14 KiB
Version 0.1b (January 2, 2024)
I worked on the first firmware. I did what was requested by the user. Alternatively, functions that are not greatly needed in amateur radio were changed to those that are needed in amateur radio.
- I took the source code from https://github.com/egzumer/uv-k5-firmware-custom and created a new project.
- Change the environment so that it can be used in Visual Studio Code (win_make.bat, makefile option ...)
- Remove some unnecessary variables for operation
- Changed the BCL function to be selectable at the compilation stage. (Because BCL is not often used in amateur radio), If you need the BCL function, just set the compilation options. (ENABLE_BCL ?= 0)
- Changed all band TX activation from 10 times to once (this can also be operated in the old form in the makefile) (This is because you working in the Hiddel Menu anyway)
- The 350TX, 350EN, and 500TX functions have been changed to amateur radio bands. Even if TX 350 and TX 500 are ENABLE, they only operate under certain conditions. (Default Range Mode) , In countries where the TX function must be tested for radio use, TX on all frequencies must be within range. To receive permission for 900Mhz or 1.2Ghz, just enable TX900 and (TX126 OR TX127 - Each country has different licensed frequency bands. Just choose the band that suits you.)
Important notice about firmware
- The program will be modified starting today (January 2, 2024) based on egzummer's UV_K5 version.
- Any parts that are added or removed from existing features will be specified above this part.
- I plan to add quite a few features, and to secure flash memory space, I plan to remove visual elements that do not have a significant impact on radio performance. (ex : bargraph, icon, usb connected...)
- The source will continue to be modified, and the compiled firmware will be released as a beta version.
- Sources will be uploaded by major version (ex : version 1.0, 2.0, 3.0). This is because there is a high possibility that sources will be created or removed in large units.
- See below for all features and descriptions prior to January 2, 2024.
I am always grateful to the UV-K5 firmware contributors for creating a new playground. DE KD8CE
The source was taken from the EGZUMER repository on January 2, 2024
- Please refer to the previous functions below.
- This firmware contains various experimental elements. It will be distributed as a beta version before releasing the major version.
- EGZUMMER's firmware for the stable version.
- Once again, we would like to thank Dual Tachyon and egzummer for doing such great work and providing a playground for many developers.
Open re-implementation of the Quansheng UV-K5/K6/5R v2.1.27 firmware
This repository is a merge of OneOfEleven custom firmware with fagci spectrum analizer plus my few changes.
All is a cloned and customized version of DualTachyon's open firmware found here ... a cool achievement !
Warning
Use this firmware at your own risk (entirely). There is absolutely no guarantee that it will work in any way shape or form on your radio(s), it may even brick your radio(s), in which case, you'd need to buy another radio. Anyway, have fun.
Table of Contents
- Main Features
- Manual
- Radio Performance
- User Customization
- Compiler
- Building
- Credits
- Other sources of information
- License
- Example changes/updates
Main features:
- many of OneOfEleven mods:
- AM fix, huge improvement in reception quality
- long press buttons functions replicating F+ action
- fast scanning
- channel name editing in the menu
- channel name + frequency display option
- shortcut for scan-list assignment (long press
5 NOAA) - scan-list toggle (long press
* Scanwhile scanning) - configurable button function selectable from menu
- battery percentage/voltage on status bar, selectable from menu
- longer backlight times
- mic bar
- RSSI s-meter
- more frequency steps
- squelch more sensitive
- fagci spectrum analyzer (F+5 to turn on)
- some other mods introduced by me:
- SSB demodulation (adopted from fagci)
- backlight dimming
- battery voltage calibration from menu
- better battery percentage calculation, selectable for 1600mAh or 2200mAh
- more configurable button functions
- long press MENU as another configurable button
- better DCS/CTCSS scanning in the menu (
* SCANwhile in RX DCS/CTCSS menu item) - Piotr022 style s-meter
- restore initial freq/channel when scanning stopped with EXIT, remember last found transmission with MENU button
- reordered and renamed menu entries
- LCD interference crash fix
- many others...
Manual
Up to date manual is available in the Wiki section
Radio performance
Please note that the Quansheng UV-Kx radios are not professional quality transceivers, their performance is strictly limited. The RX front end has no track-tuned band pass filtering at all, and so are wide band/wide open to any and all signals over a large frequency range.
Using the radio in high intensity RF environments will most likely make reception anything but easy (AM mode will suffer far more than FM ever will), the receiver simply doesn't have a great dynamic range, which results in distorted AM audio with stronger RX'ed signals. There is nothing more anyone can do in firmware/software to improve that, once the RX gain adjustment I do (AM fix) reaches the hardwares limit, your AM RX audio will be all but non-existent (just like Quansheng's firmware). On the other hand, FM RX audio will/should be fine.
But, they are nice toys for the price, fun to play with.
User customization
You can customize the firmware by enabling/disabling various compile options, this allows us to remove certain firmware features in order to make room in the flash for others. You'll find the options at the top of "Makefile" ('0' = disable, '1' = enable) ..
| Build option | Description |
|---|---|
| 🧰 STOCK QUANSHENG FERATURES | |
| ENABLE_UART | without this you can't configure radio via PC ! |
| ENABLE_AIRCOPY | easier to just enter frequency with butts |
| ENABLE_FMRADIO | WBFM VHF broadcast band receiver |
| ENABLE_NOAA | everything NOAA (only of any use in the USA) |
| ENABLE_VOICE | want to hear voices ? |
| ENABLE_VOX | |
| ENABLE_ALARM | TX alarms |
| ENABLE_TX1750 | side key 1750Hz TX tone (older style repeater access) |
| ENABLE_PWRON_PASSWORD | power-on password stuff |
| ENABLE_DTMF_CALLING | DTMF calling fuctionality, sending calls, receiving calls, group calls, contacts list etc. |
| ENABLE_FLASHLIGHT | enable top flashlight LED (on, blink, SOS) |
| 🧰 CUSTOM MODS | |
| ENABLE_BIG_FREQ | big font frequencies (like original QS firmware) |
| ENABLE_SMALL_BOLD | bold channel name/no. (when name + freq channel display mode) |
| ENABLE_CUSTOM_MENU_LAYOUT | changes how the menu looks like |
| ENABLE_KEEP_MEM_NAME | maintain channel name when (re)saving memory channel |
| ENABLE_WIDE_RX | full 18MHz to 1300MHz RX (though front-end/PA not designed for full range) |
| ENABLE_TX_WHEN_AM | allow TX (always FM) when RX is set to AM |
| ENABLE_F_CAL_MENU | enable the radios hidden frequency calibration menu |
| ENABLE_CTCSS_TAIL_PHASE_SHIFT | standard CTCSS tail phase shift rather than QS's own 55Hz tone method |
| ENABLE_BOOT_BEEPS | gives user audio feedback on volume knob position at boot-up |
| ENABLE_SHOW_CHARGE_LEVEL | show the charge level when the radio is on charge |
| ENABLE_REVERSE_BAT_SYMBOL | mirror the battery symbol on the status bar (+ pole on the right) |
| ENABLE_NO_CODE_SCAN_TIMEOUT | disable 32-sec CTCSS/DCS scan timeout (press exit butt instead of time-out to end scan) |
| ENABLE_AM_FIX | dynamically adjust the front end gains when in AM mode to help prevent AM demodulator saturation, ignore the on-screen RSSI level (for now) |
| ENABLE_AM_FIX_SHOW_DATA | show debug data for the AM fix |
| ENABLE_SQUELCH_MORE_SENSITIVE | make squelch levels a little bit more sensitive - I plan to let user adjust the values themselves |
| ENABLE_FASTER_CHANNEL_SCAN | increases the channel scan speed, but the squelch is also made more twitchy |
| ENABLE_RSSI_BAR | enable a dBm/Sn RSSI bar graph level in place of the little antenna symbols |
| ENABLE_AUDIO_BAR | experimental, display an audio bar level when TX'ing |
| ENABLE_COPY_CHAN_TO_VFO | copy current channel settings into frequency mode. Long press 1 BAND when in channel mode |
| ENABLE_SPECTRUM | fagci spectrum analyzer, activated with F + 5 NOAA |
| ENABLE_REDUCE_LOW_MID_TX_POWER | makes medium and low power settings even lower |
| ENABLE_BYP_RAW_DEMODULATORS | additional BYP (bypass?) and RAW demodulation options, proved not to be very useful, but it is there if you want to experiment |
| ENABLE_BLMIN_TMP_OFF | additional function for configurable buttons that toggles BLMin on and off wihout saving it to the EEPROM |
| ENABLE_SCAN_RANGES | scan range mode for frequency scanning, see wiki for instructions (radio operation -> frequency scanning) |
| 🧰 DEBUGGING | |
| ENABLE_AM_FIX_SHOW_DATA | displays settings used by AM-fix when AM transmission is received |
| ENABLE_AGC_SHOW_DATA | displays AGC settings |
| ENABLE_UART_RW_BK_REGS | adds 2 extra commands that allow to read and write BK4819 registers |
| 🧰 COMPILER/LINKER OPTIONS | |
| ENABLE_CLANG | **experimental, builds with clang instead of gcc (LTO will be disabled if you enable this) |
| ENABLE_SWD | only needed if using CPU's SWD port (debugging/programming) |
| ENABLE_OVERLAY | cpu FLASH stuff, not needed |
| ENABLE_LTO | reduces size of compiled firmware but might break EEPROM reads (OVERLAY will be disabled if you enable this) |
Compiler
arm-none-eabi GCC version 10.3.1 is recommended, which is the current version on Ubuntu 22.04.03 LTS. Other versions may generate a flash file that is too big. You can get an appropriate version from: https://developer.arm.com/downloads/-/gnu-rm
clang may be used but isn't fully supported. Resulting binaries may also be bigger. You can get it from: https://releases.llvm.org/download.html
Building
Github Codespace build method
This is the least demanding option as you don't have to install enything on your computer. All you need is Github account.
- Go to https://github.com/egzumer/uv-k5-firmware-custom
- Click green
Codebutton - Change tab from
LocaltoCodespace - Click green
Create codespace on mainbutton
- Open
Makefile - Edit build options, save
Makefilechanges - Run
./compile-with-docker.shin terminal window - Open folder
compiled-firmware - Right click
firmware.packed.bin - Click
Download, now you should have a firmware on your computer that you can proceed to flash on your radio. You can use online flasher
Docker build method
If you have docker installed you can use compile-with-docker.bat (Windows) or compile-with-docker.sh (Linux/Mac), the output files are created in compiled-firmware folder. This method gives significantly smaller binaries, I've seen differences up to 1kb, so it can fit more functionalities this way. The challenge can be (or not) installing docker itself.
Windows environment build method
- Open windows command line and run:
winget install -e -h git.git Python.Python.3.8 GnuWin32.Make winget install -e -h Arm.GnuArmEmbeddedToolchain -v "10 2021.10" - Close command line, open a new one and run:
pip install --user --upgrade pip pip install crcmod mkdir c:\projects & cd /D c:/projects git clone https://github.com/egzumer/uv-k5-firmware-custom.git - From now on you can build the firmware by going to
c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-customand runningwin_make.bator by running a command line:cd /D c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-custom win_make.bat - To reset the repository and pull new changes run (!!! it will delete all your changes !!!):
cd /D c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-custom git reset --hard & git clean -fd & git pull
I've left some notes in the win_make.bat file to maybe help with stuff.
Credits
Many thanks to various people on Telegram for putting up with me during this effort and helping:
- OneOfEleven
- DualTachyon
- Mikhail
- Andrej
- Manuel
- @wagner
- @Lohtse Shar
- @Matoz
- @Davide
- @Ismo OH2FTG
- OneOfEleven
- @d1ced95
- and others I forget
Other sources of information
ludwich66 - Quansheng UV-K5 Wiki
amnemonic - tools and sources of information
License
Copyright 2023 Dual Tachyon https://github.com/DualTachyon
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
Example changes/updates
Video showing the AM fix working ..