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I made a recording of testing SSB on my QMX HB on 17M:
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The setup is QMX transmitting into dummy load and IC705 receiving near by. Overall it sounds pretty good, but there's a tone of 2kHz whenever the noise gating is not in effect (can be seen on IC705's waterfall). When my voice is loud, it seems the 2kHz tone will be attenuated, but otherwise it's quite obvious. Noise cancellation doesn't help - in fact, it raises the background noise by about 10dB. I have some other findings but they're relatively minor. For this 2kHz tone, I'm not sure it's from hardware of software. I'm planning to build a QMX+ to test again.
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73 Zhenxing Han, N6HAN
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On Thu, Mar 20, 2025 at 01:07 PM, <adam@...> wrote:
I can certainly hear the difference.? Can I ask how you got the recording?? I would like to try on my own device.
I'm using an IC-7200 that has a built in USB sound interface.? The IC-7200 is connected to the QMX with about 100 dB of attenuators.? I use Audacity to do the recording on the PC.? Seems to work well for audio comparisons.
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Glenn VK3YY.
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A minor discontinuity:? CW memory activates with a double press of the Tune button while in SSB mode.? It does not appear to transmit.? I occasionally get agressive with my button presses on the TUNE button to change tuning rate and accidently activate the CW memory.
Thanks, I have now fixed that bug and will release a new beta version shortly.?
73 Hans G0UPL
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've run into the following bug in 1_00_001:
QMX+: I upgraded from 027 to 1_00_000 then 1_00_001.
QMX: Upgraded from 027 directly to 1_00_001.
Symptom is, upon entering the "VFO Modes" menu location from PC, the radio locks up. No response from Putty, no response to button presses. Resolution is to remove power and restart.
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This is repeatable every time from the serial interface. It does not lock up if accessed through the front panel buttons.
Thanks - the same thing was also reported by Muhsin TA1MHS and I have reproduced it here, and fixed. I will release a new beta version shortly.?
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Hi All
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Just noticed another firmware update.
beta 1_01_002
1. Bug fix: Update year to 2025 on terminal and LCD splash screen
2. Bug fix: Incorrect percentage completion status in phase error Calibration
3. Bug fix: Changes to SSB drive level did not take effect until leaving config
4. Bug fix: SWR protection was enabled in SSB even when SWR was disabled in menu!
5. Bug fix: CW memory keying activated with Tune DblClick during SSB mode
6. Bug fix: Hardware tests / Audio sweep wasn't working
7. Bug fix: Lockup when entering VFO modes menu on terminal
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Cheers
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Mal
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Things generally look pretty good here (if a little confusing sometimes).
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I'm seeing a lot of difference in the behavior between the USB input and microphone - I hope to look into this some more today. I believe Hans is already aware of some limitations of the microphone.
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A suggestion: Perhaps it's best to start off with the microphone processing disabled when trying a new microphone and bring them in once the microphone is basically working and has a decent level setting. I had very confusing results until I tried this.
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However, the real reason I'm posting is to ask whether the linearity testing depends on the receiver performance or whether it's independent of it?
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My revision 1 QMX is one of the ones with wacky 20 meter BPF behavior and I never got back to trying some of the later suggestions to improve the problem as it worked more or less adequately for usual band conditions. This results in funny level curves on 20 meters. I think this was a common problem with some of the earlier units.
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Should I drop everything and try to get the receiver working right before worrying too much about the variations in SSB calibration on 20 meters?
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thanks in advance....
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M
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Hi Hans,
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Thanks for providing the SSB update, even as beta firmware.
Meanwhile, I have a problem with VFOs:
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- I set VFO A to 7020 kHz, shows VFO A
- pressing VFO A/B switches it to 7027 kHz, shows VFO B
- setting the Band to 20m, freq to 14035.5 kHz
- pressing VFO A/B, shows 14024.5 kHz, shows VFO A
- in my opinion, this should show 7020 kHz, VFO A. Or are VFOs per Band?
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I think this behavior is also in 1_00_027.
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Update: I deleted my earlier message, as I can't edit a message once published and it was unclearly stated and with some operator errors? :-)
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73 de Martin / HB9GVW
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I installed Firmware beta 1_01_002 on my high band QMX. In putty I started Optimization and after less then a minute putty became unresponsive. I exited putty and disconnected power from the QMX. I powered up the QMX and it stopped with the message "Initializing Audio System" then it shut down. Any thoughts on what I broke?
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I’m not brave enough to download the SSB software yet, but would like to say how much I am enjoying reading posts of the group experiences and community debugging of the releases.
And it is so nice not to read anymore the posts that say “Hans, when is the SSB coming?”
Phil K3UT
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On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM, Glenn S wrote:
built in USB sound interface
I don't have attenuators handy and ready, so I disconnected the antenna from my IC-7300 and let it pick up that way.? Might try again through a dummy load, but needless to say, there are issues on 20m for me too.? I have attached my recording.? 17m first, 20m second.
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Bug found with Beta 002 firmware:
In SSB Mode, using CAT control for PTT, if I include an intentional delay of about 50 ms or more between switching to TX and beginning to provide output audio via the USB interface, then nothing is transmitted. If the intentional delay is 10ms or less, it works correctly. Between 10 and 50 ms, behavior is unpredictable, probably due to unintentional delay from latency in my software and/or the computer audio system. So, the actual delay time to cause this problem as seen by the QMX may be closer to 100ms. Using Digi mode rather than SSB eliminates this problem. I'm not sure whether it matters, but during the intentional delay, the software is continuing to poll the QMX for received audio.
I think that PTT is disengaging and switching back to RX following this delay, but I cannot be sure. Unlike Digi mode, there is no visible indicator on the QMX screen that it is in TX mode. A lower priority feature request is to add the mark under the A on the screen to indicate that TX is active in SSB mode similar to what is shown in Digi mode.
I do not yet have a suitable microphone. So, I cannot confirm whether the same problem would occur if audio were coming from a microphone or if PTT was activated by pushing a button on the microphone rather than via "TX;" being sent to the CAT control port. My guess is that with a microphone there would be enough background noise to distinguish it from the true silence being provided via the USB audio interface during this pause.
Peter LaRue
AI7YN
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Happy to report that I was able to get my QMX updated and running with no issue, and after troubleshooting a mic wiring issue, I was able to be heard clearly on a WebSDR in Ohio from my location on the MO/KS border!
Pleased as punch with the performance, portability, and extreme value of the QMX - It's an ideal portable rig.
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-N1EDC
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However, the real reason I'm posting is to ask whether the linearity testing depends on the receiver performance or whether it's independent of it?
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My revision 1 QMX is one of the ones with wacky 20 meter BPF behavior and I never got back to trying some of the later suggestions to improve the problem as it worked more or less adequately for usual band conditions. This results in funny level curves on 20 meters. I think this was a common problem with some of the earlier units.
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Should I drop everything and try to get the receiver working right before worrying too much about the variations in SSB calibration on 20 meters?
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thanks in advance....
The way the calibration works, is indeed by operating the receiver at the same time as a test transmission. If the receiver is not working then it could well cause the calibrations to not work properly.?
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- in my opinion, this should show 7020 kHz, VFO A. Or are VFOs per Band?
Currently, VFO's are per band.?
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Hi All,
I enjoyed spending two evenings with my QMX 20-10 ver 1.01 and 1.02.
Noticed some oddities during calibration on 11 and 10 meter bands, calibration does not complete on 11 meters, stops at the DAC value of 700, restarted it many times - unsuccessfully. On the 10 meters calibration passes, but the graph is very different from the 20-12 meter bands. A sharp dip in the DAC 700-1300 area. Now I see other group members has the same problem for other bands.
On the control receiver 11 and 10 m.b. signals sounds without any audible and waterfall-visible problems, there is no difference with the 20-12 meter bands.
Internal microphone is active even if external is selected, but I read that this is not a bug but a feature and calmed down.
I tested 4 looking identical microphone capsules, three no-name?and one marked CZN-15e. All give approximately the same levels at a gain of +50. The CZN-15e signal sounds good with a predominance of high frequencies and one of the no-names emphasizes low frequencies it sounds good for me, will use it.
I would like to thank Hans again and again for the wonderful radio and SSB update!
73
Igor oh2jxa
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Thanks,
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I suspected as much. Currently my BPF sweeps are all what the manual calls acceptable, but none of them are really centered on the bands in question. In fact all of them are centered below the bands.
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After I posted the question, I reran all the diagnostic sweeps and they all are what the manual shows as being normal - so I guess this has been accounted for.
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However...
?In version 002, the calibration sweeps seem to now sometimes lock up the machine requiring a restart. This may be related to what I have been seeing - particularly on 80 meters. I think others have reported this as well. It probably has nothing to do with the BPF filter slopes at all...
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Despite this I'm making contacts daily with it so it's a great success as far as I'm concerned!
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M
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Hi all,
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THANK YOU HANS. You're awesome. I appreciate the way this group and your rigs work... I enjoy being part of the process of development, even if by osmosis LOL... I doubt I will be much help.
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I am taking it slow. Installed the beta firmware on my QMX+ with no issues, and am listening to the OMISS 20M net on SSB in the background as I work on my laptop on work stuff. When I get the electret mic in I ordered, I'll get more brave. It sounds really nice to me on the portable / battery operated speaker system I built.
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I have noticed no issues at all with CW in comparison to the previous firmware releases (which matters to me because I am 90% a CW guy). Well done!
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THANK YOU!
Joel W9JFK
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Glenn S
oh2jxa@gmail.com