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Hi all I updated the SSB beta testing webpage of the brave, here: https://qrp-labs.com/qmxp/ssbbeta.html and released firmware version 1_01_003 to it. These are the changes: Bug fix: Initial value for noise gate samples was 100 (should be max 99) - makes no real difference but it needed to be fixed Added TX indication underlining the A character when transmitting from USB sound card in SSB mode. Note that the two possible states for this indication are a single dot (indicating PTT has been applied and now the radio is in TX mode) and the solid bar (indicating audio is being received from the PC and transmitted). There is no double-dot like there is in Digi mode indicating insufficient volume, because in SSB mode the radio transmits whatever you give it, even if the volume is low. Bug fix: CAT command TQ1; did not cause transmit when in SSB mode. Now TQ1; and TQ0; work properly in SSB mode. Bug fix: Prevent button presses from accidentally activating VOX, which was happening due to sound picked up from the internal (cancellation reference channel) microphone when you pressed buttons right next to it, and that prevented band change because the second click of the double click was ignored because by then the radio was in transmit mode. All fixed! Now you can click buttons however you like and when button clicks are done, VOX is temporarily disabled until your button pushing frenzy is over. Power meter now reads Peak Envelope Power (PEP) when in SSB mode. Previously it was just reading a sampled value (NOT an average); so if the power meter was updated 10x a second, the updates would just randomly pick a value from the SSB amplitude envelope, which was most unlikely to be its peak value. Bug fixL Calibration hung at DAC 1300 when run on LCD. Now the calibration completes properly when run from the LCD. Many thanks for all the feedback so far, SSB in QMX is getting better and better! 73 Hans G0UPL http://qrp-labs.com https://www.buymeacoffee.com/g0upl
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Forgive me if this has been already asked, but I cannot seem to find the answer. My QMX+ is showing some signal every 500Hz in USB mode (and in DIGI mode) on RX. I hear it in the headphones as a light tone or series of tones a little louder than the static. My Yaesu FT-710 doesn't hear these tones when connected to the same antenna. This morning I made another MFSK144 contact with the QMX+ with a station I had just contacted on the FT-710. Same set up, same antenna, only difference is the radio used. The FT-710 was "hearing" the MSK144 signals, but they were light. The QMX could not "hear" the same signals, the "birdies" were louder than the signal. Almost as if AGC was adjusting to the birdies and not to the background noise. Here is a screenshot of the waterfall in WSJT-X showing the birdie signals. Notice the fairly solid lines every 500 Hz and the not quite as solid ones every 250 Hz. I see the "birdies" on every band, but they get more pronounced the higher the frequency is. At 40m they are barely there, at 6m very obvious. Does anyone know what they are or how to get rid of them?
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How to replace Q507
4
After the great BS170 meltdown on my QMX, I'm down to replacing Q507 (Q503 and the BS170's have been replaced and look good). I do not have a hot air rework station - only ChipQuik. It looks like the drain is a pad, not directly accessible with a soldering iron. Suggestions on how to replace Q507 with the materials I have ? 73, Steve, N2IC
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QMX+ rev 3 freezes shortly after boot
20
Hey all! Got my QMX+ rev 3 last week and have had a blast assembling it over the past few days. Finished it last night, booted just fine, and was able to tune some CW on 10m with a big grin on my face ? The thing of it is - after a few minutes, it froze. The LCD contrast went a bit darker, audio output stopped, and all front panel controls had no effect. Unable to power off by holding the VOL encoder, I had to cut power at the source. A short time later I was able to boot back up, browse some bands, tune some CW, and then it freezes again. Same symptoms: LCD goes higher contrast, audio stops, all controls stop, have to cut power. I'm pretty new to debugging PCBs but figured I'd dive in as best I could to gather some info, and here's what I've been able to piece together: I wired it for 12V, and based on measurements my battery was delivering consistent 12.13V Contemporaneous with each instance of the board freezing was a drop from 12.13V down to 12.0V I checked a number of the components around the PWR_ON and PWR_HOLD circuits, and no blown components However, the measured voltage across R105 went from ~3V (normal operation) to ~4V (frozen) No smells or popping sounds like components faulting/failing No changes to the LCD indicating on-board protections or anything like that Tried running 9V in case there were unobserved fluctuations in my power source, but it was the same behavior - a few minutes of normal operation, and then freezing measured voltage during operation was around 7-8V I've tried connecting to the serial terminal to check the on-board diagnostics, and that seems to be the most consistent way to trigger a freeze. Without trying to connect a terminal, I can usually get about 2-5 minutes of normal operation between power cycles, but as soon as I attempt to connect the terminal, it freezes. Like I said, I'm new to a lot of this but eager to learn so forgive me if there's obvious debugging steps I've missed ? ??. But yeah, not quite sure where to go from here! Would greatly appreciate any help or pointers!
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Hello, I bought a QDX used and never got around to using it. What is the best way to tell what voltage it requires and if it is high or low band? I believe it is 12v and low band, but not 100% sure. It power on ok with different voltages, and wsjtx allows me to select any band. I didn't want to try txing since I might be using the wrong voltage. Thanks!
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New Build, No Flash Drive found
30
#build
#building
#qmx
I finished the QMX7build and have applied power, No Smoke but also not seeing a flash drive, Steps so Far: Limited the supply voltage to 7V Limited Current to 350mA Applied power and did not see any voltage or current as expected. Pressed the Left Encoder and saw a voltage drop AND the mA jump to the 350mA limit Release button and the voltage returns to 7 volts and mA is back to zero. No USB Flash Drive shows up. Tried Pressing the Left encoder again, same results, Voltage drop and mA to 350 limit while the button is pressed. I have searched the group for steps to troubleshoot but since I don't have the firmware loaded I am not sure where to start looking. I have looked very closely for any cold joints or bridges or anything that looks out of place. Is there a guide I can use to help trace / Trouble shoot? Thanks Bill
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Gibberish characters appended onto end of Message 1
5
I have programmed my first message into the qmx+, but when I play it back on the air, it appends lots of extra characters at the end. The characters do not appear in the message memory when you view or edit it.
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Startup issue loading Firmware.
11
#firmware
#troubleshoot
#troubleshooting
#USB-C
Just finished QMX build and I can’t get my Mac to recognize the USB so as to upload firmware. I am powering with a 7v power supply. I am using USB c to usbA and then an adapter. Have tried two other cables with no success. I have seen all the tips on YouTube and also page 63 in the manual. Feel like I’ve wasted $150 on this radio and likely never to get it to work. I will try on a Windows machine if I can borrow one this week. Other than that don’t know what to do. Bill, KJ5IVB
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Debugging BS170-related issues
13
One of my BS170's fried yesterday, and I am replacing all 4 of them. Using the excellent info at /g/QRPLabs/wiki/37486 , I am trying to determine if other components were damaged. I have removed all of the BS170's , and looked at the signal coming out of IC503. The voltage levels are okay, but it's neither a clean sine wave or square wave. Is that okay ? Thanks and 73, Steve, N2IC
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One for Hans … Used the latest V6 SMD version yesterday Less to do and makes wiggling the synth in and out of a U3S stack much easier Curiosity. A super- tiny link wire, hand -added between the 2 FETs (3.3V?) seems to duplicate existing tracks. Was the Via omitted?
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QMX RTC function added
Hi QMXies. As a sota enthusiast i was missing a working clock (on the QMX .. not QMX+) regardless if batteries have been removed before. There is everything there also in QMX, but the 32kHz Q and the buffer battery. I (carefully) released pins 6, 8, 9 of the STM32 from the PCB, soldered 3 thin wires to the elevated pins ant fixed them with epoxy glue. Then attached a 32kHz Q to 8 & 9 pin wires. As i don't need the PTT output for sota, i removed the PTT connector, which made room for the CR2016, attached to pin 6 wire. Settings "real time clock" set to QMX+ RTC and "set time" -- voi la. Now the RTC keeps on running while QMX is in his transport box without any power attached :-) I have to confess, you need some skills in working with very small soldering tips under the microscope, as the pins of the STM32 are really close together. Solder bridges don't have to bring you out of concept ;-) :-) Wolfgang OE3WHU
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Power Failure on New Factory-Assembled QMX+
5
My assembled QMX+ arrived from QRP Labs on Monday 24 March and today I have a problem. I powered the rig on and keyed my paddles, but heard only one dit before an 'S' displayed on the screen (high SWR). The antenna is resonant (see below) so I powered off the QMX+. Powering on again, I heard static briefly in my headphones but the display would not light up. I tried a couple more times to power on, with same result. Two days ago I connected an EF-15 end-fed tuned dipole via 15m of Mini8 coax to the QMX+ and was calling CQ. I got no response but I saw on the RBN that my signal was picked up in Vermont with 9dB snr--from Ireland. So I know the antenna is OK and I'm using the same setup today. I know the power to the QMX+ is OK--it is using a battery that today reads 11.8V output on my WattsUp in-line power meter. My problem seems similar to the string /g/QRPLabs/topic/qmx_failure_power/108778736 but it shows no resolution to that problem. I'm not technical and wouldn't trust myself to measure components, etc--and this is a brand-new QMX+ assembled and tested in Turkey. Would anyone have suggestions what to do next? Many thanks in advance for any ideas, Tim Ei2KA
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QMX+ points A continuity check to ground question
On p25 of the Rev 3 QMX+ manual, there is a check for continuity to ground from three points A. BEFORE installing T501, when checking the three points A, I get about 15 ohms with the DMM black lead on the ground connection, but open circuit (desired) with the leads reversed (ie red lead on the ground connection). Is this to be expected? The 4 BS170's ARE installed. I am troubleshooting a continuity check problem identified after having installed T501 (now removed). Thanks Steve AK0M
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ProgRock2 programming??
11
I am a newbie and have purchased three of the ProgRock2 units and planned to use them as crystal substitutes for some HC6/U crystals I’m unable to obtain (without waiting a long time for these to be built). Frequencies between 8 and 20 mhz are needed for a WWV receiver I’m restoring. I’ve gone to the QRPLabs site for instructions but unable to follow what I need to do. I’m using a Windows 10 desktop computer and have the USB cable with the proper connector to plug into the ProgRock2 connection. The online instructions appear to be using a Linux app that I can’t find on my Windows computer. What I need is a “cookbook” process for programming the ProgRock2 to the frequencies I need. I realize the output is a square wave and this may be a problem but first I would like to get them set up for my needed frequency before dealing with any square issues. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Tom N5AMA
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QMX (not-plus) power issue
17
A couple of weeks ago, I think, I brought up an issue I'd seen with my QMX low-band (20-80), where I was only getting about 1.2W out on 20 meters. Today, I decided to run some tests using a new power meter and dummy load, and also to see if maybe I'd set a setting wrong. The results were a little surprising, and probably point to some hardware fault, and not a setting problem. To double-check that theory, I did a factory reset and a firmware upgrade, and received the same results. I have both narrated video of the power meter, and screen recordings of the terminal app, that I can edit together if they would be useful. I had been thinking of terms of posting a YouTube video about "fixing it" but then, of course, I was not able to fix it! (That said, I may at some point do a YouTube video guided tour of the Terminal App!) What I'm seeing when I hit the 'T' key in the Diagnostics screen: Input voltage looks steady at 11.7 SMPS 3.3V shows 3.3V, 5V shows 5V, Bias SMPS shows 30mA as does PIN Bias For all of these -- and this may be the hint -- the transmitter voltage shows 10.2 transmitting, 0.6 idle 80m: Diagnostics show 4.7W, power meter shows 2.0 60m: Diagnostics show 5W, power meter shows 3 40m: Diagnostics show 4.3W, power meter shows 2.5 30m: Diagnostics show 2.5W, power meter shows 1.25 20m: Diagnostics show 1.2-1.3W, power meter shows 0.5 Where is the most likely place to look for both the shortfall relative to the meter, and the shortfall relative to general expectations of 5W as opposed to 1.2? Thanks! Michael WD0OM
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Well, I bit the bullet and installed the 003 FW. Update of FW went all fine, no issue there. I wired up a electret mic I found in my junk box. Tested the mic on pc and sounded fine. I made an adapter using the electret mic and a foot switch for ptt. The Mic and ppt switch works. But... Testing SSB TX with QMX on dummy load and listening on my ICOM 7300, the audio is badly distorted before calibration and even worse post calibration. So much so that the speech is unintelligible. The audio sounds like the QMX is only picking up the peak signals from my voice. Most of the calibration plots look nothing like the example ones from the release notes. And only a few mildly resemble the examples. Adjusting mic gain to about 70 seems to improve the audio. However, every time I key up, there is now an awful lot of noise before I even start speaking. Once I start speaking the audio is ok'ish with a load of background noise. I tried messing about with other SSB settings with no improvements. I did find a second electret mic that gave me similar results. I have now set it back to factory default and seeking advice. Any suggestions? Mel. M0KMD.
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Dear group Took me a long time but finally I have finished a build of a Qmx plus rev 2 (my 3rd kit) and when powering it up nothing happens. so I start debug the power supply with the following tests: initially power with 12v (500ma) and nothing no display no nothing power consumption arround 9ma when the button is pressed, I release the button and back to 0ma. so I have check if the 3v out where in ic101 with the button pressed and nothing there. Than the input and strangely nothing there even with the buton pressed. Next step I apply directly 7v on its input and I get 3v on the out put. Seams working consumption also increases to some hundreds of ma meaning the STM32 can be working. then I was checking q101 and q102 and I get when I press the button arround 5v on q101 out and 11.5 on q102 out with 12v input again. the problem is that on the ic101 I don’t see the 11.5 v. Seams that the line is broken. did some one experienced something like this? what should I do next? 73 Azgael
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On 3/31/25 I had a CW practice / rag chew session on 20 meters. I worked one station: Date / Time Call Bnd Frequency Mode Power Rec Snt Name SPC# Off Comments 3/31/2025 13:27 NM1I 20 14.047 CW 75 599 569 Butch MA 13:53 K3 at 75 watts 100 ft sloper doublet Conditions were OK. SSN = 111, SFI = 171, A = 6, K = 3. My next CW practice session will be April 04 at 09:00 EDT / 13:00 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 - April 04 2025 Time - 09:00 EDT 13:00 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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QMX+ Volume
discovering more things on the rig. I finde, that the min. audio volume is still quite high but could not find a setting to alter that ( apart from muting it) -- Martin DK3UW
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VFO A and B
I just noticed a funny thing . My Logging software indicates the QRG and when in A&B it indicates VFO B and not the receiving VFO A. On transmit it then changes to the QRG of VFO A but transmits on VFO B. Is there a bug in the CAT ? -- Martin DK3UW
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Image Name
Sat 8:39am
Sat 8:39am