[600MRG] Ultimate3S firmware upgrade v3.11 with PTT delay function for T/R switching

[Hans Summers]

Hi all

Please see below. This was discussed in this group last week. I have
produced firmware v3.11 of the Ultimate3S kit
http://qrp-labs.com/ultimate3/u3s which allows the "Key" output to be
configured for controlling a T/R relay or keying an external PA, with a
configurable delay from 1..999 milliseconds ahead/behind the start/end of
the RF envelope.

You can read about it starting on page 17 of the operating manual for v3.11
which you can get here: http://qrp-labs.com/ultimate3/u3firmware.html .
Some example 'scope screenshots are shown there, showing the RF envelope
and the Keying/PTT/RxTx signal with various delays (relatively long delays
e.g. 200ms, for easy viewing). The delay is configurable from 0..999
milliseconds.

73 Hans G0UPL
http://qrp-labs.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hans Summers <hans.summers at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 11, 2016 at 9:45 PM
Subject: Ultimate3S firmware upgrade v3.11
To: qrplabs <qrplabs at yahoogroups.com>



Hi QRP Labbers

I have released v3.11 of the firmware for the Ultimate3S (NOT the older
Ultimate3 with AD9850 DDS). The changes in this version are two major ones,
and three minor ones:

1) New "RX" mode which is intended to make the U3S easier to use with the
Receiver kit. It starts on an even minute and is active for 2 minutes, like
WSPR. It sets Clk1 to 4x the frequency configured for the mode screen.
Therefore enter the "USB dial frequency" as shown on the WSPRnet page
http://wsprnet.org (remember, for WSPR mode transmissions you specify the
actual transmit frequency, which is ~1500Hz higher). You can also specify
an offset in kHz (range 0..99kHz) to use with the WSPR software's IQ mode.
The Clk1 output can be connected to the receiver kit LO input directly.
Clk1 is switched off during TX so that there is no breakthrough on the
receiver.

2) New "PTT Delay" parameter. Default is 0 which is the current behaviour -
the "Key" output is high during key-down, low during key-up - and changes
synchronously with the RF envelope. When "PTT Delay" is non zero, the "Key"
output behaves as a PTT output, with a configurable delay between PTT
activation/de-activation and the RF envelope start/finish. In this way this
signal can be used to control an external PA such that it is keyed on
before the RF envelope starts, to avoid hot-keying the PA.

3) The "Time" parameter setting was the first thing in the menu if WSPR was
enabled but this was a legacy feature left over from the Ultimate2 and I
think not really needed in the Ultimate3S today. I removed it to help make
space for the above new stuff.

4) Certain text messages have been shortened a little to help make more
space

5) A minor bug fix: if an analogue reading is 1000, the message tags e.g.
"#A1" wouldn't show it correctly.

As always the new firmware is available in the YahooGroups files for anyone
who wants to upgrade their own chip, or in the QRP Labs shop at
http://shop.qrp-labs.com/u3schip if you want to buy a pre-programmed chip.
Please note that if purchasing this chip from the shop it may to take a
couple of weeks to reach you due to the logistics of getting the new batch
of chips to the shipment office.

73 Hans G0UPL
http://qrp-labs.com