Re: V6 Sythesiser PCB link wire
Hello Bruce
It was a PCB error. My fault not the manufacturing. We had to fix the 500 boards of that batch by soldering on the little wire to make the connection.?
73 Hans G0UPL
One for Hans …?
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Used the latest V6 SMD version yesterday
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Less to do and makes wiggling the synth in and out of a U3S stack much easier?
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Curiosity.? A super- tiny link wire, hand -added between the 2 FETs (3.3V?) seems to duplicate existing tracks.? Was the Via omitted??
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V6 Sythesiser PCB link wire
One for Hans …?
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Used the latest V6 SMD version yesterday
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Less to do and makes wiggling the synth in and out of a U3S stack much easier?
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Curiosity. ?A super- tiny link wire, hand -added between the 2 FETs (3.3V?) seems to duplicate existing tracks. ?Was the Via omitted??
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Re: QMX+ rev 3 freezes shortly after boot
Michael, please don't switch on your QMX+ in the moment. I will send more information later today.
73 Ludwig
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Re: Low current BIAS SMPS
Yes you’re right. It’s a typo. I meant Q501. I was checking the schematic to check where to look for a fault on the board. I realized that there might be an inconsistency between schematic and silkscreen. I couldn’t find Q516 (from the schematic)on the board. I think it’s labeled there as Q12. Just for now I took the mosfet from ptt for Q501.
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Re: Tone or birdie every 500 Hz in USB mode
Yep, I second that. I discovered exactly the same thing. The GPS module generates CW like pulses. It goes away with out it.
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For me, it was more obvious on the higher bands with wider filter (digi mode) and didn't really notice it on the lower bands.
Another observation on mine was that there is an awful lot of noise on 6m band with digi mode set and just a dummy load.
I have attached two audio file samples. One with GPS connected and one without GPS connected, both on 6m in digi mode, on dummy load.
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Mel. M0KMD.
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Re: Tone or birdie every 500 Hz in USB mode
GPS module causes the pulsing tones in mine too.
Unplugging it clears them, but obviously not best solution!
Im going to try decoupling the power local to it when I get the chance, and see if this helps, maybe someone else has tried this?? Perhaps some form of screening, GPS right next to the antenna input…
The fixed “birdies” I thought were mostly due to smps and Hans will enable (in due course) some sort of active frequency switching to keep any out of the band in use.
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Rowan.
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Re: QMX+ Rev3 and Rev1 interchangeability
Thanks Stan.? I appreciate the reply...
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Re: Firmware nightmare — gibberish (!) help needed
Hi Randy
The master of gibberish is ChatGPT ;-)
As Ron said, it's because you have a connection fault on one of the data lines D0-D3 to the LCD. Earlier firmware used the LCD in 4-bit mode (D4-D7) so any connection faults on D0-D3 would be hidden. But when you updated the firmware to a version which uses full 8-bit mode, you exposed the fault.?
All QMX and QMX+ PCB versions are compatible with the latest firmware versions.
73 Hans G0UPL
Randy, I think that was about when the firmware started using all 8 of the LCD data lines. Prior to then it only used 4 of them. One of the 4 others may not be soldered well. Good luck.?
Ron Ok, I've figured this out.
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Firmware versions 19 and earlier work on my QMX — every one of them back to v6 (the earliest one I tried). Thank goodness for Terminal mode.
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Firmware versions 20 and later do not work on my unit. This was a very early unit — not sure if that matters.
?
So I asked ChatGPT (the oracle, hi hi)... and it suggests a few possibilities (pasted below).
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Now I'm going to update my newer QMX (hopefully without trouble)! I do wonder if the older one can ever run the newer firmwares, though.
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73, Randy K7RAN
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? Results Recap:
| Version Range |
Display Status |
| 1.00.006–1.00.019 |
? WORKING — screen readable |
| 1.00.020+ |
? BROKEN — gibberish display |
? What Likely Changed in v1.00.020?
Though QRP Labs doesn’t publish full changelogs, this kind of breakpoint often indicates:
-
A new display init routine
-
A change to font handling or character encoding
-
Swapping display libraries or restructuring how the OLED is accessed
It might’ve been something meant to improve performance or reduce memory usage — but it probably made assumptions about the display controller that don’t hold for yours.
?
?
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Re: QMX+ Rev3 and Rev1 interchangeability
Yes, the front panel and display are the same.
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Bill, can you measure the current draw when you turn on the qmx?? If it is waiting for firmware,? it should be about 200mA, maybe a bit more at 7V.? If it is much less than that, or way more, there is likely a problem to resolve before it will mount the USB drive.
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You could also verify your cable setup to make sure it supports data transfer by plugging it into another device like a camera or card reader or whatever.? ?Some cables? and adapters only support power/charging.
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Re: 74ACT08 damaged and LCD is all blocks
I have replaced ic503 and bs170s. Everything is working great now!
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73 N6HAN
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Re: QMX+ rev 3 freezes shortly after boot
A measurement of Vcc would also be useful, and how it changes.
Maybe also touch D109 - I expect it will be getting hot as Vcc goes up above 3.3V.
I'm wondering if you have a temperature-dependent issue that causes the 5V supply to get shorted to Vdd, pulling Vdd up and Vcc down.
Maybe also take a resistance measurement (with power off) between Vdd and Vcc.
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When you said you could reproduce the problem by trying to attach the terminal, did it happen when you connected the cable, or when you hit enter in the terminal window to bring up the menu?
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Re: QMX+ rev 3 freezes shortly after boot
On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 05:52 PM, George Korper wrote:
Did you use The Talentcell for 9 V and 12 volts??
Possibly flaky BMS?
No, the 9V was a standard Duracell like you'd put in a smoke detector. I wasn't expecting much, just to see if the lower voltage helped or resulted in the same. Ultimately I think it was about the same.
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Also Ludwig! I've got my ammeter measurements now as well:
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- battery plugged in, radio turned off: 0.00A, ~12.08V
- radio turned on, normal operation: 0.06-0.10A, ~12.08V
- radio turned on, frozen: 0.18-0.20A
- there's an initial drop in voltage to around ~11.9V, but then it seems to stabilize back at ~12.04V
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So it looks like the supply current effectively doubles when the radio's in the frozen state, in addition to the voltage jump on VDD.
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Re: Firmware nightmare — gibberish (!) help needed
Randy, I think that was about when the firmware started using all 8 of the LCD data lines. Prior to then it only used 4 of them. One of the 4 others may not be soldered well. Good luck.?
Ron
Ok, I've figured this out.
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Firmware versions 19 and earlier work on my QMX — every one of them back to v6 (the earliest one I tried). Thank goodness for Terminal mode.
?
Firmware versions 20 and later do not work on my unit. This was a very early unit — not sure if that matters.
?
So I asked ChatGPT (the oracle, hi hi)... and it suggests a few possibilities (pasted below).
?
Now I'm going to update my newer QMX (hopefully without trouble)! I do wonder if the older one can ever run the newer firmwares, though.
?
73, Randy K7RAN
?
? Results Recap:
| Version Range |
Display Status |
| 1.00.006–1.00.019 |
? WORKING — screen readable |
| 1.00.020+ |
? BROKEN — gibberish display |
? What Likely Changed in v1.00.020?
Though QRP Labs doesn’t publish full changelogs, this kind of breakpoint often indicates:
-
A new display init routine
-
A change to font handling or character encoding
-
Swapping display libraries or restructuring how the OLED is accessed
It might’ve been something meant to improve performance or reduce memory usage — but it probably made assumptions about the display controller that don’t hold for yours.
?
?
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Re: Firmware nightmare — ibberish (!) help needed
At one point, the number of data lines used by the display increased, I think from 4 to 8.?
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Paul -- AI7JR
On Apr 1, 2025, 19:58 -0700, Randy K7RAN via groups.io <padawer@...>, wrote:
Ok, I've figured this out.
?
Firmware versions 19 and earlier work on my QMX — every one of them back to v6 (the earliest one I tried). Thank goodness for Terminal mode.
?
Firmware versions 20 and later do not work on my unit. This was a very early unit — not sure if that matters.
?
So I asked ChatGPT (the oracle, hi hi)... and it suggests a few possibilities (pasted below).
?
Now I'm going to update my newer QMX (hopefully without trouble)! I do wonder if the older one can ever run the newer firmwares, though.
?
73, Randy K7RAN
?
? Results Recap:
| Version Range |
Display Status |
| 1.00.006–1.00.019 |
? WORKING — screen readable |
| 1.00.020+ |
? BROKEN — gibberish display |
? What Likely Changed in v1.00.020?
Though QRP Labs doesn’t publish full changelogs, this kind of breakpoint often indicates:
-
A new display init routine
-
A change to font handling or character encoding
-
Swapping display libraries or restructuring how the OLED is accessed
It might’ve been something meant to improve performance or reduce memory usage — but it probably made assumptions about the display controller that don’t hold for yours.
?
?
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Re: Firmware nightmare — gibberish (!) help needed
Ok, I've figured this out.
?
Firmware versions 19 and earlier work on my QMX — every one of them back to v6 (the earliest one I tried). Thank goodness for Terminal mode.
?
Firmware versions 20 and later do not work on my unit. This was a very early unit — not sure if that matters.
?
So I asked ChatGPT (the oracle, hi hi)... and it suggests a few possibilities (pasted below).
?
Now I'm going to update my newer QMX (hopefully without trouble)! I do wonder if the older one can ever run the newer firmwares, though.
?
73, Randy K7RAN
?
? Results Recap:
| Version Range |
Display Status |
| 1.00.006–1.00.019 |
? WORKING — screen readable |
| 1.00.020+ |
? BROKEN — gibberish display |
? What Likely Changed in v1.00.020?
Though QRP Labs doesn’t publish full changelogs, this kind of breakpoint often indicates:
-
A new display init routine
-
A change to font handling or character encoding
-
Swapping display libraries or restructuring how the OLED is accessed
It might’ve been something meant to improve performance or reduce memory usage — but it probably made assumptions about the display controller that don’t hold for yours.
?
?
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Chuck--
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If I understand correctly, it's only the QMX+ that gets powered up, firmware loaded, and tested...
On Apr 1, 2025, 19:47 -0700, Chuck Harris via groups.io <cfharris@...>, wrote:
A really good question that you should ask yourself is:
Does your radio work when you power it up?
They all come with firmware installed for the factory
tests of the SMT parts on the board, so if your radio
is assembled correctly, it should play.
If it doesn't, concentrate on that. Save the firmware
loading for after you have fixed any construction errors.
-Chuck Harris, WA3UQV
Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:22:27 -0700 "Bill KJ5IVB via groups.io"
<Wdbuck@...> wrote:
Just finished QMX build and I can’t get my Mac to recognize the USB
so as to upload firmware. ?I am powering with a 7v power supply. ?I
am using USB c to usbA and then an adapter. ?Have tried two other
cables with no success. ? I have seen all the tips on YouTube and
also page 63 in the manual. ?Feel like I’ve wasted $150 on this radio
and likely never to get it to work. ?I will try on a Windows machine
if I can borrow one this week. ?Other than that don’t know what to do.
Bill, KJ5IVB
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Re: Firmware nightmare — gibberish (!) help needed
Hi Randy. I know it seems like updating the firmware caused this but it may have been a coincidence. Gibberish on the screen usually means that one of the data lines to the display has come loose. You might inspect those connections closely while you are at it. ?
Ron
Unfortunately for me, copy-pasting the file (instead of drag-dropping) made no difference. Still back to gibberish screens. :(
Randy K7RAN
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A really good question that you should ask yourself is:
Does your radio work when you power it up?
They all come with firmware installed for the factory
tests of the SMT parts on the board, so if your radio
is assembled correctly, it should play.
If it doesn't, concentrate on that. Save the firmware
loading for after you have fixed any construction errors.
-Chuck Harris, WA3UQV
Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:22:27 -0700 "Bill KJ5IVB via groups.io"
<Wdbuck@...> wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Just finished QMX build and I can’t get my Mac to recognize the USB
so as to upload firmware. ?I am powering with a 7v power supply. ?I
am using USB c to usbA and then an adapter. ?Have tried two other
cables with no success. ? I have seen all the tips on YouTube and
also page 63 in the manual. ?Feel like I’ve wasted $150 on this radio
and likely never to get it to work. ?I will try on a Windows machine
if I can borrow one this week. ?Other than that don’t know what to do.
Bill, KJ5IVB
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Bruce Akhurst
Michael Shiplet
Ronald Taylor
Paul - AI7JR
Randy K7RAN