My firmware is based on Egzumer v0.22. Source code of my firmware is available on this repository. I added this changes :
- improve default power settings level (Low ~125mW, Mid ~2W and High ~5W),
- improve s-meter (IARU recommandations),
- improve UI:
- menu index is always visible, even if a menu is selected,
- s-meter new design (Classic or Tiny),
- MAIN ONLY screen mode,
- DUAL and CROSS screen mode,
- RX blink on VFO RX,
- RX LED blink,
- Squelch level and Monitor,
- Step value,
- CTCSS or DCS value,
- KeyLock message,
- last RX,
- move BatTxt menu from 34/63 to 30/63 (just after BatSave menu 29/63),
- rename BackLt to BLTime,
- rename BltTRX to BLTxRx,
- and more...
- new menu entries:
- add SetLow menu to set low power (<20mW, 125mW, 250mW, 500mW and 1W),
- add SetPtt menu to set PTT mode (Classic or OnePush),
- add SetTot menu to set TOT alert (Off, Sound, Visual, All),
- add SetCtr menu to set contrast (0 to 15),
- add SetInv menu to set screen in invert mode (Off or On),
- add SetEot menu to set EOT (End Of Transmission) alert (Off, Sound, Visual, All),
- add SetMet menu to set s-meter style (Classic or Tiny),
- add SetLck menu to set what is locked (Keys or Keys + PTT),
- add SetGui menu to set font size on the VFO baseline (Classic or Tiny),
- rename BatVol menu (52/63) to SysInf, which displays the firmware version in addition to the battery status,
- improve PonMsg menu,
- improve BackLt menu,
- improve TxTOut menu,
- improve status bar,
- add SetPtt mode in status bar,
- change font and bitmaps,
- move USB icon to left of battery information,
- add RX and TX timers,
- new actions:
- SWITCH RxMode,
- SWITCH PTT,
- SWITCH WIDE NARROW,
- 1750Hz,
- BlMin Tmp Off,
- new key combinations:
- add the F + UP or F + DOWN key combination to dynamically change the Squelch level,
- add the F + F1 or F + F2 key combination to dynamically change the Step,
- add F + 8 to quickly switch backlight between BLMin and BLMax on demand (this bypass BackLt strategy),
- add F + 9 to return to BackLt strategy,
- add long press on MENU, in * SCAN mode, to temporarily exclude a memory channel if (not working with * SCAN ALL).
- many fix:
- squelch,
- s-meter,
- DTMF overlaying,
- scan list 2 ignored,
- scan range limit,
- clean display on startup,
- and more...
- disabled ENABLE_DTMF_CALLING,
- disabled SCRAMBLER,
- unlock TX on all bands needs only to be repeat 3 times,
- add PMR 446 F Lock band,
- remove blink and SOS functionality,
- code refactoring and many memory optimization,
- and more...
As usual, you can use online flasher.
Note
EN - The source code of this firmware is available on this repository.
FR - Le code source de ce firmware est disponible sur ce dépôt.
Note
EN - About Chirp, as many others firmwares, you need to use a dedicated driver available on this repository.
FR - A propos de Chirp, comme beaucoup d'autres firmwares, vous devez utiliser un pilote dédié disponible sur ce dépôt.
Note
EN - About SetPtt menu, if you select the OnePush option, you no longer need to press the PTT continuously to transmit. Simply press once to start transmission, and press a second time to stop. No more finger cramps :)
FR - Dans le menu SetPtt, si vous sélectionnez l'option OnePush, vous n'avez plus besoin d'appuyer continuellement sur le PTT pour transmettre. Il vous suffit d'appuyer une fois pour commencer la transmission, et d'appuyer une seconde fois pour l'arrêter. Plus de crampes aux doigts :)
Warning
EN - THIS FIRMWARE HAS NO REAL BRAIN. PLEASE USE YOUR OWN. Use this firmware at your own risk (entirely). There is absolutely no guarantee that it will work in any way shape or form on your radio(s), it may even brick your radio(s), in which case, you'd need to buy another radio. Anyway, have fun.
FR - CE FIRMWARE N'A PAS DE VÉRITABLE CERVEAU. VEUILLEZ UTILISER LE VÔTRE. Utilisez ce firmware à vos risques et périls. Il n'y a absolument aucune garantie qu'il fonctionnera d'une manière ou d'une autre sur votre (vos) radio(s), il peut même bousiller votre (vos) radio(s), dans ce cas, vous devrez acheter une autre radio. Quoi qu'il en soit, amusez-vous bien.
Caution
EN - I recommend to backup your eeprom with k5prog before playing with alternative firmwares. It's a good reflex to have.
FR - Je recommande de sauvegarder votre eeprom avec k5prog avant de jouer avec des firmwares alternatifs. C'est un bon réflexe à avoir.
You can find all the older versions of my modified firmware in the archive directory.
Special thanks to Jean-Cyrille F6IWW, Fabrice 14RC123, David F4BPP, Olivier 14RC206, Frédéric F4ESO, Stéphane F5LGW, Jorge Ornelas, Laurent F4AXK, Christophe Morel, Clayton W0LED, Pierre Antoine F6FWB, Jean-Claude 14FRS3306, Thierry F4GVO, Eric F1NOU, PricelessToolkit, Ady M6NYJ and Tom McGovern for their donations. That’s so kind of them. Thanks so much 🙏🏻
Here are a few photos.
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| Main Only and Dual RX Respond |
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| Main Only and Dual RX Respond (invert mode) |
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| Some new menu entries |
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| Main Only and Spectrum Analyzer |
Here are the full settings,
ENABLE_CLANG := 0 **experimental, builds with clang instead of gcc (LTO will be disabled if you enable this)
ENABLE_SWD := 0 only needed if using CPU's SWD port (debugging/programming)
ENABLE_OVERLAY := 0 cpu FLASH stuff, not needed
ENABLE_LTO := 1 **experimental, reduces size of compiled firmware but might break EEPROM reads (OVERLAY will be disabled if you enable this)
ENABLE_UART := 1 without this you can't configure radio via PC !
ENABLE_AIRCOPY := 0 easier to just enter frequency with butts
ENABLE_FMRADIO := 1 WBFM VHF broadcast band receiver
ENABLE_NOAA := 0 everything NOAA (only of any use in the USA)
ENABLE_VOICE := 0 want to hear voices ?
ENABLE_VOX := 1
ENABLE_ALARM := 0 TX alarms
ENABLE_TX1750 := 0 side key 1750Hz TX tone (older style repeater access)
ENABLE_PWRON_PASSWORD := 0 power-on password stuff
ENABLE_DTMF_CALLING := 0 DTMF calling fuctionality, sending calls, receiving calls, group calls, contacts list etc.
ENABLE_FLASHLIGHT := 1 enable top flashlight LED (on, blink, SOS)
ENABLE_BIG_FREQ := 1 big font frequencies (like original QS firmware)
ENABLE_SMALL_BOLD := 1 bold channel name/no. (when name + freq channel display mode)
ENABLE_KEEP_MEM_NAME := 1 maintain channel name when (re)saving memory channel
ENABLE_WIDE_RX := 1 full 18MHz to 1300MHz RX (though front-end/PA not designed for full range)
ENABLE_TX_WHEN_AM := 0 allow TX (always FM) when RX is set to AM
ENABLE_F_CAL_MENU := 0 enable the radios hidden frequency calibration menu
ENABLE_CTCSS_TAIL_PHASE_SHIFT := 1 standard CTCSS tail phase shift rather than QS's own 55Hz tone method
ENABLE_BOOT_BEEPS := 0 gives user audio feedback on volume knob position at boot-up
ENABLE_SHOW_CHARGE_LEVEL := 1 show the charge level when the radio is on charge
ENABLE_REVERSE_BAT_SYMBOL := 0 mirror the battery symbol on the status bar (+ pole on the right)
ENABLE_NO_CODE_SCAN_TIMEOUT := 1 disable 32-sec CTCSS/DCS scan timeout (press exit butt instead of time-out to end scan)
ENABLE_AM_FIX := 1 dynamically adjust the front end gains when in AM mode to help prevent AM demodulator saturation, ignore the on-screen RSSI level (for now)
ENABLE_AM_FIX_SHOW_DATA := 0 show debug data for the AM fix
ENABLE_SQUELCH_MORE_SENSITIVE := 1 make squelch levels a little bit more sensitive - I plan to let user adjust the values themselves
ENABLE_FASTER_CHANNEL_SCAN := 1 increases the channel scan speed, but the squelch is also made more twitchy
ENABLE_RSSI_BAR := 1 enable a dBm/Sn RSSI bar graph level in place of the little antenna symbols
ENABLE_AUDIO_BAR := 1 experimental, display an audio bar level when TX'ing
ENABLE_COPY_CHAN_TO_VFO := 1 copy current channel into the other VFO. Long press `1 BAND` when in channel mode
ENABLE_SPECTRUM := 1 fagci spectrum analyzer, activated with `F` + `5 NOAA`
ENABLE_REDUCE_LOW_MID_TX_POWER:= 0 makes medium and low power settings even lower
ENABLE_FEAT_F4HWN := 1 changes by F4HWN
ENABLE_BYP_RAW_DEMODULATORS := 0 additional BYP (bypass?) and RAW demodulation options, proved not to be very useful, but it is there if you want to experiment
ENABLE_BLMIN_TMP_OFF := 1 additional function for configurable buttons that toggles `BLMin` on and off wihout saving it to the EEPROM
ENABLE_SCAN_RANGES := 1 scan range mode for frequency scanning, see wiki for instructions (radio operation -> frequency scanning)
Important
Be aware. I choosed to disable ENABLE_DTMF_CALLING. I started to run out of memory, and I believe this option has little relevance to our amateur radio activities. One must know how to compromise. This allowed me to free up 6% of memory, which is significant. It will be useful for me to be able to develop other things.
This repository is a merge of OneOfEleven custom firmware with fagci spectrum analizer plus my few changes.
All is a cloned and customized version of DualTachyon's open firmware found here ... a cool achievement !
Warning
Use this firmware at your own risk (entirely). There is absolutely no guarantee that it will work in any way shape or form on your radio(s), it may even brick your radio(s), in which case, you'd need to buy another radio. Anyway, have fun.
- Main Features
- Manual
- Radio Performance
- User Customization
- Compiler
- Building
- Credits
- Other sources of information
- License
- Example changes/updates
- many of OneOfEleven mods:
- AM fix, huge improvement in reception quality
- long press buttons functions replicating F+ action
- fast scanning
- channel name editing in the menu
- channel name + frequency display option
- shortcut for scan-list assignment (long press
5 NOAA) - scan-list toggle (long press
* Scanwhile scanning) - configurable button function selectable from menu
- battery percentage/voltage on status bar, selectable from menu
- longer backlight times
- mic bar
- RSSI s-meter
- more frequency steps
- squelch more sensitive
- fagci spectrum analyzer (F+5 to turn on)
- some other mods introduced by me:
- SSB demodulation (adopted from fagci)
- backlight dimming
- battery voltage calibration from menu
- better battery percentage calculation, selectable for 1600mAh or 2200mAh
- more configurable button functions
- long press MENU as another configurable button
- better DCS/CTCSS scanning in the menu (
* SCANwhile in RX DCS/CTCSS menu item) - Piotr022 style s-meter
- restore initial freq/channel when scanning stopped with EXIT, remember last found transmission with MENU button
- reordered and renamed menu entries
- LCD interference crash fix
- many others...
Up to date manual is available in the Wiki section
Please note that the Quansheng UV-Kx radios are not professional quality transceivers, their performance is strictly limited. The RX front end has no track-tuned band pass filtering at all, and so are wide band/wide open to any and all signals over a large frequency range.
Using the radio in high intensity RF environments will most likely make reception anything but easy (AM mode will suffer far more than FM ever will), the receiver simply doesn't have a great dynamic range, which results in distorted AM audio with stronger RX'ed signals. There is nothing more anyone can do in firmware/software to improve that, once the RX gain adjustment I do (AM fix) reaches the hardwares limit, your AM RX audio will be all but non-existent (just like Quansheng's firmware). On the other hand, FM RX audio will/should be fine.
But, they are nice toys for the price, fun to play with.
You can customize the firmware by enabling/disabling various compile options, this allows us to remove certain firmware features in order to make room in the flash for others. You'll find the options at the top of "Makefile" ('0' = disable, '1' = enable) ..
ENABLE_CLANG := 0 **experimental, builds with clang instead of gcc (LTO will be disabled if you enable this)
ENABLE_SWD := 0 only needed if using CPU's SWD port (debugging/programming)
ENABLE_OVERLAY := 0 cpu FLASH stuff, not needed
ENABLE_LTO := 1 **experimental, reduces size of compiled firmware but might break EEPROM reads (OVERLAY will be disabled if you enable this)
ENABLE_UART := 1 without this you can't configure radio via PC !
ENABLE_AIRCOPY := 0 easier to just enter frequency with butts
ENABLE_FMRADIO := 1 WBFM VHF broadcast band receiver
ENABLE_NOAA := 0 everything NOAA (only of any use in the USA)
ENABLE_VOICE := 0 want to hear voices ?
ENABLE_VOX := 1
ENABLE_ALARM := 0 TX alarms
ENABLE_TX1750 := 0 side key 1750Hz TX tone (older style repeater access)
ENABLE_PWRON_PASSWORD := 0 power-on password stuff
ENABLE_DTMF_CALLING := 1 DTMF calling fuctionality, sending calls, receiving calls, group calls, contacts list etc.
ENABLE_FLASHLIGHT := 1 enable top flashlight LED (on, blink, SOS)
ENABLE_BIG_FREQ := 1 big font frequencies (like original QS firmware)
ENABLE_SMALL_BOLD := 1 bold channel name/no. (when name + freq channel display mode)
ENABLE_KEEP_MEM_NAME := 1 maintain channel name when (re)saving memory channel
ENABLE_WIDE_RX := 1 full 18MHz to 1300MHz RX (though front-end/PA not designed for full range)
ENABLE_TX_WHEN_AM := 0 allow TX (always FM) when RX is set to AM
ENABLE_F_CAL_MENU := 0 enable the radios hidden frequency calibration menu
ENABLE_CTCSS_TAIL_PHASE_SHIFT := 0 standard CTCSS tail phase shift rather than QS's own 55Hz tone method
ENABLE_BOOT_BEEPS := 0 gives user audio feedback on volume knob position at boot-up
ENABLE_SHOW_CHARGE_LEVEL := 1 show the charge level when the radio is on charge
ENABLE_REVERSE_BAT_SYMBOL := 0 mirror the battery symbol on the status bar (+ pole on the right)
ENABLE_NO_CODE_SCAN_TIMEOUT := 1 disable 32-sec CTCSS/DCS scan timeout (press exit butt instead of time-out to end scan)
ENABLE_AM_FIX := 1 dynamically adjust the front end gains when in AM mode to help prevent AM demodulator saturation, ignore the on-screen RSSI level (for now)
ENABLE_AM_FIX_SHOW_DATA := 0 show debug data for the AM fix
ENABLE_SQUELCH_MORE_SENSITIVE := 1 make squelch levels a little bit more sensitive - I plan to let user adjust the values themselves
ENABLE_FASTER_CHANNEL_SCAN := 1 increases the channel scan speed, but the squelch is also made more twitchy
ENABLE_RSSI_BAR := 1 enable a dBm/Sn RSSI bar graph level in place of the little antenna symbols
ENABLE_AUDIO_BAR := 1 experimental, display an audio bar level when TX'ing
ENABLE_COPY_CHAN_TO_VFO := 1 copy current channel into the other VFO. Long press `1 BAND` when in channel mode
ENABLE_SPECTRUM := 1 fagci spectrum analyzer, activated with `F` + `5 NOAA`
ENABLE_REDUCE_LOW_MID_TX_POWER:= 0 makes medium and low power settings even lower
ENABLE_BYP_RAW_DEMODULATORS := 0 additional BYP (bypass?) and RAW demodulation options, proved not to be very useful, but it is there if you want to experiment
ENABLE_BLMIN_TMP_OFF := 0 additional function for configurable buttons that toggles `BLMin` on and off wihout saving it to the EEPROM
ENABLE_SCAN_RANGES := 1 scan range mode for frequency scanning, see wiki for instructions (radio operation -> frequency scanning)
arm-none-eabi GCC version 10.3.1 is recommended, which is the current version on Ubuntu 22.04.03 LTS. Other versions may generate a flash file that is too big. You can get an appropriate version from: https://developer.arm.com/downloads/-/gnu-rm
clang may be used but isn't fully supported. Resulting binaries may also be bigger. You can get it from: https://releases.llvm.org/download.html
This is the least demanding option as you don't have to install enything on your computer. All you need is Github account.
- Go to https://github.com/egzumer/uv-k5-firmware-custom
- Click green
Codebutton - Change tab from
LocaltoCodespace - Click green
Create codespace on mainbutton
- Open
Makefile - Edit build options, save
Makefilechanges - Run
./compile-with-docker.shin terminal window - Open folder
compiled-firmware - Right click
firmware.packed.bin - Click
Download, now you should have a firmware on your computer that you can proceed to flash on your radio. You can use online flasher
If you have docker installed you can use compile-with-docker.bat (Windows) or compile-with-docker.sh (Linux/Mac), the output files are created in compiled-firmware folder. This method gives significantly smaller binaries, I've seen differences up to 1kb, so it can fit more functionalities this way. The challenge can be (or not) installing docker itself.
- Open windows command line and run:
winget install -e -h git.git Python.Python.3.8 GnuWin32.Make winget install -e -h Arm.GnuArmEmbeddedToolchain -v "10 2021.10" - Close command line, open a new one and run:
pip install --user --upgrade pip pip install crcmod mkdir c:\projects & cd /D c:/projects git clone https://github.com/egzumer/uv-k5-firmware-custom.git - From now on you can build the firmware by going to
c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-customand runningwin_make.bator by running a command line:cd /D c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-custom win_make.bat - To reset the repository and pull new changes run (!!! it will delete all your changes !!!):
cd /D c:\projects\uv-k5-firmware-custom git reset --hard & git clean -fd & git pull
I've left some notes in the win_make.bat file to maybe help with stuff.
Many thanks to various people on Telegram for putting up with me during this effort and helping:
- OneOfEleven
- DualTachyon
- Mikhail
- Andrej
- Manuel
- @wagner
- @Lohtse Shar
- @Matoz
- @Davide
- @Ismo OH2FTG
- OneOfEleven
- @d1ced95
- and others I forget
ludwich66 - Quansheng UV-K5 Wiki
amnemonic - tools and sources of information
Copyright 2023 Dual Tachyon https://github.com/DualTachyon
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
Video showing the AM fix working ..