Technical Topics > SDR - Software Defined Radio
Airspy HF+ Firmware Updates Available
RobRich:
Firmware updates are available for the Airspy HF+ series of SDRs.
https://airspy.com/airspy-hf-discovery/ (firmware info near bottom of page)
https://airspy.com/downloads/airspy-hf-flash-2024-03-14_4.0.8.zip (latest firmware as of this post)
https://airspy.com/downloads/hfplus_changelog.txt
Recent changes:
--- Quote ---R4.0.0 - 2024-03-10
Updated the ST firmware. Better AGC. Faster tuning. More robust USB streaming. Replaced sample rate 256k => 228k.
R4.0.1 - 2024-03-10
Added fall-back support for legacy systems (out-of-date Linux, old libs, etc.)
R4.0.2 - 2024-03-11
Ported the firmware code from Atmel Studio to Visual Studio 2022 + VisualGDB.
Added more compatibility code for manual gain in the HF band.
R4.0.3 - 2024-03-12
Added initialization code to make the unit usable right after flashing, without a hard reset.
R4.0.4 - 2024-03-13
Added 650 ksps sample rate with Low-IF. Stop the streaming when the USB connection is closed.
R4.0.5 - 2024-03-14
Adjusted the buffering to support slow USB controllers and USB hubs.
R4.0.6 - 2024-03-14
Increased the interrupt frequency for better handling of the AGC.
R4.0.7 - 2024-03-14
Fixed the initialization of the 384k and 192k sample rates.
R4.0.8 - 2024-03-14
Faster HF AGC convergence.
--- End quote ---
I upgraded my HF+D to firmware R4.0.8 2024-03-14 with Win11 under VirtualBox. The process took some extra steps, but it worked okay for me. YMMV.
Connect to the Airspy HF+ using the VitualBox USB devices menu.
--- Quote ---C:\temp\airspy-hf-flash>FLASH.bat
Airspy HF+ Flash Utility
Looking for a suitable flashable device...
No Instance(s) Available.
Looking for a suitable flashing driver...
This one can do the job: \WINDOWS\INF\OEM32.INF
Saving the calibration...
Rebooting the device in flash mode...
No Instance(s) Available.
Press a key to close.
--- End quote ---
Connect to the Amtel Boot device using the VitualBox USB devices menu. Select your specific HF+ model.
--- Quote ---C:\temp\airspy-hf-flash>FLASH.bat
Airspy HF+ Flash Utility
Looking for a suitable flashable device...
Flashable device found on port COM3
Help us decide what to do. Which device are you trying to flash?
1 Airspy HF+ DUAL PORT
2 Airspy HF+ DISCOVERY BB
3 Airspy HF+ DISCOVERY CD
Enter a number: 3
Using binary file hfplus-firmware-cd.bin
Unlock all regions
Erase flash
Done in 0.017 seconds
Write 28700 bytes to flash (113 pages)
[==============================] 100% (113/113 pages)
Done in 11.739 seconds
Verify 28700 bytes of flash
[==============================] 100% (113/113 pages)
Verify successful
Done in 8.415 seconds
Set boot flash true
Rebooting the device in normal mode...
The system cannot find the file Calib.
Restoring the calibration...
Done
Press a key to close.
--- End quote ---
Connect to the Airspy HF+ using the VitualBox USB devices menu. Enjoy.
RobRich:
BTW, I just noticed mine might not have restored the factory calibration. I need to check.
There is a hfplus_ppb.exe utility for manually reading and setting the calibration included in the firmware download. You can use SDR# in debug mode to find the calibration valiue.
https://gist.github.com/jj1bdx/ce9eb3bd7320eed76396669a25f27e29
https://groups.io/g/airspy/topic/airspy_hf_calibration/31910863?p=
According to the second link, Airspy.US appears to have oringal calibrations on file if purchased there.
Sure enough mine needs recalibrated. I found the value with SDR# in debug mode, but it would not write for whatever reason (maybe VirtualBox). I was able to set the value with hfplus_ppb.exe included with the firmware tools download. Now to narrow down the calibration number.
~SIGINT~:
That's a bummer. I was just looking at the github page and noticed the following:
Note well: upgrading the firmware resets the offset value -- The flash.bat provided explicitly saves the value before the upgrade and restores it after the upgrading ends.
Did the flash utility by any chance write that calibration offset into a temp file in order for it to be later retrieved and restored?
Either way, the safest advise would be to follow this direction prior to upgrading the firmware:
You can retrieve the currently memorized offset value by hfplus_ppb.exe without the argument.
Although the AirSpy site does mention:
Starting from June 2016, Airspy R2 units are calibrated in the factory up to ~0.05 PPM. This calibration is written in a different memory location than the one used for the firmware, so upgrading the firmware won’t delete it unless you do it by yourself.
RobRich:
Yeah mine did not save it. Probably because I had to do a two pass flash due to how VirtualBox handles USB device detection.
I am narrowing down my calibration at the moment. WWV frequencies should suffice for HF reception.
I did find that NOAA VHF frequency deviations seem to vary transmitter to transmitter.
I would prefer a good ATSC pilot carrier, but that is proving elusive at the moment due to being in a fringe reception area.
Also I might email to see if the original calibration is on file as well for comparison. Kind of a "whatever" I suppose, as I figure it has drifted by now anyway.
All the above annoyance(s) aside, I probably should obtain a basic GPSDO at some point, too.
Calibration set at 222PPB now. 2500, 5000, and 15000 are so close the calibration might as well be flat. 10000 might be off a few PPB, but a few PPB is not enough to care IMHO.
20000 and 25000 have faded out tonight, but IIRC, around 220-222PPB was what I had at 25000 earlier tonight.
(click to enlarge)
~SIGINT~:
A good signal generator, specially the ones with a high stability oscillator, may be of more use than a single use GPSDO.
You should always cal near the centre of the band. For an Airspy HF coverage between 9 kHz to 31 MHz, cal at 15 MHz.
I am not familiar with SDR# but in SDRuno, when I am in synchronous AM, there is an on-screen indicator showing the frequency offset. If SDR# has the same functionality, you could use that as a base value in calculating the cal offset required.
This screen shot is WWVH pounding in at S9 to my location this morning.
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