Ian Lee KD8CEC has been busy releasing his Version 1.01 sketch for the uBITx. However, he has also been busy with modding the wsjt-x Linux software to do some amazing things with the uBITx.
He has now announced the release of version 0.5 (Beta) of Wsjtx-Portable.
For those who are not familiar with wsjt-x, this software is a general purpose graphical user interface (complete with waterfall display) for digital HF modes. The software is a great product, and is available in Windows, Linux, and MacOS flavours to cover every amateur operator’s PC set up. What is more, if you have installed KD8CEC’s V1.01 uBITx sketch, this includes Hamlib CAT functionality so WSJT-X will work with your uBITx on all of those digital modes.
So what is WSTJX-Portable? This is a modified version of WSJT-X that is designed to be used on a Raspberry Pi and a 3.5″ TFT touch screen.
Did you want a nice compact touch screen for your uBITx, but don’t want to hack your uBITx enclosure and push your Arduino Nano to the limits? Then here is the answer! The uBITx is controlled by the Raspberry Pi via the 3.5″ touch screen. You can dial up a frequency, set the step value, change band or mode, go to TX or RX, etc. right from the touch screen. Quite a feat!
Great idea, but nearly useless because it quickly became out-of-date. Ian’s software only works with WSJT-X, version 1.8.X, making FT8 obsolete. WSJT-X has been upgraded to version 2.0.0 with the most popular mode (FT8) becoming enhanced and obsoleted as of 10 Dec 2018. Suggest Ian do a little more work to update his software to be compatible with version 2.0.X.
Please don’t desert us Ian. I, for one, would really love to have my Raspberry Pi set up to work the new FT8 format with WSJTX-Potable for field use. Anyone feel the same as I do?