect (closing
and re-opening the forms didn't do anything). It appears that
the transverter isn't recognized by the UCB form unless it was
setup when PowerSDR initially started. After re-starting
PowerSDR everything works well. This is a minor inconvenience
that caused some head scratching until I figured it out.
2. Every time I restart PowerSDR, the default FlexWire (I2C)
output is all zeros, even after changing bands between 2M, 70cm
and 125 cm (the transverter on VHF2). It doesn't start working
until I type Ctrl-Alt-U to open the UCB form. This is another
minor inconvenience that I can live with.
[Eric] I believe the current UCB form requires the form to be opened
and THEN a band change for the FlexWire code to be sent. This is
inconvenient, but it is what it is as this was a hack to make the
FlexWire UCB prototype functional.
3. THE BIG ONE! I tried to add a 2nd transverter on VHF Band
Button 3. The problem is that none of the TX1-3 outputs are
working during transmit. I selected all three (TX1 to TX3) in
the Antenna form and tested each one by connecting it to a relay.
None of them are switching. I also tested this on VHF Band
Button 4 with the same discouraging results. All three TX
outputs work fine on HF through VHF Band Button 2, but appear to
be non-functional on VHF Bands 3 and up. I've tried restarting
PowerSDR multiple times, but this doesn't seem to have any effect
on the problem. This means that I'm currently limited to one
transverter. I haven't had time to check the source code to see
why the TX outputs don't work on VHF3 and up, but will try to do
so this week. I really hoped to have at least two transverters
working for the January VHF contest but I guess I'll have to be
happy with one for now.
BTW, I am using PowerSDR 2.0.16 with all of the latest beta
firmware and drivers. I also tried it on v2.0.8 and the behavior
is the same, except VHF Band 2 also misbehaves during TX. For
this version, if VHF Band 2 is selected (my transverter), the TX
outputs turn on for a fraction of a second and then turn right
back off. As with v2.0.16, the TX outputs are not functioning
for VHF Bands 3 and up.
[Eric] In the latest branches, we have tested the TX Out
functionality timing and it appears to work as intended in our
testing. Are you using the Expert Antenna Form mode? If so, are you
setting the band to VHF3 or VHF4 to setup the TX1/2/3 outputs and
delays? If you'll send me your settings, we'll see what we can do to
replicate these in our lab.
Once these problems are sorted out, the FlexWire interface and my
homebrew TX relay box will make it possible to have more than
three amps and/or transverters without the need for manual
switches. I'm laying out the PCB for a combined TX relay and
XVTR IF switch that will support up to four transverters, but I
may delay that project until problem #3 above is sorted out and I
can use more than one transverter.
Has anyone else who is playing with the FlexWire interface
noticed these problems?
73,
Clay W7CE
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