ATU-10 NG 1.1.0

ATU-10 NG 1.1.0: the relays on the display.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_1_1_0.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_1_1_0.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 1.1.0" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 1.0.0

• New: relay view. Setting 13 (DISPLAY in the setup menu, RELAYS) shows the L and C relays as two rows of cells, the sum of the coils and capacitors switched in, the power and the side the capacitors are on (TX or ANT). While tuning, the cells follow the best setting found so far. The lower line with the SWR and all messages stays as it is; the battery is a small symbol behind the SWR value. The classic screen stays the default. See Relay view in the README.
• The Cell editor and cells.py know setting 13.
• The capacitor side relay was checked on the device with 120 Ohm and 4 kOhm loads: SW 1 puts the capacitors on the antenna side. The simulator had the two sides swapped; corrected, its results hardly change (docs updated).

After the update: settings 1 to 12 changed in the setup menu are kept; setting 13 starts with the classic screen. Operation, settings and questions: see the README. All changes since the first version: see the changelog.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

Manufacturers of ATU-10 tuners: you are welcome to use this firmware – please read the note to you in the README.

ATU-10 NG 1.0.0

ATU-10 NG 1.0.0: nothing new – and that is the news.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_1_0_0.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_1_0_0.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 1.0.0" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.6

The list of things to improve is empty: the tuner finds the best match, sleeps on 15 µA, keeps its settings and warns before the battery runs dry. When there is nothing left to make better, it is simply perfect – time for a 1.0.0.

• the greeting says "NG 1.0.0"; apart from that, the firmware is the same as 0.9.6, byte for byte
• no new bugs added (we checked)

After the update: settings changed in the setup menu are kept. Operation, settings and questions: see the README. All changes since the first version: see the changelog.

Found something that is not perfect after all? Please tell us – that is what 1.0.1 is for.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

Manufacturers of ATU-10 tuners: you are welcome to use this firmware – please read the note to you in the README.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.6

ATU-10 NG 0.9.6: less current while switched off.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_6.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_6.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 0.9.6" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.5

• Less current while switched off: the display lines are released instead of driven low (with the display module switched on its ground side, current flowed through its pull-ups), and the display lines and the lines of the external interface get no input buffer while they may be open. Measured while switched off: 15 µA (FW 1.6: 75 µA) – even after switching off at LOW BATT, the tuner survives a few weeks in a drawer without deep discharge. Thanks to DL8DTL (Jörg) for his detailed measurements!

After the update: settings changed in the setup menu are kept – the values in the hex file are the same as in 0.9.5. Tuning is unchanged. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

Manufacturers of ATU-10 tuners: you are welcome to use this firmware – please read the note to you in the README.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.5

ATU-10 NG 0.9.5: battery warnings in steps, relay pulse as the data sheets ask.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_5.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_5.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 0.9.5" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.4

• Battery in steps: below 3.4 V the battery symbol blinks; below 3.2 V RECHARGE shows every 9 seconds in place of the SWR, and tuning still works; below 3.0 V LOW BATT, then the tuner switches off (before: off below 3.4 V). Each step needs three readings in a row (6 seconds) and takes the mildest of them, so a single dip does not switch off; a step ends 0.05 V above its threshold. An OVERLOAD message goes before RECHARGE. Switched on or woken with the battery below 3.0 V, the tuner shows LOW BATT at once and does not pulse the relays. Thanks to DL8DTL (Jörg) for his measurements and advice on the battery thresholds!
• Relay pulse 10 ms by default (setting 3, before 7 ms): the data sheets of the Omron G6KU and Panasonic AGN2 relays ask for set and reset pulses of 10 ms. A tune takes about 20 % longer.
• Cell editor: shows the firmware version of the loaded hex file and uses its default values.

After the update: settings changed in the setup menu are no longer used, because the values in the hex file changed (relay pulse) – please set them again in the menu.

Normal tunes find the same settings as with 0.9.4. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

Manufacturers of ATU-10 tuners: you are welcome to use this firmware – please read the note to you in the README.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.4

ATU-10 NG 0.9.4: TUNE says why it waits, SWR shown from 0.1 W, a calmer LOW BATT.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_4.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_4.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 0.9.4" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.3

• TUNE without a suitable carrier: after 1 second two small lines next to TUNE say why: WAITING FOR RF (no carrier), POWER TOO LOW (below setting 4) or POWER TOO HIGH (above setting 5); the power line shows the power meanwhile. After 10 seconds the tune gives up with NO POWER, TOO LOW or TOO HIGH. A carrier that comes while waiting starts the tune after 0.2 seconds, so a short blip does not (before, only TUNE was shown, then NO POWER).
• SWR display from 0.1 W: the SWR is shown also below the minimum tune power of setting 4 (before, with less than 1.0 W at the default setting it showed "-.--" or an old value). Auto tune still starts only above setting 4.
• LOW BATT: the tuner switches off after three low battery readings (below 3.40 V) in a row, 6 seconds; a single dip, e.g. from the relays, no longer does. Readings between 3.40 and 3.45 V do not end the row, so a battery right at the threshold still switches it off.

Normal tunes find the same settings as with 0.9.3. The settings (Cells) are the same as in 0.9.3. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

The host tests of all versions now run on GitHub on every push.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

Manufacturers of ATU-10 tuners: you are welcome to use this firmware – please read the note to you in the README.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.3

ATU-10 NG 0.9.3: fixes for tuning with short carriers, from two code reviews.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_3.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_3.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 0.9.3" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.2

All three concern tuning with short carriers (e.g. the CW key), where the next tune within a minute goes on with an interrupted search:

• Other band: the continued tune first measures the present setting again; when it measures clearly different than before (other band, other antenna) or bypass was switched on meanwhile, a new search starts (before, the search went on with the measurements of the old band, or took bypass as its best setting so far).
• Switched off: switching off ends the interrupted search (before, after the automatic power off or LOW BATT the next tune could still go on with it, as the minute only counts while switched on).
• Carriers too short to measure: a tune that measured nothing new ends the chain (before, every such carrier started another tune, with the key line to the transceiver low for up to 10 seconds each time).

Normal tunes find the same settings as with 0.9.2. The settings (Cells) are the same as in 0.9.2. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.2

ATU-10 NG 0.9.2: tuning with short carriers, fixes from two code reviews.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_2.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_2.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "NG 0.9.2" on its second page. Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.1

• Short carriers: tuning works with the CW key pressed for a second at a time. Pauses of up to about 5 seconds are waited out; after a longer pause the next tune within a minute goes on with the interrupted search instead of starting again, and auto tune starts it with the next carrier while the SWR is above 1.2 (before, the tuner kept the half-finished result).
• Auto tune: after a tune that changed nothing (STOP, NO POWER, OVERLOAD) the same tune is not started again at the same SWR (before, a STOP was followed by a new tune 3 seconds later while you kept transmitting).
• Too much power: when the detector is above its measuring range (about 14 W forward power at an empty battery, 22 W at a full one) at 64 relay settings in a row, the tune stops with OVERLOAD and the relays stay as they were (before, the search went on through all its relay steps under that power).
• Memory of good tunes: after about 128 tunes on one band its order got mixed up, and a band used a moment ago could be pushed out instead of the oldest one.
• Switched off: the ADC and its voltage reference are off (less current from the battery).
• Display: SWR "-.--" until the first measurement (before "0.00"); the SWR found so far is shown during a tune also when it is the same as before; only changed parts are sent.

Normal tunes find the same settings as with 0.9.1. The settings (Cells) are the same as in 0.9.1. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.1

ATU-10 NG 0.9.1: fixes from a code review, a two-page greeting and a clear POWER OFF screen.

Status: tested on the device.

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_1.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_1.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting now has two pages of 2 seconds: "ATU-10 / HARDWARE BY N7DDC", then "NG 0.9.1 / FIRMWARE BY DL8UG". Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Changes since 0.9.0

• Greeting on two pages: the hardware by N7DDC, then the firmware version in big letters.
• Power off: the display is cleared and POWER OFF (or LOW BATT) stands alone in its middle.
• NO MATCH also when the network cannot improve the antenna and the SWR in bypass is above 1.2 (before: only at SWR 9.99). At or below 1.2 the antenna is simply left as it is.
• Tune target 0 (setting 11, "always the full search") now also applies when a remembered setting is about as good as before.
• Auto tune: no endless TUNE / NO POWER cycle when the transmit power is just below the minimum tune power (e.g. 0.97 W at a 1.0 W minimum).
• External interface: the transceiver's bypass pulse during a tune stops the tune and switches bypass on (before it was lost).
• Search: when the step budget ends the search during the coarse grid (mostly at search effort 1), the best grid point takes part in the final comparison.
• EEPROM: no write after a tune that changed nothing (NO POWER, STOP).

The settings (Cells) are the same as in 0.9.0. Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – as an issue or in the groups.io thread ATU-10 NG firmware. Please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.

ATU-10 NG 0.9.0

First release of ATU-10 NG, a new firmware for the ATU-10 QRP antenna tuner (hardware by N7DDC), written from scratch. Its aim is the best possible match and a calm, stable tuner – not the fastest tune.

Status: tested on the device (tuning, bypass, display, settings).

Download

• ATU-10_NG_0_9_0.hex – copy it onto the tuner's USB drive
• ATU-10_NG_0_9_0.zip – the hex file and the license in a zip

The greeting shows "ATU-10 / FW NG 0.9.0 / DESIGNED BY DL8UG". Any other ATU-10 firmware can be flashed back the same way at any time.

Highlights

• Finds the best match, not the first one: a coarse look at all relay settings on both capacitor sides, then a refined search from the most promising places. In the simulator it reaches the best possible SWR (within 0.05) in practically all cases that can be matched (over 99.9 %), with random wires, EFHWs, dipoles, doublets and more. How tuning works
• Memory of the last 12 good tunes: back on a band used before, a tune takes about 2 seconds instead of 4 to 5.
• Bypass with a short press, and back to the tuned setting.
• Settings in three ways: setup menu on the tuner (keep the button pressed when switching on), the offline Cell editor in the browser, or directly in the hex file (12 Cells at 0xEEE0).
• Keeps its setting after switching off, a reset or a battery change.
• Stable operation: watchdog, brown-out reset, the display drawn from a framebuffer, a display that does not answer is restarted without slowing down the tuner.

Operation, settings and questions: see the README.

Feedback

Reports from use on the air are very welcome – please describe the antenna, band, power and what the display showed.

License

Beerware – see LICENSE (attached). Do whatever you want with it, as long as you keep the license notice; if we meet some day and you think it is worth it, you can buy me a beer.