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SSB TX
Does anybody use their Q900 on SSB? VHF or HF. Both have the same problem. Extreme over drive. AM is fine as is FM. They all share the same audio chain I would think. The only difference is the balanced modulator for SSB if they even make SSB that way anymore. My first modern radio so alien technology to me.
Dave |
开云体育Thank you. I’m way past that. I have firmware v3.4.1 When I loaded this to get ssb squelch I think the trouble began. Thanks for your response.Dave
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Strange... I did use SSB once on VHF with the same gain setting than on NFM (but with amplified mic and low gain). No overdrive there. Ihave V4 with 3.4.1. I would suggest to switch to the audio level meter (AUD) (short press power button). When the meter shows around 0 to 4dB I had good modulation. |
开云体育Thank you. Problem is I can turn the mic gain all the way down and it doesn’t work. I’m trying to decide if it’s a broken radio or software issue. You just confirmed it. Your running the same firmware. This is my third broken one? I’m still going to try the old firmware before I send it back but I think you nailed it. I can adjust everything and padding down the mic audio does produce a great wave form but can’t run more than 1- 2 watts or it goes into distortion like the ALC is off.Dave
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Brian C KJ7NYI
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On Oct 25, 2023, at 10:31, Kai <kai@...> wrote:
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开云体育I’m retired out of communications so maybe my bar is a little higher than some. I like the platform and the ability. It does not perform as good as they claim on receive so as just a receiver it would be worth the money if it did what they claim. Don’r know if anybody has checked ops on one. If it transmitted it would be a compromise but worth it because of it’s versatility. As just a receiver it is not worth it. The radio appears to have no ALC. (automatic limiting control) for SSB. So it over modulates, so to speak, on SSB. Not usable by anyone responsible. It is nasty on the air. RX is good in most places. If you test receiver integrity across the bands it is full of birdies and is subject to not making spec in places where it should.I feel these are all firmware issues and could be fixed if anybody over there cared? I am not computer literate so stuck here. Any input is welcome. After a month of waiting they just canceled my last order for one?? Does anybody have any good news? Dave
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I tested again this evening. The gain setting did work with SSB on VHF. I started with the same setting as it was on the recording. There I got the feedback that there is overdrive. After reducing the gain, the overdrive was gone and audio was good. I did not test the cmp setting. I plan to get an USB SDR receiver. Then I can do some more testing and listen to the signal myself and record it. I have no other HF/SSB receiver. The test was done with my self made amplified mic though. What microphone are you using? I did a comparison with the original mic and my amp mic on VHF WFM yesterday. Even at same gain setting and the output of my amp mic adjusted to get the same volume, the original mic had some kind of cracking noises in the transmition while it was clean audio with my amp mic. I suspect that the Q900 does only work well with an amplified mic at this point. I have V4 with firmware 3.4.1 |
开云体育Thank you for the reply. The story gets a little longer from here. I really appreciate your input but won’t be able to respond until tomorrow.Dave
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Hi Kai, Maybe an webrx Like Kiwi/websdr or openwebrx is an Option to Control and record the audio ... If you near JO32 I can send you an Link to some of Theme Am 26. Oktober 2023 00:19:51 MESZ schrieb Kai <kai@...>:
-- Diese Nachricht wurde von meinem Android-Ger?t mit K-9 Mail gesendet. |
开云体育Hi Kai,Like you I went after the mic audio first. My use for this radio is much different than most it would appear. I’m looking for one bug out radio that will receive everything. The fact that it transmits is a real plus. I want small, light and no frills that can be deployed and run off any voltage source regardless of voltage. This is it if it worked. So I chose the small cheaper mic because it is simple, light and small. Upon taking it apart I found that it was an electric cartridge, good. But it was to small for the mold hole in the mic and with no hole for the audio to get in. No padding at all leads to the audio having to go through the speaker grill and wander around until it finds it’s way into the echo chamber with the mic element. I replaced the mic with a Motorola mic that was the correct size but the Leeds did not match up perfect so some adjustments were made to the housing. I drilled a hole in the mic so audio could reach the mic and lined it all with felt. I don’t think replacing the mic is necessary as the problem was the echo chamber it was in. I further put a variable resister across their swamping resister so I could adjust the gain of the electric mic. Mic sensitivity if you will. This made the mic sound pretty good! No money spent! I also cut the internal speaker loose and removed making it even lighter. Now I had a good sounding cheap, light mic.? Looking at the SSB wave form on the oscilloscope showed that the out put of the radio was cutting the center line and flat topping! Tried adjusting everything I could to no avail. I decreased the cartridge gain, in the mic, until I had a perfect wave form! Then looked at the watt meter. Hardly any power out. As soon as I increased the mic level it would flat top. A check of AM/FM and they were very low and unusable. Back to SSB. The circuit that controls this is the ALC, automatic level control. I did update the firmware? Could that have caused the ALC to not work? That was the big problem with the last two I bought. I probably have notes on what was wrong with the first one. So I returned them and ordered another one. Been waiting almost a month and the due date came and went. I inquired about it being late and started a storm? They refunded my money and said I cause much trouble for store? I just wanted to know if everything was ok? They now don’t know where it is but said I could still buy if it showed up someplace? WOW!! I’m waiting for someone to say,” hey bone head did you check the……..?” Thank you for input. I have a pair of G90’s that work pretty good. Other issues there but are useable. Great tuner and easy to use but no VHF. That is where most public safety is. So then need a second radio to monitor them. Back to square one. Dave Bohlen
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Brian C KJ7NYI
开云体育Nice detail Dave.?Same boat here. Have the TBR-119. Similar issues. Handset is a (clone H250) cheaply made replica with few redeeming qualities. For a $2K radio, I would have hoped it would be better quality. I seriously have better quality hand mics from Baofeng.? Anywho…. I believe most of the upper VHF/UHF WFM/NFM drama started with 3.4.x versions. They were attempting to resolve some TX power and modulation issues and things just went sideways from there.? I have had similar issues with the support people. I made a video describing my ‘not-pleasant’ recent experience with the radio. They asked me to take the video down, giving them a chance to remediate known issues. Fair enough…. (A little bribery helped too where they gave me a discount on an antenna) ?? I agreed to give them that time and then the video was going back or hopefully a replacement describing all the positive fixes they are (about to) deliver. My buddy meanwhile had made his own unflattering YouTube video that they blamed me for. Swearing it was me on a different account. ? Regardless, I talked to GH support two days ago and they said that they are (hopefully) about 2 weeks out on a new binary release and prayerfully expect that will fix a bunch of issues.? Sincerely, Brian On Oct 26, 2023, at 10:51, Dave via groups.io <n0eds@...> wrote:
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开云体育Thanks Brian TBR-119 looks like a real nice radio. Same plat form or software as the Q900 equally plagued with production problems. I’m a long way from videos here. But I did produce some memo’s detailing the problems with the three Q900’s that I have bought that were unusable. Made copies and put them in the return boxes and sent copies to the manufacturer. I see no You-Tube videos that are current? To bad people can’t be warned off. Then maybe they would fix it. I believe the majority of the problems are firmware issues and could easily be fixed with our input, if they would listen. We keep forgetting these people don’t think like us. They take no pride in their work and are probably slave labor. If they have a successful product they don’t get to join in the profits like democratic countries. Keep voting for Biden and we’ll be there too.?Should I buy another one and wait for them to figure out what’s wrong with it? I have 30 days to return under E-bay policy and don’t feel like spending money on Chinese ?bricks. I do intend to buy one more as I have also heard they are coming out with a fix. I just keep them in the 30 days. I have a need for several of these for a group. They do GMRS,FRS,CB,ham, public safety etc, very handy!!! I have mapped the receiver and in the places where it actually works it’s good, how ever requires an amplified speaker so you can hear it? There is a spkr jack on the back but does nothing? If I keep one of these I will hook the internal spkr leads to this jack to hopefully have a radio I can hear unless they fix that also. Most people seem to want to hook these to a computer? I have less than no interest in computers hooked to radios. Maybe they are good for that? I have an application for this radio that it fits perfectly if it just worked! So I buy one or two at a time in hopes of finding one that works. To bad they can’t read the feed back on these.? Gotta get back to work. Thanks for response. Back to the old adage, “if it’s made in China it’s junk!” 73 Dave
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I was with you Dave till the comment about our President. ?Politics need to stay off these boards and you know that. 73s de Bob Dianetti KT8DX
On Friday, October 27, 2023 at 05:49:09 PM EDT, Dave via groups.io <n0eds@...> wrote:
Thanks Brian TBR-119 looks like a real nice radio. Same plat form or software as the Q900 equally plagued with production problems. I’m a long way from videos here. But I did produce some memo’s detailing the problems with the three Q900’s that I have bought that were unusable. Made copies and put them in the return boxes and sent copies to the manufacturer. I see no You-Tube videos that are current? To bad people can’t be warned off. Then maybe they would fix it. I believe the majority of the problems are firmware issues and could easily be fixed with our input, if they would listen. We keep forgetting these people don’t think like us. They take no pride in their work and are probably slave labor. If they have a successful product they don’t get to join in the profits like democratic countries. Keep voting for Biden and we’ll be there too.?Should I buy another one and wait for them to figure out what’s wrong with it? I have 30 days to return under E-bay policy and don’t feel like spending money on Chinese ?bricks. I do intend to buy one more as I have also heard they are coming out with a fix. I just keep them in the 30 days. I have a need for several of these for a group. They do GMRS,FRS,CB,ham, public safety etc, very handy!!! I have mapped the receiver and in the places where it actually works it’s good, how ever requires an amplified speaker so you can hear it? There is a spkr jack on the back but does nothing? If I keep one of these I will hook the internal spkr leads to this jack to hopefully have a radio I can hear unless they fix that also. Most people seem to want to hook these to a computer? I have less than no interest in computers hooked to radios. Maybe they are good for that? I have an application for this radio that it fits perfectly if it just worked! So I buy one or two at a time in hopes of finding one that works. To bad they can’t read the feed back on these.? Gotta get back to work. Thanks for response. Back to the old adage, “if it’s made in China it’s junk!” 73 Dave
Nice detail Dave.? Same boat here. Have the TBR-119. Similar issues. Handset is a (clone H250) cheaply made replica with few redeeming qualities. For a $2K radio, I would have hoped it would be better quality. I seriously have better quality hand mics from Baofeng.? Anywho…. I believe most of the upper VHF/UHF WFM/NFM drama started with 3.4.x versions. They were attempting to resolve some TX power and modulation issues and things just went sideways from there.? I have had similar issues with the support people. I made a video describing my ‘not-pleasant’ recent experience with the radio. They asked me to take the video down, giving them a chance to remediate known issues. Fair enough…. (A little bribery helped too where they gave me a discount on an antenna) ?? I agreed to give them that time and then the video was going back or hopefully a replacement describing all the positive fixes they are (about to) deliver. My buddy meanwhile had made his own unflattering YouTube video that they blamed me for. Swearing it was me on a different account. ? Regardless, I talked to GH support two days ago and they said that they are (hopefully) about 2 weeks out on a new binary release and prayerfully expect that will fix a bunch of issues.? Hi Kai, Like you I went after the mic audio first. My use for this radio is much different than most it would appear. I’m looking for one bug out radio that will receive everything. The fact that it transmits is a real plus. I want small, light and no frills that can be deployed and run off any voltage source regardless of voltage. This is it if it worked. So I chose the small cheaper mic because it is simple, light and small. Upon taking it apart I found that it was an electric cartridge, good. But it was to small for the mold hole in the mic and with no hole for the audio to get in. No padding at all leads to the audio having to go through the speaker grill and wander around until it finds it’s way into the echo chamber with the mic element. I replaced the mic with a Motorola mic that was the correct size but the Leeds did not match up perfect so some adjustments were made to the housing. I drilled a hole in the mic so audio could reach the mic and lined it all with felt. I don’t think replacing the mic is necessary as the problem was the echo chamber it was in. I further put a variable resister across their swamping resister so I could adjust the gain of the electric mic. Mic sensitivity if you will. This made the mic sound pretty good! No money spent! I also cut the internal speaker loose and removed making it even lighter. Now I had a good sounding cheap, light mic.? Looking at the SSB wave form on the oscilloscope showed that the out put of the radio was cutting the center line and flat topping! Tried adjusting everything I could to no avail. I decreased the cartridge gain, in the mic, until I had a perfect wave form! Then looked at the watt meter. Hardly any power out. As soon as I increased the mic level it would flat top. A check of AM/FM and they were very low and unusable. Back to SSB. The circuit that controls this is the ALC, automatic level control. I did update the firmware? Could that have caused the ALC to not work? That was the big problem with the last two I bought. I probably have notes on what was wrong with the first one. So I returned them and ordered another one. Been waiting almost a month and the due date came and went. I inquired about it being late and started a storm? They refunded my money and said I cause much trouble for store? I just wanted to know if everything was ok? They now don’t know where it is but said I could still buy if it showed up someplace? WOW!! I’m waiting for someone to say,” hey bone head did you check the……..?” Thank you for input. I have a pair of G90’s that work pretty good. Other issues there but are useable. Great tuner and easy to use but no VHF. That is where most public safety is. So then need a second radio to monitor them. Back to square one. Dave Bohlen
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