Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

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w-u-2-o
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Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Jul 19, 2017 3:08 am

Posting for Joe...

All,

Orion_MkII_v1.7 is available for download here:

https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-Firmware/tree/master/Protocol%201/Orion_MkII%20(ANAN-8000DLE)

Some software applications, such as PowerSDR, do not use Rx6 or Rx7 but some do, such as cuSDR and Skimmer. If your favorite software package does not use Rx6 or Rx7 then the new firmware will not do anything new for you but it would not hurt to install it anyway in case some day you use some software that does use Rx6 or Rx7.

Thanks to Vasiliy K3IT for pointing out the problem.

73, Joe K5SO
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby GW4DVB » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:36 am

Thanks for the update

How do you update the Firmware and where do you get the kit to do it ?

Thanks


GW4DVB
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby WB8LBZ » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:02 am

Download the manual and click on the link. Get a cup of coffee/tea/water and start reading. The manual will tell you what you need to download and how to use it.

73,
Last edited by WB8LBZ on Sun Sep 03, 2017 2:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Larry, WB8LBZ
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El Paso, TX
good in QRZ
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:27 am

Everything you need to know is located in the top three "sticky" threads located here:

https://apache-labs.com/community/viewforum.php?f=18

If that's somehow not enough, come back here and ask for more!

73!

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby GW4DVB » Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:00 pm

Thanks for the help

I have read and read all the info provided

Loaded the various pieces of software but experienced an error - wpcap.dll missing

Fixed that but still the software will not read my MAC address..

It does mention that certain straps might need to be moved which means taking the 8000DLE apart again!!

Is this the only solution or is there an easier fix?
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:19 pm

You should be using HPSDR Programmer, in which case you don't need wpcap.dll.

Only if HPSDR Programmer fails should you be using HPSDR Bootloader. In which case, if you had truly read and followed the instructions,you would have installed WinPCAP and you would not be getting the "need wpcap.dll" error.

And if you had truly read and followed the instructions, and were familiar with the user guide for your radio, you would know that the 8000 uses a switch on the rear that, when in the up position, puts the radio into bootloader mode. No straps or jumpers required.

Please go back an re-read, re-try, and let us know how you make out.

73,

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby GW4DVB » Thu Jul 20, 2017 4:08 pm

Thanks Scott

You obviously have been looking over my shoulder

Let me elaborate on what I have done so far....

Yes - I did try HPSDR Bootloader and got the wpcap.dll error which I fixed by installing WinPCAP

I then tried the HPSDR Programmer and it still did not work

Both were with the switch on the back of the 8000DLE switched to ON (Default is OFF)

Hence my question is there something else I should be doing?

73

Brian
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:30 pm

I'm trying to resist, but, but...I can't :) You should be reading the instructions, OM :D

The radio has two modes of operation. In the normal mode of operation, the FPGA boots out of a portion of non-volatile memory that contains the normal operating firmware. This is the mode that exists when the radio is powered up with the bootloader switch in the down (off) position.

The second mode of operation is the bootloader mode. This is an emergency back up mode, in case the normal operating firmware is somehow corrupted, for instance during a botched upgrade attempt. This is the mode that exists when the radio is powered up with the bootloader switch in the up (on) position. When in that position, the FPGA boots out of a portion of non-volatile memory that is programmed at the factory and generally not ever programmed in the field (although it can be done by cracking open the radio and using a JTAG programming pod). Since a user can't easily or normally mess with this part of memory, it can't be fouled up the way the normal memory can be.

You use HPSDR Programmer to load new firmware with the bootloader switch down (off).

You use HPSDR Bootloader to load new firmware with the bootloader switch up (on).

Question: can you still run the radio OK with the firmware that is in there now (and make sure the bootloader switch is in the down/off position before you power up the radio)? If so, then simply use HPSDR Programmer to put the new firmware in the radio in accordance with the instructions found here.

If you cannot still run the radio OK because the normal firmware has somehow become corrupted in your attempts to program it, then use the Bootloader, again in accordance with the above referenced instructions.

It's an either/or thing. You don't need to do both.

73,

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby GW4DVB » Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:48 pm

Hi Scott

I am glad you did not resist the urge to reply..

You clearly are very knowledgeable of these things having done this many times before - This is my first - so bare with me as I am sure this subject will help others in the future.

Thank you for repeating the instructions which I have read and understood and tried to carry out MANY times!!!

The 8000DLE is working fine at the moment but I wish to update the firmware to the very latest:

See topic subject - Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Using the HPSDR Programmer to load new firmware with the bootloader switch down (off) doesn't work.

Using the HPSDR Bootloader to load new firmware with the bootloader switch up (on) doesn't work.

Neither of the 2 programs detect the radio !!!

Let's go back to my question "Is there something else I should be doing?"

73

Brian
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:16 pm

Brian,

If the radio is working fine with PowerSDR, then HPSDR Programmer should detect the radio with no difficulties. You should be able to check the radio with PowerSDR, quit PowerSDR, start HPSDR Programmer click "Discover", and it should discover it.

How is your PC attached to the radio. Is it a direct attachment (just a single Ethernet cable)? Or are the radio and computer attached via an Ethernet switch or router?

73,

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby Jim » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:12 am

I also read the instructions over and over and have been following this thread closely.

I went from 1.5 to 0.0 to 1.7 and it was scary.

I am sure I didn't do it the correct way but we erased 1.5 with programmer and ended up with 0.0 and after a lot of choice words and head scratching got the 1.7 firmware loaded using boot loader.

So all is well.

KE4WY Jim
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby GW4DVB » Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:35 pm

OK - Round 2

I have made progress - HPSDR Programmer has detected 8000dle and I have been able to load the 1.7 firmware

I did have problems getting PowerSDR connecting to the rig but after a few power cycles all seems to be working OK.

Thank you Scott for your perseverance and superior knowledge and to Jim for confirming that I am not the only one who has had problems.

73


Brian
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby Jim » Fri Jul 21, 2017 2:27 pm

Brian , We have updated software/firmware
on TenTec's, Icom, Yaesu's, Kenwoods, Elecraft and Flex radio's and it was all
straight forward with no issues. Never a hitch
so we thought this would be easy.

We had the no discovery issue along with
the update file not being recognized. We
had to manually type the location and file name in before it was recognized.

I must say this firmware update was our only
difficult challenge we had experienced in updating a rig but we got it done.

I want to thank Scott for his info on updating.

KE4WY Jim
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby WZ2Q » Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:37 pm

I have updated the firmware in my 8000DLE several times, and have switched between Protocol 1 and 2 and back to 1. I used the HPSDRBootloader for these operations, and ran into several difficulties, some of which others have mentioned:

1. For best results, use a direct Ethernet connection from PC to radio when using HPSDRBootloader (no switch, no hub, no router, just an Ethernet cable between the two.)
2. Power Cycling: Sometimes I could get the radio into a bad state and had to power cycle it to be able to discover it.
3. Make sure the downloaded file is valid (should be around 1.7MB in size.) A couple times, I think I "downloaded" the file from GitHub (perhaps by right clicking on the filename and doing "save as") and got a file with the correct name, but it was around 38KB in size.) You have to click on the file in GitHub, then click the "Download" button. This sounds like a simple thing, but I messed this up on two separate occasions about two months apart, and the incorrect file will program; however, much more quickly than the correct file. This is a good indication that the file is not correct.
4. You have to type or cut and paste the filename into the HPSDRBootloader. Browsing and selecting the file does not work.

73,WZ2Q
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:51 pm

WZ2Q wrote:I have updated the firmware in my 8000DLE several times, and have switched between Protocol 1 and 2 and back to 1. I used the HPSDRBootloader for these operations, and ran into several difficulties, some of which others have mentioned:

1. For best results, use a direct Ethernet connection from PC to radio when using HPSDRBootloader (no switch, no hub, no router, just an Ethernet cable between the two.)

This is not correct. Any type of connection works fine as long as you are not using a Layer 2 or Layer 3 managed switch. Such switches reject the illegal MAC address used by the radio when it is in Bootloader mode (11:22:33:44:55:66).

2. Power Cycling: Sometimes I could get the radio into a bad state and had to power cycle it to be able to discover it.

Again, this is not really a problem, per se. Given valid firmware the radio will come up reliably every time. Are you sure you just aren't confused about what state the radio is in? The radio must power up to either boot into normal or bootloader mode. If you accidentally think there is valid firmware in the normal operation memory space when there isn't, or expect it in one mode when it's really in the other, it can throw you.

3. Make sure the downloaded file is valid (should be around 1.7MB in size.) A couple times, I think I "downloaded" the file from GitHub (perhaps by right clicking on the filename and doing "save as") and got a file with the correct name, but it was around 38KB in size.) You have to click on the file in GitHub, then click the "Download" button. This sounds like a simple thing, but I messed this up on two separate occasions about two months apart, and the incorrect file will program; however, much more quickly than the correct file. This is a good indication that the file is not correct.

Very true, and a very easy mistake to make.

4. You have to type or cut and paste the filename into the HPSDRBootloader. Browsing and selecting the file does not work.

Again, not true. It sounds like you have some sort of problem with your specific PC. You might want to look into that more closely.

I'm not trying to throw you under the proverbial bus, but I also don't want people to think this is some sort of rocket science, fraught with traps and pitfalls. Other than the fact that we need to get our butts out of a chair to flip switches or place jumpers, using Bootloader is quite easy and reliable. Simply follow the directions right here.

73,

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby W1AEX » Sat Sep 02, 2017 7:29 pm

Your directions are spot on Scott and I always have that page in front of me whenever I flash to a new firmware or move from Protocol 1 to Protocol 2 (and then back to Protocol 1) when I am playing around with different software.

The only item I can think of that you might want to add is how to deal with the weird "metis" file name error where the Programmer or Bootloader detects the rig fine but comes up with an error message when you browse to and then select the *.rbf file. I know you already know this but for those who do not, apparently, with random ANAN rigs it's necessary to add the word metis to the beginning of the new bios file file name. Perhaps this is a code remnant in the programmer and bootloader from the early days of plug-in multi-board assemblies with the Atlas back-plane when the individual boards included the metis, janus, pennylane, mercury and alex assemblies.

I never had the "metis" issue with my ANAN-100 but with the 200D it happens fairly often.

I also think that anyone who is running their ANAN with OpenHPSDR mRX PS and regularly finding that they have an IP address that starts with 169 is going to always have problems with the Programmer. It's easy to fix this but it does require a focused approach while following the steps.

73,

Rob W1AEX
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Sep 03, 2017 1:06 am

Thanks for catching that, Rob. I should have mentioned the "metis" issue. Directions have been updated!

73!

Scott
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Re: Orion Mk II 1.7 firmware released (current protocol/Protocol 1)

Postby W1AEX » Sun Sep 03, 2017 7:06 pm

I think you've got every base covered Scott. As long as every step is followed, using the Programmer or the Bootloader should be a quick and easy experience that turns out perfect every time!

73,

Rob W1AEX
"One thing I am certain of is that there is too much certainty in the world."

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