Remote control beta test

[max-arnold]

Hello everyone!

I’d really appreciate some help testing the recent updates to the remote control protocols. I’m especially interested in feedback from the authors and users of these projects:

• @GrzegorzZajac000 https://ats-mini-controller.vercel.app/
• @rodillo69 https://github.com/rodillo69/ATS-Mini-Companion (whether ATS-Mini-Companion works with the latest beta firmware as-is, or if it needs any changes)
• @Kabuse https://github.com/Kabuse/Mini-Radio-Control
• @dustinsterk https://github.com/dustinsterk/Mini-Radio-Control
• @Spectral-Source https://github.com/Spectral-Source/ATS-MINI-Remote

You can grab the latest build from the main branch here: https://github.com/esp32-si4732/ats-mini/actions/workflows/build.yml?query=branch%3Amain

The list of unreleased changes is here: https://esp32-si4732.github.io/ats-mini/changelog.html

And the new remote control documentation page is here: https://esp32-si4732.github.io/ats-mini/remote.html

P.S. I'm mostly interested in any regressions and whether the new features work as expected. More protocols and commands are planned for future releases, stay tuned!

73!

[max-arnold]

I plan to make a new release at the end of April, so you have one more week to test the latest branch for compatibility with your remote control software.

[virenderscideas]

Hi Max,

Can we have numpad type interface to tune any frequency. Right now to switch from one frequency to other at distant frequency take lot of time to rolling encoder.

Thanks

[max-arnold]

Hey!

Unlikely to be added to the receiver UI (use the push+rotate gesture instead). But for the remote control software - absolutely! In fact I already added the F command (e.g. F107900000), so now it is up to the maintainers of the above software projects to support it.

[Spectral-Source]

Is there an expectation when the F feature will be added?

[max-arnold]

Check out v2.34 that was released today

[paolettopn]

@GrzegorzZajac000 the web app https://ats-mini-controller.vercel.app/
no longer manages the radio's memories, neither reading nor writing.

The web app has several issues with firmware version 2.34, including not reading screenshots and much more.

Try your own tests... as I noticed that when performing the merge procedure to upgrade to this new firmware version, the radio crashed and I had to perform a reset using the buttons.

this is the terminal output after writing a single memory....

[19:30:29] Connected to ATS Mini
[19:30:29] Command sent: showMemorySlots
[19:30:31] Command sent: toggleLog
[19:31:28] Starting upload (1 to update)...
[19:31:29] Upload complete: 1 slot updated
[19:31:31] Command sent: showMemorySlots
[19:31:33] Verification: 0/1 slots confirmed. Slots 1 not verified.

[max-arnold]

Did you enable the remote "Ad hoc" protocol in Settings->USB Port?

[paolettopn]

Thanks Arnold, I hadn't seen this option. I enabled it, and now the Vercecl memory and panel work fine, including the memory.

[GrzegorzZajac000]

Today I've added popup with these informations to my project ;)

[Spectral-Source]

i have updated my web app to support the F command, its working great with the Ad Hoc.
https://github.com/Spectral-Source/ATS-MINI-Remote

[GrzegorzZajac000]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this thread. The past weeks have been quite intense on my side due to a heavy workload and a relocation, but I’m now back with a substantial update to the ATS Mini Controller.

Here’s what’s new:

• Support for the latest firmware, including newly introduced commands,
• Bluetooth connection support,
• Added Seek functionality,
• Integration of station data from EiBi,
• Informational popup regarding the Ad hoc option configuration.

Feedback is very welcome ;)

[G8PTN]

Hi Greg,
Great work on the ATS Mini Controller software.

There are a few minor observations listed below, most of them could be solved by having additional direct command control support in the ats-mini firmware. I expect once Max has added a CAT style structure (e.g. Kenwood, Icom or Yaesu) it would make things easier.

Kind Regards,
Dave

Test Setup
https://ats-mini-controller.vercel.app
ats-mini h/w: V3B (Case labelled “Radio V3”)
ats-mini f/w: v2.35 May 3 2026
Interface: Bluetooth Ad hoc
Browser: Microsoft Edge

Observations

1. In VHF (FM), the top panel MHz frequency is shown to 1 decimal point, whereas the “Tune to Frequency” shows the frequency to 3 decimal places.

   

2. When entering a frequency, the “popup” message range information should be more specific.
   Examples:
   VHF (FM): Valid range 64 MHz to 108 Mhz
   AM/LSB/USB: Valid range 150 kHz to 30000 kHz
   When the current mode is LSB/USB, entry is valid down to 1Hz resolution. although when tuning off the frequency the ats-mini firmware will automatically adjust based on the currently selected step size.

3. When directly changing band or step, the remote controller has to increment/deccrement as necessary. Perhaps there should be direct entry commands for band and step in the ats-mini firmware.

4. When editing memory channels, the frequency range shown for the BAND should be to at least 1 decimal place if the value is in MHz.
   For LSB/USB the frequency entry is theoretically valid down to 1Hz resolution, although the firmware for the ats-mini will automatically adjust based on the currently selected step size.

5. When selecting "Play" for a memory slot with a BAND other than FM, the MODE (AM/LSB/USB) is not set accordingly.

   When switching to the FM band, the popup message shows “… Will auto-switch to FM”.
   When switching from VHF to other bands, the popup message shows “… Will auto-switch to AM”.
   The current behaviour when switching to a band other than FM, is the mode used is the current mode for the selected band.

   The mode is correctly written to memory table in the ats-mini, but because the remote controller is not directly selecting the ats-mini memory channel for the “Play” function, it does not currently work as expected.
   Again, perhaps there should be a direct command to select a memory slot.

   Note: The EiBi Tune feature does not currently set the MODE, it will use the current mode for the selected band.

6. The Spectrum Scanner and Seek functions are slow, dictated by the ats-mini logging rate. Perhaps the ats-mini firmware should also support get data commands.

7. The theme editor does not seem to work correctly when using BLE.

   Terminal response:
   

   Theme editor:
   The theme editor does not show all the colours. Only the first 7 colours of the last row of data are shown.
   

   The control panel seems to freeze sometimes when using BLE, perhaps after using the theme editor.

8. It would be useful to have a “Clear” feature in the terminal screen and perhaps an “Export” feature for debug. The terminal select tab should perhaps remain present when scrolling down the terminal screen, so that it can be closed without scrolling back.

[GrzegorzZajac000]

Thanks @G8PTN . Great feedback. I'll do my best to fix these things from my side.

[G8PTN]

Hi Max,
For general information whilst experimenting with the ATS Mini Controller software, I noticed that after enabling Bluetooth and then turning it off again, the current consumption did not return to normal. After a power cycle the current consumption was as expected (see yellow shaded rows below).

ats-mini h/w: V3B (Case labelled “Radio V3”)
ats-mini f/w: v2.35 May 3 2026

Settings: Frequency = 106.00MHz, Volume = 35, Brightness = 130
All measurements are measured on the 5V USB-C port with charging complete (Charge LED = Off)

Regards,
Dave

[max-arnold]

Hi Dave, thanks for the report!

Unfortunately it is hard to deinit() the BLE stack safely. In my attempts to do so it led either to crashes (i.e. deinit(true)), or memory leaks (and again eventual crashes). I even got the following advice from the Nus-NimBLE-Serial library maintainer afpineda/NuS-NimBLE-Serial#12 (comment)

I just pushed the following experimental fix: 61648fc

Still, switching BLE off doesn't release the heap memory, but that is intentional.

[max-arnold]

The latest main branch has optional compile time options to define Bluetooth (BLE_POWER_LEVEL) and WiFi (WIFI_POWER_LEVEL) TX power levels: https://esp32-si4732.github.io/ats-mini/development.html#compile-time-options