[Skimmertalk] Radio CAT Control Problem Icon with SDR-IQ

[Pete Smith]

At 07:28 PM 12/5/2008, W3OA wrote:
>I've just installed an SDR-IQ and thought I had a CAT problem because
>the icon in the bottom left corner of the waterfall window was
>frequently red. After a few hours trying different things I rolled the
>mouse over the icon. A message pops up saying "Status 4: A/D Clipping".
>I wonder what this means, if I should worry about it, and how to fix
>it.  Changing th HF Gain and IF Gain in the Radio Settings window
>doesn't seem to change the behavior.

Hi Dick.  Once the icon has been triggered with the SDR-IQ, it stays 
on.  This isn't very desirable behavior, but that is how it is.  If you 
stop the waterfall, and then restart, the red will go away.  I have 
generally found with my SDR-IQ that it is more useful to look at the red 
LED on the front panel, and adjust the HF gain so that it doesn't 
flash.  This seems to be necessary mainly on the low bands.  Allowed to 
continue, clipping affects decoding and audio quality.

You can get a lot more insight into the various options available for 
controlling the SDR-IQ by running the WinRad software with it.  It 
explicitly shows the various preamp and attenuator combinations that are 
available.

73, Pete N4ZR