Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Yes, I remember this thread in which you were trying to analyse what's causing this FT8 app to run at low power on some units... That would be perfect if we could somehow find what is this potential HW difference causing this issue across our units.
Regarding AM and FM, power meter shows ~300mW at 10W (when unaffected BASE is producing full 10W).
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Thanks. Something like this was with FT8 app (my radio requires lower signal to achieve target tx power). And I don't know - where to look as the HW version within running firmware...
Could you also check AM and FM output power (without a signal)?
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Georgy // R2RFE
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R1CBU/R2RFE firmware's codename?
This post is mainly addressed to the authors of the alternative firmware for the X6100, who have gave a new lease of life to our favorite radios: Oleg R1CBU and Georgy R2RFE. However, others are also welcome to join the discussion!
It has become common to refer to the alternative firmware for the X6100 as "R1CBU's firmware" - and while this name was absolutely appropriate for a long time, now that Georgy has taken over the development of the software, it feels a bit problematic to me. After all, the software is no longer solely Oleg's work, but also Georgy's!
Personally, out of respect for both colleagues, I use the name "R1CBU/R2RFE's firmware" in my statements, but I feel this name isn't perfect.
Hence my question - do the esteemed Authors plan to give their project some kind of "codename"?
On the one hand, it's a rather trivial and minor matter, but on the other hand, it could help improve communication a bit.
Once again, thank you both - Oleg and Georgy - for the tremendous work you've done and continue to do in developing this software!
73 de Jarek SP9HGN
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
This morning I spent a bit of time playing with the Georgy's latest modified version of the base firmware (r1) and observed issues with the power output readings. The power meter on the radio¡¯s display, when set to output the full 10W, shows a maximum of only 3¨C4W.
I didn¡¯t have time to check what the actual power output into a dummy load is.
The issue only affects the r1 firmware version, both for the original GUI and the R1CBU/R2RFE GUI.
It would be great if someone else could verify this as well.
Perhaps this is a hardware-level issue related to differences between revisions of our radios?
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Re: R1CBU / R2RFE - FT8 issue with prefixed callsign
After a quick analysis of the problem, and thanks to Georgy's hints, I think I've managed to find its direct cause.
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In WSJTX, standard CQ calls (without a country prefix) are encoded using a different methodology than those containing a prefix. Calls with a prefix (e.g., SV9/SP9HGN/P) are encoded as free text, which according to the FT8 specification is limited to 13 characters. As a result, especially when callsign is long, there is no enough room to include the additional characters representing the locator.
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The current implementation of ft8lib in the R1CBU/R2RFE software, when a configured callsign contains a country prefix (e.g., SV9/SP9HGN/P), still attempts to add the locator to it, which results in an error.
I'll try to prepare a fix for this issue in the near future and make the use of the locator in a call conditional on whether a country prefix is present in the configured callsign.
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There is a simple online tool that allows you to "break down" and visualize an FT8 frame: https://pengowray.github.io/ft8play/
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Yup, you're right guys.
It was late, and I stupidly, simply wget'ted this file from wrong URL directly to my X6100. Now it's fine. Thanks.
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Are you talking about the modified audio files or Xiego Firmware updates?
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Re: Latest Stable Firmware
You're correct again... poor choice of words! ? ;-)
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Bob
KD2TTM
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Sorry , maybe for others a stupid question :
Where was described how to install a changed base-FW ?
I have all that forget ...
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73 , Jens / HB9JOI
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toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: Georgy Dyuldin via groups.io
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2025 10:21 AM
Subject: [xiegu-x6100] Modified BASE firmware -
rev1
?
Hi.
I do some more changes on 1.1.6 BASE firmware - fix AM transmit, add a soft
limiter, output power control.
I decide to track changes within github repo:
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Current version is rev1 (r1) - this suffix will be shown in the system info
instead of the build time for BASE version.
?
Some details:
* FM - depth of modulation increased 10 times. Output level configured to
not "disturb" ALC (reduced for ~ 13 times). Output power remains the same.
* AM - in theory carrier power should be 25% of the max output power with
modulation depth equals to 1. I made it about 50% of configured output power.
Guess, that positive peaks will be correct handled by ALC.
* Soft limiter for AM - I added it to prevent overmodulation. It adds some
distortion for a loud signal, but I guess it's a less evil than distortions due
to overmodulation.
* Output power is now affects a level of the generated IQ signals.
Previously - changing output power only changes ALC level, without actual
changing signal level.
?
Perhaps, I'll try to add FM squelch in a future version.
?
Also - I checked controlling compressor (on/off) from the alternative
firmware - it's working. I guess, ratio control will be configurable too.
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Worked for me. You can¡¯t right click and "save link as" though. You end up with an html file. You need to click on the file in the repository then download the RAW file as shown below.
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Hmm. I checked - size of file within repo 376K.
md5sum is 01575619f261b3237ba7457504af6bfd
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Hi Georgy! Great that you decided to create a dedicated repository for experimenting with BASE software and all the documentation for your changes.
I decided to try installing the binary available at:
After installing the firmware, the radio backend stopped working and the TX LED started blinking, as shown in the attached video:
From what I've noticed, previous XGF files based on version 1.1.8 were around 383KB in size, while the version available in your repository is around 207KB. Are you sure you pushed the correct binary to the repository?
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Thaks for your reply Georgy
Yes.
Previous patched version (with increased FM modulation level) has 3x FM depth multiplier, comparing original firmware. This - 10x from original firmware. Let me know, if it too much)
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Yes.
Previous patched version (with increased FM modulation level) has 3x FM depth multiplier, comparing original firmware. This - 10x from original firmware. Let me know, if it too much)
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: R1CBU / R2RFE - FT8 issue with prefixed callsign
Hi Georgy!
Thanks for this suggestions.? I¡¯ll check that and share my findings soon.
73 de Jarek SP9HGN W dniu niedz., 20 kwi 2025 o 10:31 Georgy Dyuldin via <g.dyuldin= [email protected]> napisa?(a):
Hi.
It's known issue (reported few days ago) -
It might be related with ft8 lib or with main application.
FT8 might encode messages in a few ways. For too long or non-standard call signs it use more bits to encode message within CQ and there is no more space for grid.
I suggest to do next steps:
* Try to call CQ with long callsign using wsjtx to check how tx text should looks like (does it contains grid or not)
* Try to add a line to ft8_lib test with message from wsjtx (without hash_if) -
* Update ft8_lib or ft8_lib and x6100_gui code
?
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Sorry but I am a bit confused (unfortunately easy for me. ?) Am I correct in thinking that the latest base release v1.1.6 R1 still includes the 160Hz low frequency filter, the compressor and FM improvement.
Many thanks John
Nice! For the record, i use BASE 1.1.6 with APP 1.1.9 (and r1cbu / r2rfe firmware) without issue. As i¡¯ve mentioned before 1.1.6 BASE has the best implementation of NR (noise reduction) vs other the versions.
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I will install this BASE and give it a whirl when propagation comes back as its been almost nonexistent around here for a few weeks now.
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Nice! For the record, i use BASE 1.1.6 with APP 1.1.9 (and r1cbu / r2rfe firmware) without issue. As i¡¯ve mentioned before 1.1.6 BASE has the best implementation of NR (noise reduction) vs other the versions.
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I will install this BASE and give it a whirl when propagation comes back as its been almost nonexistent around here for a few weeks now.
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Hi, Jerry.
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1.1.6 means, that it based on the OEM BASE firmware 1.1.6. It's not compatible with any another BASE version because it's a replacement - it just erase BASE firmware and flashes new one (like during usual FW upgrade)
Most important differences is noise reduction logic and default rfg (63 for 1.1.6 and 100 for 1.1.8). You can check all changelog between 1.1.6 and 1.1.8 on the
I guess you can use it with APP 1.1.6-1.1.8 (or alternative GUI).
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Georgy // R2RFE
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Re: Modified BASE firmware - rev1
Georgy,
Is this Mod also compatible with the latest Xiego Base Firmware, 1.1.8? If not, what has changed from 1.1.6 to 1.1.8? So what do we lose by using 1.1.6 with your Mod instead of the latest Xiegu software with Base 1.1.8?
I noticed that in your Github 1.1.6 repository, the README.md file does not specify that this Mod applies only to the 1.1.6 Firmware version, (if this is so, see above). You might want to add this to the README.md file. Assuming you need to apply the Mod to the 1.1.6 Firmware only, you might also want to add a paragraph to the beginning to indicate this, and maybe indicate that you need to "upgrade" to the Xiegu version that also includes the latest 1.1.6 Base Firmware, from the Radioddity.com site.
Jerry K6ANI
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Mon, Apr 21, 2025 at 01:21 AM, Georgy Dyuldin wrote:
Hi.
I do some more changes on 1.1.6 BASE firmware - fix AM transmit, add a soft
limiter, output power control.
I decide to track changes within github repo:
Current version is rev1 (r1) - this suffix will be shown in the system info
instead of the build time for BASE version.
Some details:
* FM - depth of modulation increased 10 times. Output level configured to not
"disturb" ALC (reduced for ~ 13 times). Output power remains the same.
* AM - in theory carrier power should be 25% of the max output power with
modulation depth equals to 1. I made it about 50% of configured output power.
Guess, that positive peaks will be correct handled by ALC.
* Soft limiter for AM - I added it to prevent overmodulation. It adds some
distortion for a loud signal, but I guess it's a less evil than distortions
due to overmodulation.
* Output power is now affects a level of the generated IQ signals. Previously
- changing output power only changes ALC level, without actual changing signal
level.
Perhaps, I'll try to add FM squelch in a future version.
Also - I checked controlling compressor (on/off) from the alternative firmware
- it's working. I guess, ratio control will be configurable too.
--
Georgy // R2RFE
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Bob KD2TTM
Jens/HB9JOI
wicknix
John Claridge 2E0JJC