Maintenance Update

New Editions

• Handheld

• Hardware:
  • Nordic nRF52840 SoC
  • GNSS:
         external Quectel L76K
  • Sub-1Ghz radio:
         built-in Semtech SX1262
  • Output:
         default: Bluetooth LE
         optional: Type-C USB CDC ACM
  • Display:
         built-in: GooDisplay® 1.54" SPI e-Paper
  • Battery:
         built-in: Li-Po 1200 mAh
  • Buzzer:
         built-in

• Gizmo

• Hardware:
  • Espressif ESP32-S3 SoC
  • GNSS:
         external
  • Sub-1Ghz radio:
         built-in Semtech SX1262
  • Output:
         default: UART to Type-C USB (CH340K)
         optional: Wi-Fi UDP or TCP
         optional: Bluetooth LE
  • Display:
         built-in: 1.3" I²C OLED
  • Battery:
         built-in: Li-Po 1000 mAh

• Nano

• Hardware:
  • Espressif ESP32-C3 SoC
  • Sub-1Ghz radio:
         built-in Semtech LR1121
  • Output:
         default: UART 57600, 8N1, MAVLink 1

Major improvements

Common

• add Si4463 radio profile for P3I protocol
• update ArduinoBLE library version to 1.4.0
• relocate FANET frequency for New Zealand to 920 MHz band
• use of 10000 Hz deviation for P3I rather than 9600 Hz

nRF52

• add readings from Seeed T1000-E light and temperature sensors into POST procedure
• reduce sleep current for LilyGO T-Echo and Heltec T114
• build with Arduino-Zephyr Core 0.3.1
• add an I/O map for Seeed Wio L1
• build with OLED display driver

ESP32

• build ESP32-C6 target with recent release 2.3.0 of Arduino-NimBLE library
• build ESP32-C5 target with Arduino Core 3.3.0-alpha1
• build for LilyGO T3-S3-OLED and Ebyte EoRa-HUB-900TB boards
• use dynamic allocation of OLED data structure

RP2XXX

• bump Pico Core version up to 4.5.4

Please, read commits history for more information.

Known issues

• same that previous Release 1.7 has.

Binary downloads and flashing instructions

Firmware binaries of the Maintenance Update have been released for certain platforms / SoftRF Editions only:

• ESP32-S3 ( Gizmo )
• ESP32-C3 ( Nano )
• nRF52840 ( Handheld )

Users of other SoftRF platforms should either

• build the Maintenance Update firmware from source by themselves or
• wait until next official Release.

WARNING

1. This upgrade may reset your SoftRF settings down to factory default values. Please, follow these "backup and restore" procedures prior to executing the update
2. ESP32 only: you may try "Web update" method if your current firmware version is rc7-9 or 1.0-1.7, otherwise do:
   • follow First-time firmware installation procedure instructions instead, and
   • make full flash ERASE prior to firmware write operation, and
   • disconnect any of I2C devices from ESP32's GPIO2 pad. See this ticket for details.
3. S76G only: follow these instructions to update your Dongle Edition firmware. It is also recommended to reset your SoftRF Dongle settings back to factory default values by following this procedure.

Prime MkII, MkIII, Badge or Dongle owners! I will reject any claims if you, by any reason, will fail to upgrade or fail to recover after un-successful update!
If you are not sure that you can manage the update successfully - think about to stay on 1.7 or to buy a new board with pre-installed 1.7.1.

Source code build instructions