For much of the past month I've been attempting to articulate what Open Source Software is, why it's important, how it's relevant to our hobby, how it works,...
(Posted this as a seperate message so not to mix multiple subjects)
As you mention “microcontrollers in the signal-chain of a transceiver”, I am currently looking into OpenRTX.
It is really a very nice example of exactly what you mention and something that has become possible to last 1 to 2 years.
With these radios that support opensource firmware, It really has allowed amateurs a look of what is inside of the firmware of a “commercial-grade” handheld radio.
Two weeks ago, I helped out in an infobooth on Amateurradio at a makerfaire here in Belgium. Things like OpenRTX allow to explain to IT-people (who normally only work on computers) how “embedded software” works, how software that runs in devices we use everyday operates.
In that sense, FOSS is as much an educational tool as it is “just a piece of code that does something”.
You introduce a really interesting idea in mentioning the OpenRTX project, that’s not something I’ve come across.
I would like to point out however that as far as I know, the only open source hardware that this runs on is the M17 module built by the M17 project. It’s my understanding that the other hardware has been hacked to be able to install open source firmware onto it, but I suspect strongly that this would void your warranty.
Consider for example the situation where a firmware update failed. Unless the firmware on the radio and the firmware you were updating are both supplied by the manufacturer, they’re unlikely to assist you and I doubt that any legal requirements exist to make them.
I’m making this point because that distinction might be important to an end user buying a new radio with the potential of bricking it without manufacturer support.
(Posted this as a seperate message so not to mix multiple subjects)
As you mention “microcontrollers in the signal-chain of a transceiver”, I am currently looking into OpenRTX.
It is really a very nice example of exactly what you mention and something that has become possible to last 1 to 2 years. With these radios that support opensource firmware, It really has allowed amateurs a look of what is inside of the firmware of a “commercial-grade” handheld radio.
Two weeks ago, I helped out in an infobooth on Amateurradio at a makerfaire here in Belgium. Things like OpenRTX allow to explain to IT-people (who normally only work on computers) how “embedded software” works, how software that runs in devices we use everyday operates. In that sense, FOSS is as much an educational tool as it is “just a piece of code that does something”.
Kristoff (ON1ARF)
You introduce a really interesting idea in mentioning the OpenRTX project, that’s not something I’ve come across.
I would like to point out however that as far as I know, the only open source hardware that this runs on is the M17 module built by the M17 project. It’s my understanding that the other hardware has been hacked to be able to install open source firmware onto it, but I suspect strongly that this would void your warranty.
Consider for example the situation where a firmware update failed. Unless the firmware on the radio and the firmware you were updating are both supplied by the manufacturer, they’re unlikely to assist you and I doubt that any legal requirements exist to make them.
I’m making this point because that distinction might be important to an end user buying a new radio with the potential of bricking it without manufacturer support.