nicsure
patreon
nicFW880 BETA 04F
🕑 Added 2025-10-13 19:58:28 +0000 UTCPerform a settings reset before use.
Hold EMG while powering on.
After power on wait for red triangle to vanish.
Use BETA 04 RMS
This was a LOT of work and a LOT of new code. It's almost certainly going to have some issues, so don't expect 100% right away.
MIC-E Beacon System
Configure via -> APRS Menu
SSID: 0-7
Sets secondary station ID.
Decode: On/Off/Popup
Enables decoding of received APRS MIC-E packets.
Set to Popup if you wish to have beacons show as they're received.
Popup Time: 0.1-9.9 seconds
Time APRS popup stays on screen
Symbol: ASCII Code
MIC-E Blip Symbol for transmitted packets
Status: 0-7
MIC-E ABC Message field (status)
Digipeater Path: Off, WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2
Ambiguity: 20 m, 200 m, 2 km
Transmitted beacon location accuracy.
Note: 20m is the best accuracy for MIC-E, which has a resolution of 1/100th of a minute, which is about 18m. I round this up for readability.
Beacon List
In the GPS module, SP 6 will open the "Heard Beacons" list menu (assuming at least one has been heard).
Note: Heard beacons are not retained in storage.
UP/DOWN: Browse heard beacons
RED: Exit beacon list menu
GREEN: Set beacon as current target.
To save a beacon to your waypoints, use the above menu to set it as the current target. Then use Main Menu -> GPS -> Save
Virtual TTNC (KISS Mode)
Transceiver and Terminal Node Controller (TTNC) mode has been implemented. The virtual TNC operates like a physical TNC in KISS mode. Serial KISS data is transmitted over the regular programming cable at 38400 baud.
Configure via -> APRS Menu
KISS Mode
Activate virtual TTNC
Persist: 1 - 255
Probability X in 255 that a queued packet will be sent on a clear frequency.
Slot Time: 0-200 milliseconds
Delay time if Persist probability check fails.
Audio Boost
Some radios have kinda weak AF output. So a new menu: Advanced -> Audio Boost has been added by request. Incrementally boosts the audio gain from the radio chip to compensate for radios with low amplified audio output.
Comments
Marcus Dudley
it should receive and transmit, but I've not been able to find any software to test it with.
Kelvin Hill
Just a quick question regarding KISS. Is it bidirectional with receive and transmit? If it isn't, could it be made so?
Marcus Dudley
You haven't read the release notes.
ON4PN
Good work, Marcus! Just noticed: Since beta 04F, I no longer get pop-ups for APRS messages. Decode is on, pop-up is set to 9.0. However, I can see them in the list under GPS and 6SP. They are neatly listed there, but I don't get any pop-ups. Strange...
Laurent Fdeuxsixgun
Est il possible d'améliorer la sensibilité sur les bandes satcom car je ne reçois rien.
Marcus Dudley
20m IS off, that's how accurate MIC-E APRS is AT BEST. You might want to familiarize yourself with the specs. How do you propose silencing it in RX? The radio doesn't know it's APRS until it's started to hear it. I can't code a crystal ball into the firmware.
I5EKX
So, two things: Ambiguity is a value you should set if you want the position to be INACCURATE, so it should also be possible to set ambiguity to "OFF." The "Hear Tones" option in the APRS menu, if set to "Off," should silence the tone in both TX and RX. It's annoying to constantly hear the beacon tone. Otherwise, it works well and decodes the stations I receive from the nearby APRS node.
Marcus Dudley
Well I can't stop it decoding on any VFO, as I said it's just listening to audio, but transmitting beacons I can absolutely restrict to a particular VFO. Not that decoding matters as you're hardly likely to be on more than one APRS frequency anyway. But you will need multiwatch enabled.
Marcus Dudley
Non MIC-E Digipeater paths (i.e. AX.25) will be coming soon. It was just one thing too many to juggle for this release.
H.C. Mastenbroek
Will digipeater path 'Arris' be added in the future to transmit via the ISS digipeater?
IZ2WZM Ettore
Hi Marcus, That's exactly what I meant. It would be fantastic to be able to choose which VFO to launch the beacon on from the menu and dedicate it only to APRS while the others remain available for QSO. And perhaps also be able to mute the APRS VFO while the volume control for the others remains. Thanks, 73 iz2wzm Ettore
Marcus Dudley
you're doing everything in the wrong order.
Chris Clifton
I seem to being really thick with this. I power the radio on whilst holding EMG and it shows "DEFAULT SETTINGS" then when I click FLASH FIRMWARE after selecting the correct firmware it goes to COM PORT Timeout. I then tested Write Flash Image rather than flash firmware and it ran through the entire thing but stayed on the old firmware. Odd
Marcus Dudley
Updates are not cumulative, never have been. Just make sure to perform a settings reset. If updates were cumulative I would say so.
Marcus Dudley
All of them. APRS decoding is just listening to the received audio, it has no concept of VFOs. That's like asking which radio station your headphones work with.
IZ2WZM Ettore
Hi Marcus, I may have missed something because I don't understand which of the three VFO is responsible for receiving and decoding the APRS. All three or which one? Thanks, iz2wzm Ettore
Mario Wüstner
I'm currently still on beta 4. Can I install 4f directly or do I have to install the other updates first?
Marcus Dudley
APRS.fi will not accept invalid coordinates. You will need to use fixed beacons.
Rainer Heisser
Habe die Vers 04F installiert und das APRS funktioniert in der Form das die Daten vom RT880 perfekt auf ein RT 950 Pro übertragen werden und umgekehrt alle Daten vom RT 950 Pro auf dem RT 880 dekodiert und im Popup dargestellt werden. Mein RT880 ist ohne GPS. Das daher die Koordinaten fehlen ist normal und selbstverständlich. Allerdings wird das RT880 nicht auf APRS.fi in der Karte angezeigt, das RT 950 Pro allerdings problemlos.
Marcus Dudley
Oh sorry, forgot to state it. It's 38400
Steven Pinkham
KISS mode is over the cable? What's the baud rate?
Marcus Dudley
Yes
Kelvin Hill
Did you get rid of the chats on Patreon? I don't see any.
