Re: QCX Challenge - March 2025
Have in mind the change to daytime saving time this weekend.? ( at least in DL)
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Martin
DK3UW
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On printing, I usually print 2 pages to a sheet and double sided and use 'draft' print quality. That makes the cost of paper and ink much lower - maybe about 1/5th the cost of full size, normal quality.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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Building from a screen works well, but I prefer to check off things as I go. However, the biggest reason to print things out for me, is to document any issues or changes that I make to that particular unit. I have built many QRP Labs kits and they are frequently different revisions. If I don't document each one , it is a nightmare figuring out what I did on each one when a later mod is needed or wanted.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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Re: Figuring out why no keyer sound and updating my QMX Menu Reference to Firmware 1_01_003
Paul, it sounds like you may have general audio and/or receiver problems in your QMX hardware.? Even with a simple end fed half wave antenna, unless it is laying on the ground, you should be able to hear lots of cw signals, from far away, at least at appropriate times of day for the band you are tuned to.
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Try this - put your rig in digi mode, and tune to 14.074, anytime mid-morning to about 9pm or so local time.? You should clearly hear the tons of FT8 operators with their slowly modulating tones.? You may need to turn the volume control a couple of revolutions to get the level up.? If you have any trouble getting a strong audio signal of the FT8, we need to debug something in your receiver/audio chain or overall setup.
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Stan KC7XE?
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Re: Should I just go ahead and order a QMX+?
Delivering SSB for the QMX/+ is the big announcement for this year! ? ?
Order a QMX+, it is a great little radio.?
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Steve KA0SM
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74ACT08 damaged and LCD is all blocks
Long story short, I managed to damage my fresh built QMX+ by trusting a USB-C PD power supply too much... The symptoms are that I'm still able to power it up and the display is normal before SMPS kicks in. When the controller starts to use SMPS, the LCD goes all blocks so I guess the 5V rail is damaged. Visual inspection shows 74ACT08 is damaged as well. The terminal application is still working (so 3.3V is fine?), but if I try to access the hardware diagnosis function, QMX+ crashes and the USB connection is lost. The steady power consumption after SMPS bootstrap is about 22W so something is probably shorted.
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I have an unbuilt QMX+ board that I can take components from. Really appreciate anyone could help me narrow down the components to check/repair. I was trying to use QMX+ SSB to work some WPX SSB contest stations... Really wish I could still make it... ?Many thanks!
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73 de N6HAN Zhenxing Han
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On 29/03/2025 12:17, Brien - KE7WB via groups.io wrote: Plug in the USB cable from computer to QMX and then try to turn on QMX. This yet to be fully understood scenario worked for me on a couple of occasions. Brien, This really needs to be emphasised in the manual. Right from the first QDX it has been necessary in Windows to power cycle the QDX/QMX after the computer has been rebooted. A QDX/QMX will only enumerate once per power-up. I believe Hans has the answer but it does not seem to have an immediate solution. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: Figuring out why no keyer sound and updating my QMX Menu Reference to Firmware 1_01_003
Is it only the sidetone audio that is missing?? Do you still have clear audio on receive?
This will take some time to check out as I receive very little on my QMX in West Oregon, I see very few signals being transmitted in the Northwest OR on RBN or qsofinder.com.??All I have is an EFHW hung in a large plum tree for an antenna.? I will have to be patience for a signal that is close enough for me to receive.??
Part of the reason I have enough time to do practice mode CW on the QMX+ and update my easier to follow (for me anyway) .
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Thanks for confirming what I thought. Looking through the manual, and as others have stated, I think I can probably get away with using a tablet I have here, or, as it's probably not going to be a 'couple of evenings' build maybe clear some space in front of the main PC monitor and use that area for the build instead.
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Re: SSB audio distortion #qmx #SSB Firmware beta 1_01_003 release
#qmx
#ssb
Hi Hans,
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I spent a couple hours adjusting the 20m band edges and center frequencies. I even tried the example given by Ellis ( /g/QRPLabs/message/141909) and used that as a reference point. It always goes just beyond the 500 mark on the x axis and no more. ?
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Mel. M0KMD
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QMX+ "Tune SWR" for 1 second?
A puzzle resolved?
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I tried various bands and modes, but I failed to enable my QMX+ Tune SWR function for more than 1 second,
far less than this old duffer could work an "antenna tuner" in his best days.
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Hans, in a You Tube video, shows how that function works in the QMX, continuously keying tx and showing the resulting SWR,
for up to 1 minute; sufficient time for this Ol Geezer to "tune er up".
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Being slow in the head, and getting no better, after a couple of days I "discovered" that with my QMX+ connected to a PC, connected to? WSJT, the Tune SWR only keys up
my QMX+ for 1 second and does not time out after 1 minute. When WSJT-X is closed, the function works as advertised... Now, happy old dog.
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Da Ol' Dog/wa4hei
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Hans aren't you on vacation!?
Your wife should take your phone/computer.
Enjoy
Chris
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Plug in the USB cable from computer to QMX and then try to turn on QMX.? This yet to be fully understood scenario worked for me on a couple of occasions.
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Brien - KE7WB
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Dudley,
Your post was not “needless”. ?There are new member to this list every day and rehashing some of the common issues helps to bring new members up to speed. These things happen and we only get answers when the question is asked. ?And some of us 80 year olds need to see it a couple of times to have it stick. Ha! ?
This is a hobby and hobbies have new starts at all ages and abilities. ?I have been following this list for years and continue to learn or re learn things that I should have known from my 65 years in this hobby. ?Rehashing an issue or problem helps us slow learners get with the program.
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On Mar 28, 2025, at 8:06?AM, Dudley - N4CDH via groups.io <dudleyhenderson@...> wrote:
? Sorry all who answered. ?Guess I missed reading about the rail and tried to look for my message and erase but it wasn’t listed at the time. ?My 82 year old eyes finally saw the indentations on both sides and took pliers and snapped them off. ?Sorry for needless post.
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Paul,
For years I would break something so I could learn about it by doing a repair. ?BUT over the years I have backed off on that idea and especially on the small hf rigs. ?If yours is working to your satisfaction on the bands you use just leave it alone. The tight placement of parts means being “perfect” in your removal and re-soldering the part back in. It’s so easy to damage other parts while doing that. Please enjoy the mini miracle you have on your bench.
Have fun.
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On Mar 29, 2025, at 5:35?AM, paul G0HEU via groups.io <g0heu70@...> wrote:
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thanks for the information.
I don’t use 160m as i don’t have the space for a antenna but a
increase on 6m would be useful
thanks for a cracking kit had a few 20m & 40m FT8 contacts
yesterday
well impressed
Paul
On 29/03/2025 08:35, Hans Summers via
groups.io wrote:
Hi Chris
Already on my list, OM
73 Hans G0UPL
Could the PA modulator be used to adjust the max power on
a band by band basis?? This is something that Hans would
have to implement but is there any technical reason such as
overloading the PA modulator that would prevent this?
?
I think that power control would be nice anyway and doing
this on a band? by band basis would be a minor addition.
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Chris, G5CTH
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thanks for the information.
I don’t use 160m as i don’t have the space for a antenna but a
increase on 6m would be useful
thanks for a cracking kit had a few 20m & 40m FT8 contacts
yesterday
well impressed
Paul
On 29/03/2025 08:35, Hans Summers via
groups.io wrote:
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Show quoted text
Hi Chris
Already on my list, OM
73 Hans G0UPL
Could the PA modulator be used to adjust the max power on
a band by band basis?? This is something that Hans would
have to implement but is there any technical reason such as
overloading the PA modulator that would prevent this?
?
I think that power control would be nice anyway and doing
this on a band? by band basis would be a minor addition.
?
Chris, G5CTH
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Re: Should I just go ahead and order a QMX+?
Hi Hans,
many thanks. I have actually been holding off ordering any of the QMX range in anticipation of the release of the QSX. Not built anything in ages so I am looking forward to the new QMX+.?
73 Ken g4apb?
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Hi Chris
Already on my list, OM
73 Hans G0UPL
Could the PA modulator be used to adjust the max power on a band by band basis?? This is something that Hans would have to implement but is there any technical reason such as overloading the PA modulator that would prevent this?
?
I think that power control would be nice anyway and doing this on a band? by band basis would be a minor addition.
?
Chris, G5CTH
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Could the PA modulator be used to adjust the max power on a band by band basis?? This is something that Hans would have to implement but is there any technical reason such as overloading the PA modulator that would prevent this?
?
I think that power control would be nice anyway and doing this on a band? by band basis would be a minor addition.
?
Chris, G5CTH
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Re: Should I just go ahead and order a QMX+?
Hi Ken
Currently we're shipping QMX+ with 1_00_027 (not SSB) while the SSB firmware is still so new and beta.?
Firmware updates are extremely easy to install though.
73 Hans G0UPL
Hi Hans,
I have recently ordered a QMX+. Will it come with the CESSB update or will I have to install that myself please?
73 Ken
G4APB
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Paul K7VIQ
Brien - KE7WB
David Wilcox K8WPE