NinoTNC Firmware

 

NinoTNC Firmware

4.06 is what is shipping from ETSY.  (we started shipping the “FAT” processor in January 2021)
3.06 is the same firmware (different RAM/buffer sizes) programmed into the 256 “thin” processor.  

We like .06 for stability and being ‘full’ featured.  

Nino is working on future firmware and he’s been improving things and breaking things. 
Up until now, no new features are added the the code, only clean-ups and improvements to functionality. 
For instance, 1200 baud AX.25 receive is better again than it was before, we think.
Also, there is a new firmware boot loader in the new firmware.  Nino also write a new Python boot loader and that is in the GitHub, zflash and tarpn scripting.

https://github.com/ninocarrillo/flashtnc

I am including the latest test versions, as well as the reliable .06, in the  “tarpn update” and in the zflash commands for people using Raspberry PI.  

In 3.07 / 4.07, Nino pulled apart the memory management, the way the different modes were separated in the program and the way certain timed features were called out.  .07 specifically tested the new memory and MODE-function calling and was definitely not working on all of the functions we had in 0.6.   

Now, several versions later, and many hours of testing and work on Nino’s part and some of the NCPACKET network people’s part, .14 is much better than .07.  However….

3.14 and 4.14 are test versions.   .14 may not be ready for prime time!  There still may be untested features missing or broken in .14 that were working in .06.  

So far we have had no trouble using the boot loader to move back and forth from 3.06 and 4.06 to the new stuff.  

All of the NinoTNC firmware (since 2.81 in October 2020) works in A2, A3 and A4 NinoTNCs.  

Beware that versions 2.90 through 3.05 should not be put on your NinoTNC because the boot loader support in those versions can get you stuck, requiring a PIC-KIT to refresh the chip.   

See the change log for details:
http://tarpn.net/t/nino-tnc/n9600a/n9600a_history.html#changelog

This is how the update process looks like.

pi@pi1lap:~/tarpnflash $ python3 flashtnc.py /home/pi/flashtnc/N9600A-v4-0-6.hex /dev/ttyACM0
Opened port /dev/ttyACM0
Scanning hex file to determine target chip.
Hex file target: dsPIC33EP512GP
Opened file /home/pi/flashtnc/N9600A-v4-0-6.hex
Flushing serial buffer.
Starting TNC reflash mode. Don't interrupt this process, the dsPIC may brick.
Flushing serial buffer again.
TNC successfully entered bootloader mode.
TNC bootlader version:  B
TNC ready for hex file, starting transfer. This will take a few minutes.
Start time:  09:17:38
Lines written:  1000
Lines written:  2000
(snip)
Lines written:  10000
Lines written:  11000
Lines written:  12000
End time:  09:19:49
Line count:  12791
Firmware update successful.

A test Packet

08:28:02R N9600A-3>IDENT Port=1 :
:Test Packet=FirmwareVr:4.06=SerialNmbr:=UptimeMilS:00077666=BrdSwchMod:04060002=AX25RxPkts:00000003=IL2PRxPkts:00000000=IL2PRxUnCr:00000000=TxPktCount:00000114=PreamblCnt:0000001E=LoopCycles:00532CD0
08:27:49R N9600A-3>IDENT Port=1 :
:Test Packet

News from the TARPN front.

I received a nice email from Tadd KA2DEW, there is a lot of development in the NinoTNC. Read the great news below.

We fixed the FTDI USB problem with the NinoTNC board by putting a USB-B socket on the PCB and a Microchip USB IC. This actually cut the parts cost by a few $. We’ll have the boards for sale on ETSY in April. Go to Etsy.com and search for TARPN. If the search doesn’t come up, then it isn’t listed yet. Our plan is to take orders in advance of shipping, and prime the pump with 200 boards ordering in early April with 3 weeks to get the boards into stock. At a time closer to ship time we’ll order programmed PIC CPUs with the latest firmware. When we get down to 50 or so in stock, we’ll order more. Because we’re running on out-of-pocket funding for the boards and CPUs, there may be some out-of-stock issues, but the price is right so hopefully people will smile and deal with it.

The new board is called the N9600A3. The last version was the A2, a black PCB with a 2-bit dip switch and the FTDI module on headers. The new board is the A3 blue PCB with USB B connector and a 4 bit dip switch. The new switches will be used to select more bit-rates. We’re not ready with anything new yet, but hopefully by the time the board ships? We’re likely to have 1200, 2400, 4800 and 9600 for FM and maybe some support for HF via SSB. Just like the A2 board, this one will come with IL2P Forward Error Correction mode which is a very efficient packet encoding providing Forward Error Correct in the same length packet as an AX.25 packet. (Full disclosure, as I understand it, packets with > 64 payload bytes will grow larger than AX.25 but small payloads result in shorter than AX.25 packets).

The NinoTNC A3 will come with a over-the-USB bootloader to update the firmware over USB, and we’ll be shipping a free Raspberry PI Raspbian application to boatload the TNC from a hex file. The hex file will be shipped for free one way or another. TARPN node ops will just do an UPDATEAPPS command on the TARPN scripts.

There is much software support to write for this which is not yet done. Our crack firmware and software teams are busy busy busy. Even though we’re not going to be ready with updated software in time we wanted to rush the A3 out there to solve the availability problem with the FTDIs. In addition we discovered that the tolerances for the Micro USB plugs and sockets are so bad that many people are breaking the FTDI modules plugging and unplugging. That’s not good. It’s easy to work-around but ugly. The A3’s USB-B connector is a much better deal.

See our news and info page starting at http://tarpn.net/d

Like before, we won’t be taking profit from this, and we’ll be selling the PCB + CPU for well under $10 on ETSY. Search on ETSY for TARPN. If it isn’t coming up, then we’re not ready to take pre-orders yet. It should be ready in early April. The news and info page will be updated when we get the store back up and when we have a clue about shipping this. We’ll also be posting a new A3 assembly link with access to the new bill of materials.

If you are interested in this, you should also sign up for the email reflector. http://tarpn.net/t/nino-tnc/email_reflectors.html

Tadd — KA2DEW