On 3/23/25 I had a CW practice / rag chew session on 20 meters. I worked three stations. Twenty meters got crowed so I QSYed to 30 meters:
| Date / Time | Call | Bnd | Frequency | Mode | Power | Rec | Snt | Name | SPC# | Comments | Off | | 3/23/2025 20:20 | KF9VV | 30 | 10.119 | CW | 50 | 599 | 579 | Jim | WI | K3 at 50 watts 100 ft sloped doublet | 20:45 | | 3/23/2025 19:22 | K4XNY | 20 | 14.059 | CW | 100 | 559 | 449 | John | GA | K3 at 100 watts 100 ft sloped doublet | 20:16 | | 3/23/2025 19:04 | VE7TK | 20 | 14.059 | CW | 100 | 579 | 339 | Rick | Canada | K3 at 100 watts 100 ft sloper doublet | 19:17 |
Conditions were OK with QSB on all stations. SSN = 177, SFI = 178, A = 33, K = 1.
My next CW practice session will be?March 24 at 15:00 EDT / 19:00 UTC on 20 meters.?Anyone and everyone is welcome. This practice is intended for operators who are new to CW or they need some practice. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR YOUR CW IS. Mistakes are OK. Poor fists are OK. Slow speed is OK. Really slow speed is OK. This practice is meant for you to improve your CW. I will do my best to adjust to your skill level. Operate at any power level. If several stations show up, I will operate as a round-table control station. I will do it as a round-table so everyone gets a chance to transmit. Please listen to my directions.
Details:
Date - March 24 2025
Time - 15:00 EDT ?19:00 UTC
Band - 20 Meters
How to find me - I will find a clear frequency and call CQ. Go to the Reverse Beacon Network and search for my call sign AB8DF.
That will tell you what frequency I am on. Tune your station to that frequency and if you hear me give me a call. If there is a QSO in progress, please wait for a break in the action. Then send your callsign. If I hear you, I will invite you to join the QSO and start a round-table QSO.
Reply to this email if you have questions.
IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR CW IS
Ed
AB8DF_._,_._,_
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I suspect you just need to update 'hamlib' in WSJT-X.? The definition for QMX was changed recently, and something broke with it in hamlib 4.6.1, so you need to update to hamlib 4.6.2 or greater.
There is a button to update hamlib in WSJT-x.? Unfortunately, that may not work (it is not functional on my machine), so you have to download hamlib manually, and copy the new "lib-hamlib-4.dll" file into your wsjtx/bin folder.
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Or go back to using Kenwood TS480 as your rig type.
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Stan KC7XE
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Re: shorted PA on TX, dead SMPSU?
Dan, yes, your SMPS boards are both bad.? It must have been a bad short you made with that probe.
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If you want to try to repair them yourself:
- On the 3.3V SMPS, it is most likely D109 that is shorted.? You can remove it, and see if the offline tests work.? If the tests work, all you need to do is replace D109.
- On the 5V SMPS, it is more difficult to say.? Something is turning on Q108 when it is supposed to be off - or maybe it is shorted.? You can look at the PWM_5V signal (during offline test step 2 or 3) and see if it is low (near 0V) like it is supposed to be.? If it is high, that is what is causing the problem and you need to find the reason (a short in the soldering or missing R108 or whatever).? You can also look carefully at Q108 and L101, and see if either looks burnt.
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Or if you want, just order a new pair from qrp-labs for $10.
In either case, when you have functional SMPS cards, install them, and power on only with a current-limited (~250mA) supply at about 7V, in case something else undetected has failed on your board.? Hopefully the processor comes up and you can use the diagnostic page of the terminal interface to verify that things are working OK before giving it full voltage/current and trying transmit diagnostics like LPF and SWR scans.
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Good luck
Stan KC7XE
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Re: Using the QMX+ with an auto-tuner
I agree, turning off SWR protection to tune is not a good idea. Try going into the Menu: Hardware: SWR Measurement. This gives a carrier at 1/4 output power (if Menu: Protection: Tune % is set to 50%). Use this to tune the antenna system with an auto tuner (or a manual tuner) and you will protect your finals.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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Hi Ken,
The case is plastic.?
73
Roger MW0IDX
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Re: Software Development and Requirements Creep
Many Hans makes for light work!!
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On Mar 23, 2025, at 10:39 AM, Jerry Gaffke via groups.io <jgaffke@...> wrote:
? Either way would have been fine.
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Releasing SSB firmware for 80m only, no CESS, limited menu, no support for CW or digital modes,
no calibration step would have shut down the "This EER SSB Stuff Can't Possibly Work" posts.
And many here would have been happy to try out an early version of 80m SSB.
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Pushing through and releasing it in more or less final form may be for the best, assuming Hans recovers.
It's mostly bug reports being reported, often stuff Hans wasn't aware of, not reports of needed additional functionality.
It would have taken months for Hans to find those bugs, releasing piecemeal would likely have a larger total bug count,
more documentation to write, more discussion in the forum.. All at once makes best use of his time.
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I'm just happy it's out, and that it mostly works.
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Jerry, KE7ER
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On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 02:55 AM, Chris wrote:
On Fri, Mar 21, 2025 at 07:52 AM, Hans Summers wrote:
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Yes, I believe you are 100% correct. Much of it could indeed have been released piecemeal as releases in their own right.?
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If you had then I think there would have been a massive amount of demands for the additional features to be added NOW!? There would have been massive criticism.? The "are we there yet" posts would have? been replaced by "I want it NOW!" posts.? This would have been far more stressful and harmful to the QMX Labs reputation.
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Nate,
Thanks for your answer. About the 20M band I already finely tuned the Audio gain (db) in Putty in order to get on each band a +30dB signal strength in JS8Call and for that I have set 30M to 76, 20M to 58, 17M to 58, 15M to 59, 12M to 71 and 10M to 71.
I will see if I can tweak L3 and L8 to get more power on 15M.
73 - Pierre - FK8IH
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Re: Simple and very tiny mic for the QMX.
#qmx
#ssb
If it's the coiled wire like in some telephone cords, I managed to solder it. Just don't expect it to look pretty, because the solder doesn't want to stick to the poly cord for some reason. Anyway, just getting a messy solder joint does seem to work just fine.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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Re: shorted PA on TX, dead SMPSU?
Dan,
both values are not bad. I guess your controller STM32 isn't broken.
So like I wrote before:
If resistance is ok you have to repair both SMPS boards or use spare parts from QRP Labs.
73 Ludwig
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Re: Using the QMX+ with an auto-tuner
On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 02:21 PM, Roger Hill wrote:
Menu. Hardware tests. Tune Swr. Select.? Exit to return
Awesome ... thanks, all!
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- Bruce K1FFX
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Re: Using the QMX+ with an auto-tuner
Menu. Hardware tests. Tune Swr. Select.? Exit to return
73
Roger
Get
On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 01:07 PM, Stan Dye wrote:
Just use the Tune SWR feature
Thanks for the response, Stan ... I've hunted through the Operations Manual and
I can't find a reference to this feature.? [I have seen that in diagnostics mode, certain
tests turn off SWR protection and use 1/4 power, but not sure if this related to
this antenna tuner scenario.]
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Can you point me in the right direction?
?
Thanks -
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Bruce K1FFX
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Re: Simple and very tiny mic for the QMX.
#qmx
#ssb
On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 02:46 PM, Bryan Curl wrote:
If so how do you solder that stuff?
Hi Bryan,?
It uses very fine multi-stranded enameled copper wire which is pretty easy to work with. You just need to hold the wetted iron to it long enough for the enamel to burn away. I set the temp to about 380°C.
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There is another type of wire that has tinselled flat-ish strands. That may be what you're referring to. It was used in some headphone cables.? That's a pig to work with and probably best replaced with something less troublesome.
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Cheers,?
Ronan
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Re: Loopback devices and Headsets on Linux
#qmx
#ssb
Here are two bash scripts that should make it easy to setup loopbacks
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Roger, Thanks for sharing the info.? I was wondering is the Kanga tuner case metal or plastic? I couldn’t find any info in their manual.?
73, Ken K9ZI
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On Mar 23, 2025, at 3:25?PM, Roger Dallimore via groups.io <mw0idx@...> wrote:
? Hi Joel,
I was using my 44' doublet with 300 ribbon feed, Elecraft balun, and the ATU is from Kanga, the Pocket Transmatch.
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73
Roger MW0IDX
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Re: Using the QMX+ with an auto-tuner
On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 01:07 PM, Stan Dye wrote:
Just use the Tune SWR feature
Thanks for the response, Stan ... I've hunted through the Operations Manual and
I can't find a reference to this feature.? [I have seen that in diagnostics mode, certain
tests turn off SWR protection and use 1/4 power, but not sure if this related to
this antenna tuner scenario.]
?
Can you point me in the right direction?
?
Thanks -
?
Bruce K1FFX
?
?
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On Mar 23, 2025, at 3:08?PM, Jason via groups.io <ltanhonorsmiter@...> wrote:
? It looks like a Phoenix Transmatch?
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?https://qrper.com/2022/03/richard-recommends-the-qrp-pocket-transmatch/
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Re: QMX+ / USB / CAT / Windows 7
On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 12:43 AM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote:
Magic sauce indeed, Alan ... thanks very much for the pointer ... worked perfectly.
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- Bruce K1FFX
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Hi Joel,
I was using my 44' doublet with 300 ribbon feed, Elecraft balun, and the ATU is from Kanga, the Pocket Transmatch.
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73
Roger MW0IDX
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hi, just setting up my new and very handy GoBox, a beauty case by UGREEN, approx. L22 x W14 x H8 cm, with hand strap and carabiner hook.?
Equipment inside is the QMX, a talentcell powerbank, noname speaker and the tiny paddle by .
Only some coax , an 8m-pole with transport length only 70cm and the have to go in an extra little package to fit into my bicycle trailer? ;-))
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inside look :
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the case:
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hopefully the spring / summer comes soon so i can get into our park or forest for /p operation.
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vy 73 and hope to meet you OTA?
Udo DF4BJ /qrp
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Pierre,?
? ? ?The BPF sweep problem on 20M on High band QDXs has been there for most people, and L12 changes to fix it haven't been established that I've seen. Doesn't seem to be much you can do about it, but make sure the audio level on that band is appropriate in WJST-X..and seems to still work pretty well on 20M for me.?
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As far as power output, the middle set of toroids is for 15/17m... And I've found those to be a tradeoff...messing with them to increase power on 15m may mean a slight decrease on 17m.?
If you study the QDX manual and schematic, you can see which toroids affect which bands. There are 3 sets of LPFs, and they are assigned to different bands in the terminal application.?
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-Nate
N8BTR
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Roger Dallimore
KK4ITX John
Pierre - FK8IH
Udo Die?elberg DF4BJ