|
I just received my prebuilt QMX and it doesn¡¯t power up. I am using the same battery pack and cable that I use for my QCX Mini. I have read that a kit-built QMX will need the firmware installed before it will power up. Is a prebuilt radio the same, or should it power up out of the box?
|
It should power up directly in operating mode since they test it in Turkey before shipping.
?
what is the voltage you are using? ?12v is ideally what you want.
?
if you connect a USB cable and execute a terminal emulator such as PUTTY (per the instruction manual) do you see anything?
?
--
73
Jeff Moore
W1NC
|
And you can tell if it for some reason needs firmware: just plug it into your computer with a USB data cable, and see if a new USB drive device shows up on the computer.? If the QMX shows up as a USB device, it does not have firmware installed.
Stan KC7XE.
|
On Fri, Nov 29, 2024 at 06:20 PM, Jeffrey W Moore wrote:
It should power up directly in operating mode since they test it in Turkey before shipping.
?
what is the voltage you are using? ?12v is ideally what you want.
?
if you connect a USB cable and execute a terminal emulator such as PUTTY (per the instruction manual) do you see anything?
?
--
73
Jeff Moore
W1NC
?
thanks Jeff! i am using a Tskentcell 12v battery pack, the same one that I use with my QCX Mini. I connected the battery and cable to my QCX Mini and it works fine.?
I¡¯m not near my computer so I haven¡¯t tried Putty. I will try to do that tomorrow.?
?
?
?
|
On Fri, Nov 29, 2024 at 07:24 PM, Stan Dye wrote:
And you can tell if it for some reason needs firmware: just plug it into your computer with a USB data cable, and see if a new USB drive device shows up on the computer.? If the QMX shows up as a USB device, it does not have firmware installed.
Stan KC7XE.
?
?Thanks Stan. I¡¯ll try that in the morning.?
|
Scary when I often see these failures happening.? I find myself hoping my QMX+ Order ID 91594 - Serial 6457 - Ordered 9-17-24 works as it is now #84 on the list. I know is a kit and made by humans and not precise machinery, so subject to errors but it is just something we all hope we do not have to deal with. If mine is a dud I do have some hams in the local club that may be able to help. I really hope you have success, I have seen several here in this group an on FB that have had problems with theirs and it is worrisome but I have also seen some of them being able to be fixed, and I really hope you are able to get it working.
|
On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 11:31 AM, Paul K7VIQ wrote:
Scary when I often see these failures happening.? I find myself hoping my QMX+ Order ID 91594 - Serial 6457 - Ordered 9-17-24 works as it is now #84 on the list. I know is a kit and made by humans and not precise machinery, so subject to errors but it is just something we all hope we do not have to deal with. If mine is a dud I do have some hams in the local club that may be able to help. I really hope you have success, I have seen several here in this group an on FB that have had problems with theirs and it is worrisome but I have also seen some of them being able to be fixed, and I really hope you are able to get it working.
?
I understand! I ordered in early August and waiting for it to ship only to have it arrive dead is disappointing. I have a QCX Mini that I bought used and it is great, so I have high hopes for the QMX.
?
|
OK... I did some more troubleshooting. I tried two different battery packs (both Talentcell 12V), two different power cables and verified that the battery packs work with my QCX Mini and FX-4CR. I also connected the QMX to my Surface Go via USB-C and got nothing. Based on the docs I expected to see either a USB drive or a virtual serial port. I tried Putty but since no serial port shows up, putty doesn't find the radio. Any suggestions?
|
Mine arrived this past summer and was just fine.? Still trying to find time to use it and learn more about?it.?? Rich. KD2UBJ
|
May not apply in you case ....? But ....
?
Are you pressing the encoder knob to turn on the QMX?
?
And for the PC to recognize the Q ...
?
It's important that the QMX is powered off.
Then plug in your USB cable on both ends. That cable, and any adapters you may have to use,? have to be known data transfer capable. Simple, power only cables or adapters will not work.?
?
THEN ... turn on the Q via the correct encoder knob.
?
73 GREG KI4NVX?
?
|
On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 01:21 PM, Greg McCain wrote:
May not apply in you case ....? But ....
?
Are you pressing the encoder knob to turn on the QMX?
?
And for the PC to recognize the Q ...
?
It's important that the QMX is powered off.
Then plug in your USB cable on both ends. That cable, and any adapters you may have to use,? have to be known data transfer capable. Simple, power only cables or adapters will not work.?
?
THEN ... turn on the Q via the correct encoder knob.
?
73 GREG KI4NVX?
?
thanks Greg.? yes, I am pressing the left knob and holding for a couple of seconds. I have tried longer and shorter presses just in case.? The USB c cable and USB A to C adapter are the ones that I use for digital modes with a different radio, but I can try another cable and adapter just in case.?
as far as the radio being powered off when connecting to the PC, it never powers on?
|
Well so much for the simple stuff. :)
I had a hunch you were doing things correctly.
?
If it were me, I'd take the radio out of the enclosure and CAREFULLY start checking voltages.
First thing would be the power jack pins to confirm that power is at the jack.
?
Then you'll probably have to follow the POWER ON start up checks detailed in the relevant WIKI file(s) in the repository on this group site.?
A good one to start with is:
QMX and QMX+ Internal power supply, written by Hans.?
?
Hope it's something simple.?
?
GREG
?
?
|
Ron, without dismantle the enclosure you get some information by checking the supply current.
When in bootloader mode the current is around 200 mA.
When firmware is running the current is around 200 mA for a fraction of a second and then around 90 mA @ 12 V for RX.
Maybe you see a current only for the time the left encoder is depressed. This would be not ok but gives some more information.
?
73 Ludwig
|
On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 02:43 PM, Greg McCain wrote:
Well so much for the simple stuff. :)
I had a hunch you were doing things correctly.
?
If it were me, I'd take the radio out of the enclosure and CAREFULLY start checking voltages.
First thing would be the power jack pins to confirm that power is at the jack.
?
Then you'll probably have to follow the POWER ON start up checks detailed in the relevant WIKI file(s) in the repository on this group site.?
A good one to start with is:
QMX and QMX+ Internal power supply, written by Hans.?
?
Hope it's something simple.?
?
GREG
?
?
thanks Greg.? Honestly, I bought a prebuilt radio so I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with that. I don¡¯t have the test equipment to do that. I expected that it would be fully functional when it arrived.?
|
On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 02:56 PM, @Ludwig_DH8WN wrote:
Ron, without dismantle the enclosure you get some information by checking the supply current.
When in bootloader mode the current is around 200 mA.
When firmware is running the current is around 200 mA for a fraction of a second and then around 90 mA @ 12 V for RX.
Maybe you see a current only for the time the left encoder is depressed. This would be not ok but gives some more information.
?
73 Ludwig
?
thanks LudwigHonestly, I bought a prebuilt radio so I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with that. I don¡¯t have the test equipment to do that. I expected that it would be fully functional when it arrived
?
|
QRP-labs and Hans want you to have your radio work, too.
You should contact him at the support address given on the qrp-labs.com site.? He will make things right for you.
An alternative is to contact Jeff, W1NC, on this list (or see his info on qrz.com) - he has been very helpful in repairing qmx radios.
Stan KC7XE
|
On Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 07:32 PM, Stan Dye wrote:
QRP-labs and Hans want you to have your radio work, too.
You should contact him at the support address given on the qrp-labs.com site.? He will make things right for you.
An alternative is to contact Jeff, W1NC, on this list (or see his info on qrz.com) - he has been very helpful in repairing qmx radios.
Stan KC7XE
?
I knows that they do Stan, and I¡¯m not saying that they don¡¯t. I appreciate the help of everyone in this group and once I satisfied myself that I had tried everything that Si could I did reach out the QRP. Labs Support. That was yesterday, so it was the weekend. I¡¯m sure that they will respond once their work week starts.
?It¡¯s just frustrating to receive a DOA radio after waiting for 4 months! I have other radios to use, including a QCX mini, but I have been looking forward to getting the QMX!
?
|
Paul K7VIQ