Question Cannot Post Topic

Perhaps there is something I'm not explaining.
I've been using Kunena for many years.
I began "this" time (third installation) with default settings. When I saw that things were not functioning is when I change the config settings. I even attempted to leave the default settings on my "third" installation.
The issues I'm having are not a matter of making changes to the config or not because I've tried both. The issues I've come across are "odd".
Additionally, I am the type of person who doesn't post unless I've tried a "lot" of things to make something function. So the fact that I've posted here in Kunena is because I've exhausted all my ideas of how to get full functionality.
I'm using Helix with Joomla 4. Let's begin there. Is there a problem using Helix with Kunena? Let's stick with just the Avatar. No matter how I've attempted to use default or change the setting for the Avatar, it took me 4 times with 2 different super user accounts to upload an image that would save. Once I got it to save for the account where I wanted the image, it does "not" appear on the front end. Only the blue, default Avatar appears and I cannot find any way to change that. I've removed it several times and uploaded again. Nothing works. I see it when I'm logged in to the front end only in the upload area. Outside of the profile, the image does not appear. It also does not appear in the back end - only the blue Avatar.
It's things like that which are very frustrating. I'm not blaming Kunena. I'm just asking if anybody can point me in the right direction of where might something be causing these malfunctions. Helix is the only thing I've installed with J4 - other than JCE. But I've never had anything conflict with JCE.
I know another moderator suggested that Helix was a problem with something else. So that's why I'm asking.

No. I was unable to post / create a new topic - period. I installed Kunena a third time and then the post function worked.

Yes, there have been problems with this template from time to time. But in general it should work.
Also, with JCE there were sometimes issues, especially if the optimization was also applied to Kunena.

But Joomla 4.0 is a completely different matter, and there is no experience with other extensions yet. Even template authors still have issues with customization for Joomla 4.0.
While Kunena 6.0 is a beta version and not yet ready for use on a live site, but no tester has reported the issues you are having. And I am also not able to reproduce these errors.
So you should test without your two extensions to find out what the issue is.

Found the error, but it could have been easier if I knew you were using .gif images as avatars.Try png or jpg avatars. 
github.com/Kunena/Kunena-Forum/issues/8619

Where did you see a gif?!
I haven't used one in more than 10 years. I'm not using "any" gif's for anything. As you suggested, I've only used jpg or png for many years, but I'm trying to use all webp now.
The current Avatar is a jpg. I was trying to use a webp for the 1 image I have in the design. But Helix doesn't support webp yet...go figure.
Look at the "inspect" and you'll see the current image "assigned" to my profile is a jpg = "/media/kunena/avatars/users/avatar671.jpg", which is an image I uploaded for my profile. It's assigned to my profile, but only the blue Avatar is displayed. It's something directly related to Kunena because the URL for the image is /secure.gravatar.com/......
As you suggested I'll disable Helix and JCE one at a time to see if either of them has any relationship to the problems.

I disabled JCE and that made no difference. I cleared the cache for my profile and that made no difference - at the same time I disabled JCE.
Even though I use Helix as my default template in the site, I'm using Cassiopeia for the template in Kunena. So there "should" be no problems. However, you would know better than I if Kunena is reading "something" from Helix, even though there is nothing about Helix that's used for Kunena.

I'm happy to provide you access to the site. It's in development - not live. If you see anywhere that I've got settings incorrect, let me know.

the URL for the image is /secure.gravatar.com/

In this case, if you have enabled the gravatar plugin, the avatar display does not work. You can use only either gravatar or avatars.
The avatar upload option should not be available, if you use gravatars. But that's another bug.