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Firmware V1.40 released

Started by viking9, March 09, 2012, 08:08:45 AM

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viking9

From Guenter:


Hello,

since today, new Firmware V1.40 is on the web page.
http://www.modesbeast.com/updates.html#FW140

Also note that in the USB update procedure I added how to recover after a broken USB update.
http://www.modesbeast.com/USB-Update.html

And not at least - have a look at the presentation of the next generation hardware, the Radarcape!
http://www.modesbeast.com/radarcape-weblog.html

Cheers, Günter


From the release notes:
Revision 1.40 - 07.03.2012
This version introduces a totally new design of the frame synchronisation, which now uses all available information from the preamble without any compromises. It was tested over several weeks by some beta testers with great success, who all saw a further increase of frame rate by about 10% and also some increase in range. When testing by myself, I now can see up to 1500 Mode-S frames per second in the evening hours with only the omni antenna and I am getting a stable 225nm range displayed. The sensitivity increase not at least allows me seeing the ground traffic at Munich airport, which did not appear in the versions before and whatfor I needed the yagi antenna. Also, I found a way how to better filter false non-CRC checkable frames, which are drastically reduced and keep load away from the interface and post processing SW. My number is that around 75% of the frames now are good frames. While testing, I found a nice performance value: When the channel is not heavily loaded, below about 60 aircraft beeing tracked, the number of frames per second is 10 times the number of aircraft. Or, in other words, each aircraft transmits 10 frames per second. This may be different in other parts of the world, as for example we've learned just recently that in some areas DF-20 and DF-21 are not in use.
FW V1.40 adds following new features and corrections:

New design of the frame synchronisation: Leads to a better detection of  frames while having local reflections, and also a better detection of weak and noisy frames. Not at least the timestamp by this has an accuracy of 1 sample clock or 62ns.
Removal of double output DF-17 frames while having forward error correction (FEC) enabled
FEC of DF-11 frames is working again.

Improved signal level measurement:

Signal level now is measured using all 128 ADC samples that are part of the preamble. It is the normalized level difference between all samples that should be zero and those which should be one. The value range has not changed, just the accuracy is better.
Drastic decrease of corrupt frames that cannot be checked by a CRC.


Tom

viking9

Having completed the upgrade to firmware v1.40 I've been carrying out some tests with the Beast, which I normally just use now for mobile work.  In Planeplotter the message rate for mode A/C messages  is down to 25% to 33% of the mode-S rate. Previous to the upgrade it was 200% of the mode-S rate.

Using a mobile whip antenna (supplied with the SBS-3, 3db gain) on a frying pan on the inside window sill of my dining room (alt 30mtrs) I'm getting a max range of 248nm for aircraft between FL310 and FL390. That's comparable to my SBS-3 with 0db gain antenna mounted on the chimney.

Tom
Tom