Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
On Sat, Mar 22, 2025 at 06:53 AM, Hans Summers wrote:
You might try switching OFF the 80/20m BPF swap in the advanced configuration
Hans,
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I have been having a similar issues on 20m. (20M to 10M QMX). When first running calibration, I used "R" run mode to do everything via the console.? On both 20m and 11m the Phase Error vs DAC plots finished very quickly and looked strange.? SSB effectively did not work and was just distortion on Tx.?? I re-ran BOTH Phase and USB for 20m using "O" once mode and while the Phase plot still looks strange it did change. Tx improved and I have been making contacts.?? The Phase plot changed when I ran it in "O" mode.?? Items to note:?
1) with 003 I used "R" run mode and was able to replicated the original problem with the plots on 20m and 11m.
2) this happens both when using the terminal via USB, and when just using the QMX menus disconnected from USB.
3) with 003 I can make SSB usable using "O" once mode for phase / USB / LSB calibration, but the plot is still strange:
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
An observation
If you have CW practice on and use "tune" it will show a SWR of about 1.7 no matter if a dummy load is connected or nothing is connected. A power meter shows that there is no RF out. It might be better to give a message to the user rather than a false reading.
--
? 73
??? KD8CGH
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
Hi Mario
You might try switching OFF the 80/20m BPF swap in the advanced configuration to see if that makes any difference. That was intended to fix the TX/RX switch instability in QMX PCB Rev 2, which was subsequently properly fixed by a diode.?
73 Hans G0UPL
I'm still seeing some strangeness in the 80M sweep:
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Not enough signal at the test frequency?
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I'm enclosing it and the BPF filter sweep for reference:
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
Hi all,
Just to say the SSB firmware is working great and getting better with each iteration - this is fantastic work Hans! But I hope you are going to take a break soon, you deserve it :)
One anecdote: I was using the new firmware with Winlink & Vara HF to successfully make contact with a node in Switzerland, but I was a little bit concerned as the power meter reading on the QMX wasn't showing anything at all, it wasn't budging - but I wrote this off as a quirk of the firmware and how it was interacting with the modem.
But nope. Operator error, of course! I had, somewhere along the line set the output volume of the QMX on my PC down to 50% - and despite, what must have been extremely low transmitted power; VARA HF was still working successfully. Suffice it to say it's working even better now with the volume adjusted back up to 100%.
Once again, fantastic work Hans - thank you for this amazing product,
Dave
EI3HIB
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MicMod for the QMX+ using cheap Baofeng Mic
#QMXp
Dear All,
This is the mod that I did on a cheap Baofeng or similar microphone from Temu.
Really easy and takes around a hour to complete.??
Works perfectly for the limited testing that I have done.? I can't promise this will work for everyone, so you are on your own doing this :)
Nice thing about the mod is that you still have a real microphone with a PTT switch in your hand.
?
73
Timo
ZR6TM?
?
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
I'm still seeing some strangeness in the 80M sweep:
?
Not enough signal at the test frequency?
?
I'm enclosing it and the BPF filter sweep for reference:
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
1. Practice mode does not make sense in SSB I guess. When enabled in CW Keyer menu and SSB mode is selected it could be temporarily disabled and then when CW is selected again it could be automatically re-enabled.
I agree but I think this his already the case isn't it? Doesn't SSB ignore practice mode?
2. Displaying CW decoder text in SSB (in fact also in DIGI) does not make sense and looks rather disturbing. I suggest CW decoder part of the screen could be automatically cleared when SSB/Digi mode is selected or perhaps re-used to some other purposes in these modes. Mic input level would make sense in SSB.
Yes agreed, I will check this.?
3. Short press of left button bring up keyer speed in SSB. Does not make much sense
Will fix...
4. After copying the firmware file my QMX did not reboot itself. All is ok after recycling the power.
Yes I am updating with each firmware release, two QMX+ here. One of them when I put it into firmware update mode, needs the ON button pressed again to make it come up as a drive (on the Pi400); when I copy the new firmware in, it automatically boots up when it's finished installing.?
The other QMX+, goes into firmware update mode immediately you ask it to... And boots up as soon as firmware finishes copying in.?
So... Indeed some variance in behavior, and I don't (yet?) know why this is. But I don't believe this is a new thing pertaining to this particular firmware release. And cycling the power always seems to fix everything.? 73 Hans G0UPL
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
Hans,
few observations/suggestions:
1. Practice mode does not make sense in SSB I guess. When enabled in CW Keyer menu and SSB mode is selected it could be temporarily disabled and then when CW is selected again it could be automatically re-enabled.
2. Displaying CW decoder text in SSB (in fact also in DIGI) does not make sense and looks rather disturbing. I suggest CW decoder part of the screen could be automatically cleared when SSB/Digi mode is selected or perhaps re-used to some other purposes in these modes. Mic input level would make sense in SSB.
3. Short press of left button bring up keyer speed in SSB. Does not make much sense
4. After copying the firmware file my QMX did not reboot itself. All is ok after recycling the power.
?
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_002 release
#qmx
#ssb
I had this too, I just had to press the PTT and that's what I saw on the Monitor rig. Turned out to be too much Mic Gain. My setting is now 43.
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GL
?
G4GIR
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Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: 21/03/2025 20:51:25
Subject: Re: [QRPLabs] #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_002 release
Hi Group,
?
I took the plunge today and installed the second SSB beta FW on my 80-20m QMX.? Did the calibration and tried it out.? While I do hear myself well on my nearby Flex 6400M with no antenna, I also hear a fairly high pitched tone and the spectrum (outside of the TX voice passband) looks like "long, slow downhill slopes" if you will.? See picture below of 6400M spectrum/waterfall.? At first I thought it was the mic(s) I was trying, but then thought to try my Behringer XM8500 with the proper wiring to the QMX Paddle input.? Seeing the same thing on all mic's.
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Is anyone else finding strange sounding audio (audio with high pitched tone) and/or very wideband noise outside of the voice passband?? Maybe I am doing something wrong in my setup or testing thus far given the positive reports I read here?? Thanks for any advice, I'd love to be way wrong in what I am seeing!
?
73,
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Robert, WA2T
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
I can confirm this behavior for several Qxx devices.
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Hajo
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Re: #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
Is there any reason the phase calibration only goes upt to 1200 on 80m, 30m, and 20m?
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73
?
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Simon
VK3ELH
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Re: Internal mic seems to be working?
#qmx
#ssb
Hans said it is set up for noise cancelling currently. ? You won’t sound very good ..?
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Last night I downloaded the latest firmware and threw together a rather basic microphone, and after going the the calibration tests it appeared to be working well into my main station transceiver. This afternoon I went to my local SOTA summit and was very pleased how well the QMX on SSB worked. Although I'm mostly a CW op its great to have another another mode available in such a small radio, ideal for SOTA.? ?
Very nice!
You might consider posting about your experiences on the SOTA forum. Spreading the word is always good!
73 Hans G0UPL
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The former output powers were taken using JS8Call software and show the power transmitted with JS8 mode.
I took the same measures using the "transmitter test" of Putty, clicking on "T" and read the following values:
- 30M - 2.7W
-20M - 3.7W
-17M - 3.8W
-15M - 1.5W
-12M - 1.5W
-10M - 4W
I should maybe finely tune the 15 and 12M bands and am satisfied witht he 10M result, which is important currently with the high solar activity. I have been heard on the East Coasts of Canada and USA on 10M with JS8 signals as recorded by pskreporter.info, around 9,000 miles, not bad for less than 4 Watt!
A last remark: replacing the 4 BS170 and removing the output transformer to rewind it was not an easy task for a 80 years old OM with bad eyesight and shaky hands but I definitely think the QDX very tiny board is well designed and manufactured and will accept abuse! This let me confident for my next build: either a Mid-band QMX or a QMX+, the latter being preferred.
73 - Pierre - FK8IH?
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Internal mic seems to be working?
#qmx
#ssb
I've just tried transmitting SSB using the internal mic to a dummy load, with my K2 next to it to receive the SSB signal and record the audio.
Although the background noise was loud whenever I pushed the PTT button, my recorded voice was also loud and clear. I set the mic gain to 60 and compression to 10.
So the internal mic is already useable I guess? Anyone tried the internal mic to make a real contact?
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Yoon KM6KJI
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1. Low Pass Filters
I just replaced the 4 BS170 of the PA of my Hi Band QDX and I replaced the "conventional wound transformer for 12V" by a "WTST for 9V wounding", expecting an increase of output power. With the former transformer and BS170 I got only 1.5W on 10M band.
Now I have the following output power in a dummy load:
- 30M - 2.70W
- 20M - 3.50W
- 17M - 3.40W
- 15M - 1.2W
- 12M - 0.6W
- 10M - 1.6W
What toroids should I tune by spreading or tighening the coils?
- L2 or L6 or both?
- L3 or L8 or both?
- L4 or L10 or both?
2. Band Pass Filter
The RF filter sweep shown by Putty gives:
- 30M minus14 from 10 to 12MHz then falling
- 20M minus15 at 14MHz? then minus23 at 15MHz
- 17M plus2 at 17.5MHz
- 15M plus6 at 21MHz
- 12M minus1 from 24 to 27MHz
- 10M plus4 from 27.5 to 31MHz
These results seem OK except for the 20M band. What should I do to the L12 toroid whin I built according to the manual to try to improve the 20M RF filter sweep and i the same time the 30M result?
About the 30M band, I just replaced in the "Band configuration" the 11M original settings by 30M settings with the same values as 20M (0 for both LPF and BPF numbers).
73 - Pierre - FK8IH?
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Re: shorted PA on TX, dead SMPSU?
Dan, you are not the first who has slipped with a probe.? Many of us have done that.
Yes, it's probably just the smps - at least we can hope so.? It's easy to short the 12V to the 5V or 3V rail, which will burn out one or more of the protection diodes like fuses.? And thankfully so, since they normally spare us from more damage to other parts.
And Yes, following that thread on testing the power supplies is a good place to start.? The wiki here also has a procedure to independently test the smps cards.
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?If you have a lower-voltage power supply to use while doing tests, it will help prevent possible further damage - like 7-9V, preferably with a current limit.? But I think you said you don't have the current limit, so it's ok to use whatever you have, just be careful.
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I haven't gone back and read that whole thread, but I would start with more measurements with everything still put together, except the bottom cover off.? Identify the pins on the power supply connectors for V+(12V), Vcc and Vdd, and a good ground point to measure against.?? Push the power-on button and hold it in while measuring the values on each of those points.? Don't keep the power button pressed for a long time, since something is likely shorted and will be heating up.? These measurements can help you (and us) know what you are starting with, and where to focus efforts.? While you are at it, bonus for measuring the other signals, like Power_On, Power_hold, Lin_Reg_En.
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Stan KC7XE
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Re: You have to love Hans.....
No small feat, and 3 firmware revisions already released in the first week!
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shorted PA on TX, dead SMPSU?
Hi
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I built a QMX mid-band, it started up first time and everything seemed pretty normal except for low power output.
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tx into a dummy load with a 11.9v supply:
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60m 9.5v(red) 1.7w 1.04swr
40m 9.5v ? ? ?2.4w 1.05swr
30m 9.5v ? ? ?2.4w 1.05swr
20m 9.5v ? ? ?1.8w 1.10swr
17m 9.5v ? ? ?1.5w 1.14swr
15m 9.6v ? ? ?1.3w 1.2swr
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Thinking the RF out was low, and seeing the low voltage on the transmit diagnostics, I looked at the 4 output transistors, without the washer heatsink. After a few of seconds of tx, 3 transistors were hot to the touch, and one was cool (Q504). I visually checked again for problems around the PA, nothing visible. I was attempting to measure the ground to gate voltage, my hand slipped and the DMM probe shorted something near the PA, my (non-current-limited PSU) made a nice high-current humming sound and now QMX won't switch on, no terminal on USB, nothing.?
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I'm hoping that all I've done is cook one or both SMPSUs? or will it be worse than that?
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I'm seeing 12.06v in and 11.30v at the pins of one SMPSU board but nothing else.
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Any tips or pointers would be appreciated. Hopefully its not just"buy a current limited psu and a new kit".?
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Cheers
Dan G7NNZ
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You have to love Hans.....
Hi All,
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So, I see the SSB desired upgrade is now released as a beta version.
I decided to glance at Hans, write-up.
Hans write I will shortly give a brief introduction to SSB on the QMS..."... And he goes into a fully detailed explanations, with links to Geek deeper into the matter.?
Casually mentioning features he implemented that would be mind blowing on any other platform.?
I am so far down the rabbit hole I might not resurface until tomorrow.
You have to love Hans.
a.
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Bob Benedict, KD8CGH
Hajo Dezelski
Bruce Akhurst
Pierre - FK8IH
K6AEF
Alain