I am...

It's a Dell E7500, ca. 2007

Win10, 1703

V2.6.1 wsjtx


Mike, the only thing that's changed is the wsjtx ver.

Computer & OS the same.

The CPU is not running over about 45% of the time.

The GPU is around 28%. Plenty of RAM avail.


It seems like wsjtx needs a toolbox to record these missed cycles and other
issues that appear intermittently. Though they are certainly more
repetitive than before.

Even if you folks built a RX only station and a monitoring system, you'd
see the skipping nature between stations on even very good signals.



On Fri, Mar 24, 2023, 8:08 AM Michael Black via groups.io <mdblack98=
yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Are you running a Dell computer?

https://wsjtx.groups.io/g/main/topic/wsjtx_config_dell_windows/96611808?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate/sticky,,,20,2,0,96611808,previd%3D9223372036854775807,nextid%3D1679580418203430588&previd=9223372036854775807&nextid=1679580418203430588

Mike W9MDB



On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 02:32:31 AM CDT, JP Tucson, AZ <
samcat88az@...> wrote:

This is getting worse!

Running v.2.6.1 on Win10.

I am seeing a couple of major issues with decoding. ...and or the
sequencer.

First, it is NOT a timing issue! I have a GPS disciplined clock and most
stations have a DT at zero or +/- .1 or .2...

I am noticing more and more that stations ON the RX GREEN BRACKET simply
refuse to decode! Doesn't matter what their signal strength is, but a
signal is there on the waterfall, but it won't decode! I discovered this
while finding bad operators transmitting on top of myself and other
stations.

Next, similar to above - you start a QSO, the other station responds with
a decent signal but on the next cycle(s), his signal remains on the
waterfall, but nothing decoded there!
Or... sometimes another, weaker station will start tx over the guy you're
working with an offset of 5 to 20 Hz, and blocks your QSO partner from
being decoded and finishing the QSO even though his signal may be about
10dB stronger as seen on the waterfall. Now, this didn't used to be! A
few years ago, I was able to complete QSOs with a station just 2 or 3 Hz
off frequency from another.

Or... The other guy has a good, strong signal on the first cycle, but
absolutely no signal on the waterfall during the next response cycle
(skipping), then picks back up on the third go around! This is going to
drive everyone nuts in the June contest & Field Day events if we don't get
that fixed right away, so we can test it!

In all of these cases, fading is not an issue, and they have good
waterfall presence. Except the skipping above.

Further, you can see it happening with other stations - where both are
very readable and are reporting strong signal reports to each other, and
yet... either and/or both are having to resend over and over...

While bonding and grounding are important for many reasons, they do not include RFI prevention. Check out the ARRL book Bonding and Grounding. As written there: "The Earth is not a sink for RF."

The rest of this advice is useful.

--
73, Bill Mader, K8TE
ARRL New Mexico Section Manager
ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio ™
Duke City Hamfest BoD Vice-Chairman www.dukecityhamfest.org ( http://www.dukecityhamfest.org/ ) 18-20 Sep 2020
W6H NM Coordinator, Route 66 On-the-Air 11-20 Sep 2020
Secretary and Past President, Albuquerque DX Association

Hi Dave. I only have the USB Codec in my configuration in WSJT-X. I don't have multiple radios. Every permission for the microphone has been turned on. Actually it has been turned on since the computer came home. I worked for a while, and then it quit a while back.

Michael   K5MFP

Hello,

Inline below ...



On Fri, Mar 24, 2023, 3:26 AM Reino Talarmo <reino.talarmo@...>
wrote:

JP Tucson, AZ
Sent: 24. maaliskuuta 2023 9:00
To: main@WSJTX.groups.io
Subject: [WSJTX] F&H not quite functioning right... #FoxAndHound
I am also curious as to why in F/H mode that it isn't allowing US, as

Hounds to

send a TX5 - 73 back to the Fox as a confirmation of a fully completed

QSO,

acknowledging that we got their RR73? I've seen this a lot lately

where the

Fox is having to repeat their RR73, so something is amiss...

Two issues, first the Fox station logs the QSO at the sending their RR73
(yes...)and there is no need for the Fox to see any 73 message as such
and that addition would only complicate the protocol without improving QSO
rate. Actually that would decrease QSO rate as Fox should allocate a
message for the reception of the 73 message! (A slot? I wouldn't think
so... It's a RX only, and mainly for the computer to record, so that if the
Hound doesn't get the FOXs RR73, and the user calls back, as I did, it will
alert the FOX OP that another RR73 does need to be sent. Please
understand, and this was very much proven with the last couple of big
DXpeditions... There are a lot of users who are being rude and tx over the
Fox and other silly nonsense.)

Secondly the multiple RR73 messages from the Fox station is due to those
stations not receiving RR73 and resending their R+rpt. It is totally normal
way how the protocol is designed to work. When that happens a lot, then the
Fox should use less slots to increase their power per slot. (Uh, now
wait, that flies in the face of what you just said! How can the FOX KNOW
if we rcvd the report, if we cannot send the 73!? In fact, my point was
that the program didn't repeat my signal report, it just changed my
frequency and halted my tx! That is why I had to re-initiate going back up
to my original frequency and starting over! Again, the FOX --- MAY HAVE
sent me an RR73, but I never got it! And their computer can't know that
without a 73, it ASSUMES we got it! )

73, Reino OH3mA

Hi Scott, I reported this issue recently, but did not get a response. Are you pressing Return after you enter the frequency? I suspect you are. That seems to enable the TX. I don’t think that is optimal behavior, especially if you are using an amp that needs tuned, or maybe need to switch antennas as well.

However, if you press Tab, it does not enable TX, but does change the frequency as expected.

The interesting part is that in non FH mode it works slightly differently, and does not enable the TX when pressing Return. Pressing Tab still works as expected.

I would like to see this changed so there is never any unexpected enabling of the transmitter, except for the auto response when calling a station in FH and the transmitter pauses after two minutes of calling, then stops. And then a response is received, which automagically causes my transmitter to activate to finish the QSO.

Thanks Chuck! I was suspicious of a Mac hardware issue. I’ll give the MIDI “fix” a try…

Both of my Macs are “old”, 2007 MBP and the mid 2010 iMac.

If all else fails I’m going to attempt connecting the FT-818 QRP setup to my Win 10 machine and see if I can operate two transceivers (not at same time) from the same computer with same Ham apps (FLDIGI, WSJT-X, ACLog, etc.).

BTW, no issues running FLDIGI on the Macs with 2 Meters, just HF.

73 Mark - KØGMK

Are you running a Dell computer?
https://wsjtx.groups.io/g/main/topic/wsjtx_config_dell_windows/96611808?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate/sticky,,,20,2,0,96611808,previd%3D9223372036854775807,nextid%3D1679580418203430588&previd=9223372036854775807&nextid=1679580418203430588

Mike W9MDB

I found that Tx is not enabled if tabbing off the Frequency field after typing. Enter goes to Tx.

--
Jon / W7ENT

Sounds like RFI Problems due to noise on the USB cable causing the device to disconnect.
TestsIf problems are occurring only during transmit: #1 Reduce power to zero and see if the problem stops -- if it does stop than it is definitely RFI.  You will see certain higher power levels on certain bands that cause problems. Then, if problems are occurring during non-transmit periods it indicates a system problem with USB devices so... #1 Check USB Power Management option is turned off on all USB devices Device Manager for Windows. For Linux set autosuspend=-1 https://docs.kernel.org/driver-api/usb/power-management.html
RFI Fixes: #1 Free - Move USB cables to another port -- some ports are more susceptible than others. #2 Free -- Check your grounding system.  rod-outside-the-shack is a common problem when it's not bonded to the main house ground.  Common grounding mistakes, sources, and solutions: A. Ground rod outside the shack that is not bonded to the main house ground. B. Shack equipment bonded incorrectly (e.g. daisy chained instead of common ground point) C. Desktop computer grounded to the house ground and not the shack ground.  Run a separate RF ground from the computer chassis to your station RF ground.           For a laptop use the retaining screw of a DB9 or DB25 connector shell, if your device still has them. D. Ethernet cables that bring RFI into the computer...which then ends up going to the rig too since the ethernet shield is tied to the case which is tied to USB shield which is tied to pin 4 on the USB cable (a very common problem on most all USB devices -- see my QRZ page).    Ethernet patch cables up through CAT6 are UTP, which stands for UNSHIELDED Twisted Pairs, four to be specific.  There is NO separate shield conductor in the jacket, nor a metallic shield around the RJ45 connector itself.           Just use a ferrite toroid at each end. E. Wall warts -- 24VAC supplies in sprinkler and alarm systems are notorious for picking up RFI into your electrical system.    24 VAC transformers can be RF-bypassed using .005 ufd caps from each output lead to safety ground. You can often use the cover plate mounting screw as your ground connection. F. Speaker wires The same approach as E also works for external speaker audio leads. G. Lamps (yes...lamps around the house have unshielded wires as do many other appliances). H. Washer/Dryers are notorious for generating and picking up RFI.  In general, newer high-efficiency models have more RF problems.      Ferrite toroids INSIDE the appliance housing can work wonders if the wiring harness has connectors in the AC line input, OR an external noise filter for the AC line cord of a washing machine can reduce RF spurs by 25 dB or more. I. HVAC systems with variable speed blower control systems both cause RF noise and react badly to RF fields -- we believe adding torroids inside the unit on the power lines will work. J. If you use a powered USB expansion hub, add a ferrite toroid on the cable coming from the USB power supply. K. SignaLink -- You can ground the metal box shell by simply wrapping an 18ga wire (or use a small crimped ring or spade terminal) under the head of any of the screws holding the rear panel, then connect to your station RF ground.     The case is isolated from both USB and analog audio signal grounds, so this does not affect use of the USB shield isolators. L. DC power supply -- both linear and switching -- READ THE PS MANUAL FIRST!  This step may void some manufacturers' warranty and UL/CSA approvals.            Remove any jumpers between the DC negative output lead and PS chassis or line cord ground  Add a .005 ufd cap from each DC output lead to chassis ground if not already there.            NOTE: Samlex DC outputs are already isolated and bypassed, but many others, including Astron, may randomly have the negative side grounded and no RF bypassing.  B through L may all need chokes. http://www.k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf  #3 Free -- start unplugging devices around the house and see if there's one device that is acting as a bad source of RFI.  This presupposes you can easily repeat the problem on your rig setup. #4 Cheap -- Add some USB shield isolators (see my QRZ page).  I use one on my SignaLink for example. #5 Minimal $$ -- Good USB cables like this https://www.amazon.ca/Tripp-U023-006-Device-Ferrite-Chokes/dp/B003MQ29B2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=11YRNPWDVWGCU&keywords=usb+cable+with+choke&qid=1658187349&sprefix=usb+cable+with+choke%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-5 #6 Maybe free (if you have chokes...otherwise can get a bit costly) -- add chokes to USB cables first, then all other cables including power, ethernet, and control cables. Fair-Rite torroids are good quality -- do NOT buy cheap Chinese ones --  https://www.fair-rite.com/product/toroids-5943003801/  You can use clip-ons but torroids allow multiple wraps and give better results. https://www.fair-rite.com/product/round-cable-snap-its-431176451/ I couldn't find type 31 torroids at Fair-Rite as of 20220721 but Palomar has some palomar-engineers.com/ferrite-products/ferrite-cores/ferrite-ring-toroid-combo-pack/ Newark also carries them https://newark.com/c/passive-components/emc-rfi-suppression/ferrites-ferrite-assortments?brand=fair-rite RFI Problems
Mike W9MDB

Hello,

I'm looking for a way to be able to use an external program to tell if WSJT is in HOUND mode? Is there some documentation covering this anyplace? I want to read the state, (in, or out, of HOUND mode), of the program at any arbitrary time. Is there some file I can read that contains this information in realtime? I see a lot of references to HOUND in the ini file, but do not know if anything changes there, or of there is an accepted location to look for state information.

NK7Z
Dave

Good morning Tim.

i basically have the same syntoms, except that the audio codecs are there every time. The tune button works fine on my radio/WSJT-X. I'm going to tr re-configuring the radio definitions. I'll let you know if this works. I'm going to make a new radio entry (if I can) with the same information of the TS-480. I don't know if this will work or not.

Michael  K5MFP

I would also like to know how you configured the black text on white background for worked stations. It looks lke a cool way to confirm working them.

Bob
K6UJ

kg4lac via groups.io
Sent: 24. maaliskuuta 2023 15:52
Yes, the station is not calling me. They are calling CQ. I already completed a
successful QSO with the station, but the station still appears with colors
(instead of the expected black text on white background indicating I've already
worked them.)

Hi, could you explain to us how you have configured worked stations as black text on a white background? I need to ask that as I cannot figure out how to do it. The applied logic for worked before is to select the first color that fulfills condition *not worked before* starting from top to down.

In the Colors window there is the list of various reasons to indicate, which kind of interest item is *not* worked. As default that list ends 'CQ in message' (the 'Transmitted message' is not used for received messages). A worked station calling CQ on the same band, mode and grid fulfills all but the 'CQ in message' condition, so the color on that line will be used. Have you configured that CQ line with black text on the white background?

I've only noticed this behavior when I call CQ and complete a successful QSO.
If I answer a station calling CQ and successfully complete the QSO then
everything works (next time the station appears in the Band Activity it is the
expected black text on white background indicating I've already worked the
station) as expected.

I have no explanation why the way how you completed a QSO could affect how the worked before color is presented. I can only think that you have not logged the QSO your stated by calling CQ. Of course you can check that by looking into the wsjtx_log.adi file.

It would help a lot to know how you have configured the Colors and which color/interest item is shown although you have already worked that station.

73, Reino OH3mA

Yes, the station is not calling me. They are calling CQ. I already completed a successful QSO with the station, but the station still appears with colors (instead of the expected black text on white background indicating I've already worked them.)

I've only noticed this behavior when I call CQ and complete a successful QSO. If I answer a station calling CQ and successfully complete the QSO then everything works (next time the station appears in the Band Activity it is the expected black text on white background indicating I've already worked the station) as expected.

Sounds like you have Windows 11 sounds settings wrong. The settings in Win 11 are kind of tricky. You most likely have selected the wrong sound input under the WSJT-X audio settings. On my shack computer with Win 11 I have 4 different radios connected for WSJT-X. Each has its own sound input. Three are using different Signallink boxes and the 4th is an Icom with built in sound card. After getting each to work, I went into Windows sound settings and renamed the sound device to match each radio. This resolves the problem of having multiple sound devices with the same name when you do the WSJT-X sound card selection. It makes life so much easier.

Michael,
I am having similar issues with a new Dell Windows 11 PC that ran WSJT-X well for about a month.
What happens if you click the Tune button?
I can still transmit a signal with Tune, but I cannot receive anything. The waterfall is blank and the Input signal meter shows about 18 dB and does not move.
In Settings for Audio, the USB Audio CODEC for the Soundcard Output literally "comes and goes" - it's not listed in the dropdown box for Output today, but it is for Input. But the next time I boot up, it may be there, though it still does not work.
My latest thinking was this is a problem with the USB driver for my ICOM IC-7300 - maybe not?
Tim WA5MD

Good morning, Reino. My waterfall doesn't seem to show any activity, even
when I'm on a frequency that I can hear signals on. I check settings very
often to ensure that the audio codecs are loaded correctly and that seems
ok. I have checked the permissions on the microphone, and it appears not to
be a problem. I have checked that my time is accurate using TimeSync.

Does anyone know if it could be a USB port or ports? I had read years ago
that USB ports can get stuck on a certain connection and can be a problem.
By I cannot find that information anymore.

Thanks for yours and everyone's suggestions, but I'm still at a loss as
what to do.

73,

Michael K5MFP

On Fri, Mar 24, 2023, 12:16 AM Reino Talarmo <reino.talarmo@...>
wrote:

Michael Payne K5MFP
Sent: 23. maaliskuutata 2023 22:08
I have a Kenwood TS-480 radio with a Sugnalink USB soundcard, One

instance

is running WSJT-X ver. 2.5.4 on Windows 10, and a Signalink USB soundcrd/
This hardware/software running on Windows 10 is working fine, I took the
same Kenwood TS-480 with the same Signalink USB sound card and installed
WSJT-X ver. 2.6.1 and set it up on my new Windows 11 computer. This isn't
working fully. The WSJT-X software is not displaying the Band activity

or the

RX frequency. Both fields are blank. The Signalink is the same one used

on the

Windows 10 computer.
Over on the left lower side of the screen is the 0-80 dB guage and it

shows

activity up to 20 dB, but no band or RX activity.

Hi Michael,
Do you see anything on the waterfall? (Also activity up to the 20 dB is in
a low side. Are you sure that Windows is not using default audio for
WSJT-X?). If no signals on the waterfall then the Windows security settings
may not let WSJT-X use your microphone. Or just in Windows audio settings
WSJT-X application is not using microphone i.e. USB codec. That happens in
my Windows 10 and I assume the same could be possible in Windows 11.
Unfortunately my OS is using local language so I cannot tell the exact
terminology Windows is using for those settings.
73, Reino OH3mA

Yes, I realize this, and may have even stated it in my 'workarounds'. The
question was, is that behaviour by design or is it a defect?

Just love the "operate differently and don't worry about" attitudes.

--scott
------
Scott Stembaugh - N9LJX
RadioN9LJX@...
8BDXCC, 1500+ DX Challenge, 8BWAS, Triple Play
http://sites.google.com/site/radion9ljx

On 3/23/23 10:06, kg4lac via groups.io wrote:

Based on
4.7. Colors
11. Logging

I have WSJT-X configured to show already worked as black text on a white background.

However, this is not working if I initiate the QSO by calling CQ. Next time station appears in the Band Activity the station is colored (indicating it has not been worked).

If I answer someone calling CQ and complete the QSO, then station already worked coloring (black text on a white background) is working as expected.

"/However, this is not working if I initiate the QSO by calling CQ. //
//Next time station appears in the Band Activity the station is colored (indicating it has not been worked)./ "

If the 'Next time station appears in the Band Activity' window that station is calling you,
it may appear in colored highlighting, if 'Colors' setting 'My Call in message' is enabled.

Else, if 'CQ in message' is enabled in 'Colors', every decoded station calling CQ is colored.

Else, if colored and not calling you and not calling CQ, there may be a problem.


73, Chuck

JP Tucson, AZ
Sent: 24. maaliskuuta 2023 9:00
To: main@WSJTX.groups.io
Subject: [WSJTX] F&H not quite functioning right... #FoxAndHound
I am also curious as to why in F/H mode that it isn't allowing US, as Hounds to
send a TX5 - 73 back to the Fox as a confirmation of a fully completed QSO,
acknowledging that we got their RR73? I've seen this a lot lately where the
Fox is having to repeat their RR73, so something is amiss...

Two issues, first the Fox station logs the QSO at the sending their RR73 and there is no need for the Fox to see any 73 message as such and that addition would only complicate the protocol without improving QSO rate. Actually that would decrease QSO rate as Fox should allocate a message for the reception of the 73 message!

Secondly the multiple RR73 messages from the Fox station is due to those stations not receiving RR73 and resending their R+rpt. It is totally normal way how the protocol is designed to work. When that happens a lot, then the Fox should use less slots to increase their power per slot.

73, Reino OH3mA