HL2 RF output power loss

[Sid Boyce]

I was trying to call stations on 20m SSB and was surprised they couldn't
hear me.

HL2 --> 200W PA --> LPF --> (20m - 6m) 11-el Yagi or to dummy load.

Swapped to the other HL2, same problem.

Both used to work just fine.

piHPSDR v2's both the same, lots of audio being generated but no RF HL2
--> dummy load.

Next tried quisk 4.1.77 and 4.1.80 from a PC -- PA current on pressing
PTT at 212mA but does not increase with speaking into Mic. Audio record
and playback AOK.

Running
Hermes-Lite2/gateware/bitfiles/stable/20201212_72p8/hl2b5up_main/hl2b5up_main.rbf
since it was released and with no problems.

Next thing I'll try is reloading firmware.

Just very surprised and puzzled!

73 ... Sid.

--
Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Senior Staff Specialist, Cricket Coach
Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks

[Sid Boyce]

Reloading the firmware cleared the problem.
73 ... Sid.

[Sid Boyce]

Looks like some form of  "bit rot" again.
I powered down the HL2 and the PiHPSDRv2 last night and on power up this
afternoon, a HL2 relay chattering at quite a rate on connection.
Exit PiHPSDRv2, chattering stopped.

Powered off/on, same problem.

Tried quisk 4.1.81 on x86_64 ... same problem -- clicking the OFF button
on quisk also stopped it..

Checked out power supply and changed Ethernet cable.

Powered off and swapped to another HL2 ... same problem.

Reprogrammed using 20201212_72p8 hl2b5up_main.rbf with quisk.

Now back to normal with quisk on x86_64 and on OpenHPSDRv2.

Swapped back to the original HL2 OK without having to reprogram it with
the gateware  -- Weird!

If software caused the problem it would be the PiHPSDRv2 that's been
running unchanged for months.
73 ... Sid.