8000DLE and vers 2.3/2.3(N1GP) CW issue.
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 2:36 pm
I have been using version 1.7 firmware in my 8000 since September of last year. But I had an issue with a sticking ADC2 relay. N1GP said he believed he fixed it so I upgraded to version 2.3(N1GP, shows as 2.4).
I run stacked monobanders on 15 and 20 ... and legal power when DXing. When on CW I routinely get through pileups very quickly or can get multiple responses to CQ's and monitor the RBN when on a dead band, like 15, trying to scare up some DX activity ... its unheard of for me not to get any RBN spots on 15 and often I will get VK4CT or ZL4YL in the evenings.
That was status quo until I changed to this version. I noticed i wasn't getting through even though I tried and tried ... and more importantly I wasn't getting RBN spots - at all - period. Several times I switched the amp off and immediately was able to work stations or get some RBN spots. So I thought this was an issue with the amp. After much checking it became more obvious to me that it wasn't the amp but it was the radio and the amp just made the "problem", whatever it was, worse. I suspected some distortion on the signal. I called one station, an FK8, with the amp on, he didn't respond... I turned the amp on and called again, I was running 25W, he called me and gave me a 542 report (that would have been an S8+ on a non-SDR radio with the amp on)! And he got my call wrong. I tried to correct the call and to confirm the report - he obviously couldn't understand me as he didn't change the call nor resend the report. Likewise I twice had stations seem to respond to my call (working split) saying "9NV?" one time and "NV?" another time/another station ... I was SURE they were answering me - but I couldn't seem to get the call through (this was with the amp on).
I had a local listen to the signal on 20. He said it was "ok" ... but it didn't sound "crisp" on code ... he noted that the waterfall was not showing gaps between the elements. I tried as slow as 18WPM - still no discernable gaps. He went up the band and found another station that was running maybe 27 WPM - clear gaps in the waterfall ...
So I tried going to version 2.3 (the release version) ... same results, no change. I finally went back to version 1.7 and he now saw gaps and the signal sounded cleaner (more of a tone) and I immediately got LOTS of RBN spots again and have once again gone back to working lots of DX on CW.
I reported this to Doug, W5WC ... he said no one else is reporting this - ARGH! Is it MY radio? Just to be clear I was working some stations with the rig alone - and it's not unusual for people to give out "T9" reports (RST) all the time (some probably don't realize it MEANS something!)... i.e. it might not be overly obvious.
Gary
K9RX
I run stacked monobanders on 15 and 20 ... and legal power when DXing. When on CW I routinely get through pileups very quickly or can get multiple responses to CQ's and monitor the RBN when on a dead band, like 15, trying to scare up some DX activity ... its unheard of for me not to get any RBN spots on 15 and often I will get VK4CT or ZL4YL in the evenings.
That was status quo until I changed to this version. I noticed i wasn't getting through even though I tried and tried ... and more importantly I wasn't getting RBN spots - at all - period. Several times I switched the amp off and immediately was able to work stations or get some RBN spots. So I thought this was an issue with the amp. After much checking it became more obvious to me that it wasn't the amp but it was the radio and the amp just made the "problem", whatever it was, worse. I suspected some distortion on the signal. I called one station, an FK8, with the amp on, he didn't respond... I turned the amp on and called again, I was running 25W, he called me and gave me a 542 report (that would have been an S8+ on a non-SDR radio with the amp on)! And he got my call wrong. I tried to correct the call and to confirm the report - he obviously couldn't understand me as he didn't change the call nor resend the report. Likewise I twice had stations seem to respond to my call (working split) saying "9NV?" one time and "NV?" another time/another station ... I was SURE they were answering me - but I couldn't seem to get the call through (this was with the amp on).
I had a local listen to the signal on 20. He said it was "ok" ... but it didn't sound "crisp" on code ... he noted that the waterfall was not showing gaps between the elements. I tried as slow as 18WPM - still no discernable gaps. He went up the band and found another station that was running maybe 27 WPM - clear gaps in the waterfall ...
So I tried going to version 2.3 (the release version) ... same results, no change. I finally went back to version 1.7 and he now saw gaps and the signal sounded cleaner (more of a tone) and I immediately got LOTS of RBN spots again and have once again gone back to working lots of DX on CW.
I reported this to Doug, W5WC ... he said no one else is reporting this - ARGH! Is it MY radio? Just to be clear I was working some stations with the rig alone - and it's not unusual for people to give out "T9" reports (RST) all the time (some probably don't realize it MEANS something!)... i.e. it might not be overly obvious.
Gary
K9RX