Thanks Hans,
I appreciate your reply.
"I can only conclude that you had configuration issues on your PC, though you mentioned you already have a perfectly functioning QDX and you clearly know how to operate it competently, so even this is not a very satisfactory explanation."
Just as an FYI, I have three computers:
1) A 12 year-old desktop running Windows 10 Home,
2) A 3-year old desktop running Windows 10 Pro, and,
3) A brand new (7 day old)? laptop running Windows 11 Home.
The new laptop was purchased from the store January 4, 2024 and I completed the setup and installation of the video production software over the next two days. The ham radio apps (WSJT-X, JS8Call, Winlink, GridTracker, N3FJP logger, and VARA HF/FM) were downloaded from their respective websites and installed after the more important software installation was complete, about 01/07/24. The laptop had nothing but Windows 11 Home on it when I bought it, so no previous versions of hamlib or any ham radio software at all.
The QMX was stored in a Tupperware box along with my QDX and all accessories that are required for its use. I hadn't touched the QMX since 10/23/23, when I sent you an email about the poor receiver sensitivity when compared to the QDX.
I took a look at the QMX on 01/05/24 and saw on the QRP-Labs website that here had been several firmware updates since I last looked at the QMX, so I connected it to Desktop #2 and updated the firmware to 1.00.014, but the dial issue remained even after the update. Discouraged that the firmware update didn't fix the problems with the dials, I didn't do any other testing or try WSJT-X etc. I put the QMX back in the Tupperware container with its power and USB cables, and there it stayed, with its brother, the QDX, and the QDX's cables and various adapters.
On 01/08/24, while out doing radio stuff using the QDX, I tried using the QMX on FT8 on the new laptop. I had been using the laptop, WSJT-X and JS8Call successfully with the QDX for several hours before switching over to the QMX, so I expected not to have any trouble with the QMX on digital modes using CAT control, since using the dials was "problematic". That's when I encountered the hamlib errors.
Upon my return home, I connected the QMX to the newer desktop. This desktop had worked with the previous QMX units, the QDX, the LAB599 TX-500, and the IC-7300. Each radio has its own configuration file set up on WSJT-X and JS8Call (the QMX and QDX use the same config file). Since I no longer have an antenna at home, all radios are connected to a dummy load if the PTT button is going to be pressed in any software, even if the software claims that no power is transmitted during a PTT test.
After connecting the QMX to the desktop computer, I started WSJT-X -- the same version and configuration that had worked fine with other QMX radios (and my QDX) and got the hamlib errors... the identical errors I got on the new, never before installed, fresh copy of WSJT-X on the laptop.
I swapped out the QMX for the QDX again and received no errors at all. The CAT test and the PTT test worked for the QDX, but failed on the QMX. The WSJT-X radio configuration was already set to "QRPLabs QCX/QDX".?With the QMX attached to the desktop computer again, I tried all Kenwood HF radios on WSJT-X's radio configurations page and got hamlib errors when testing the CAT... except when set to "Kenwood TS-440S" which resulted in no errors when Test CAT was pressed (button turned green), but which gave hamblib errors when testing the PTT.
Finally, I attached the QMX to the 12 year-old desktop. Again, this desktop was already configured to run the QDX and QMX on WSJT-X and JS8Call and those configurations hadn't been changed or the programs updated since I first received a QDX and QMX in August 2023. WSJT-X spat out the hamlib error for the QMX. I swapped the QMX for the QDX, and got no errors. The same errors for the same QMX, on three different computers, all of which gave no errors for the QDX.
I think from all of this we can ask ourselves four questions:
Question: Was this a configuration error on all THREE computers?
Answer: I don't think so. On all three computers, WSJT-X and JS8Call worked fine on the QDX and had worked fine for other QMX radios.
Question: Is it possible all THREE computers had some random glitch that made hamlib throw errors, but only when the QMX was attached?
Answer: Again, I don't think so. Too much of a coincidence.
Question: Did WSJT-X stop throwing errors after redoing the (all) firmware updates and changing NOTHING on the computers?
Answer: Absolutely!
Question: Is it possible a bad firmware update was the cause of the hamlib errors?
Answer: Most likely... however "categorically impossible" it may seem.
In email I told you that the new Audio functions were all set to Disabled after the initial update to 1.00.014 and factory reset, and that I manually turned them all to Enabled, per the firmware warning and the QRP-Labs website. After reverting to 1.00.009 and going through all the available individual updates back up to 1.00.014, the new Audio settings were all Enabled by default. Maybe that was indicative of a bad firmware update?
As I told you in email on the day I received this QMX, I'd used the problem-free QDX on on FT8 using WSJT-X and the waterfall was full of FT8 signals. Swapping the QDX for the QMX, the waterfall only showed the strongest signals. Upon swapping the radio back to the QDX, all the weaker signals returned. The only difference in the entire setup, was the radio (and USB cable required to connect to the computer. To me, this suggests the receiver in this QMX is not as sensitive as that in my QDX. Whether this true of all QMX and QDX models, I have no idea. I do remember the second QMX I received was totally deaf, right out of the box, except for birdies very few kHz (to those still reading, yes, there's a video of that too, LOL).
So, take all of that? for whatever it's worth to you. I have no reason to lie or make stuff up. I wanted a QMX, I really did. It looks like a really fun radio. But for me it just hasn't been fun. 9 months, and I still can't use it. Each of?the three QMX radios I've received all had different problems, each of which made them unusable.
All the talk about not using LiFePO4 batteries is fine, but LiFePO4 batteries are the current go-to battery technology and most hams in the market for lightweight, long-lasting batteries for POTA/SOTA/general QRP use are going to buy them. Most radios designed for "12V" accept voltages up to about 16V, but not the QMX.
I understand the QMX is new and has teething problems, but I didn't purchase one to be a beta tester. I bought a fully assembled unit so that I wouldn't have to build it, modify the hardware, or diagnose hardware problems. Update firmware? Yeah, sure, no problem. I also understand you getting buried in email... but this has been an ongoing saga and I hadn't heard from you in 3 months.
How do you want to proceed?
73.
