Portsdown Update With New Contest Features

[G8GKQ]

I have just released updates to both Portsdown 4 and Portsdown 2020 which add features to make operating easier during the IARU Contest this weekend.

The first feature is the ability to create up to 5 sets of Contest Numbers, each tied to a specific location. So you can create the sets of Contest Numbers before leaving home and switch between them easily when you move sites during the contest. To access, go to: “Menu 3”, “Set Call, Loc & PIDs” (remember this is locator-based), “Set Contest Codes”.

• To set up a set of codes, select “Edit Site” and that button will turn Red, indicating that you should select the Site that you want to Edit. So select Site 1 and then enter or confirm the locator for Site 1. Then it will ask you to enter the numbers for each of the 9 bands in turn. At the end, the numbers will be stored against Site 1. You can repeat the process for each of the sites.
• To view the codes, select “Show Site Codes” and then select the site. All the codes will be displayed on one page. Exceptionally, you can also view the in-use codes by selecting “Show in-use Site” which appears when “Show Site Codes” is selected.
• All the editing is Off-line, so to load a site’s codes (and locator) for use, you should select “Load Site” and then select one of the Sites.
• If you want to save the codes (and locator) that you are currently using, select “Save In-use Site” and then the Site Button that you want to save it to.
• If you want to edit the codes directly, they are stored in the file /home/pi/rpidatv/scripts/portsdown_C_codes.txt

The second feature is a number of improvements to the Band Viewer https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_Band_Viewer, including the ability to go directly from the Portsdown Receiver Menu (in terrestrial mode) to the Band Viewer with it pre-tuned to the current receive frequency.

I would encourage all Portsdown owners to update and try to get on the air this weekend during the contest.

Dave, G8GKQ

[G3IUZ]

Hullo Dave and again thank you for the generous welcome on my first visit to the QO-100 Net on Thursday. My warm glow of satisfaction has been short lived however! Yesterday I went through the usual check and update of the Portsdown4 software and all seemed to go well. However when it did the final reboot it has ended up at the BATC sign-on screen (Logo and Portsdown Title) and refuses to go any further to the usual Menu 1. Further tries after power down and reboot give the same frustrating result as does recourse to the SSH menu. System 12 confirms installed version 202107050 and a forced upgrade makes no difference. Your advice as to what to try next would be most gratefully received. Thank You, Roger

[G8GKQ]

Hi Roger

Really sorry to hear that the update failed on you. I have e-mailed you and hopefully you should have a solution soon.

Dave, G8GKQ

[VK3BVR]

Hi Dave,
Sorry to report I'm having the same problem as Roger.
I can't get past the Portsdown screen in Portsdown 4 since the last update.
Best regards,
Bob.
VK3BVR

[G8GKQ]

OK Bob

Thanks for letting me know. I've done some work on this today, but am still unable to reproduce the fault here. Roger is sending me his SD card with the fault on it, and I hope to have a fix within a few hours of that arriving in the mail (so Tuesday or Wednesday).

In the meantime, please you could try a factory reset from the ssh menu: Log in by ssh, type menu and press enter. The go to System Setup 2. Then select "Factory Settings". After that, reboot and see if it works. Please let me know!

How long ago did you do the previous update?

Dave

[VK3BVR]

Thanks for the reply Dave,
I've only done the update in the last hour.
I haven't used ssh before but I'll have a look and let you know.
Bob.

[G8GKQ]

Sorry, I meant "When did you do the last update before this one?"

I think that it is a problem with updating from different ages of update, but can't put my finger on which original update is acusing the problem.

Dave

[VK3BVR]

Back again Dave,
I'm not sure when i did the last update, but probably the day you released it.
I've done each update as they've come along.
Don't laugh but old age is beating me I think as I took a few minutes to realize what ssh is as I use putty.
I've done as you suggest and I get the selection screen now but the touch screen is not working correctly.
Most functions don't work and those that do don't select the requested function.
Also the system locks up after the incorrect function is selected.
Bob.

[G8GKQ]

Thanks Bob

Please could you give me some examples of things that don't seem right? That would at least give me a clue where to look.

I should have a positive cure for this in a few days, but if you need it to work before that, I would suggest rebuilding the card.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Dave

[VK3BVR]

No apologies needed Dave,
Your work is much appreciated.
TX RX M2 M3 don't work.
None of the 5 selections in the next line work.
Frequency selects Output device Menu (42) then by touching screen many times with luck it returns to menu 1.
Symbol rate selects Audio Input Selection Menu (23) then by touching screen many times it went to DVB-S2 FEC Selection Menu (25).
Then with a lot of touching of the screen it returned to Menu 1.
FEC Band/Tvtr and Lime gain don't do anything.
Nothing happens in the next line down.
Preset 1 went to my pi-cam which is permanently installed.
Preset 2 went to EasyCap Video input Menu (21). Tapping with many fingers many times went back to Menu 1.
Preset 3 Preset 4 and Store Preset did nothing.
I have both a pluto and lime mini with either of them plugged in or unplugged nothing seems to change.
I'm happy to wait for the solution at the moment.
Hope there is some clue here. One thing I can tell you it's well above my knowledge level.
Bob.