nicFW900 V4.00.23 [firmware only]

Use with previous release SPI App [HERE] This update includes just one change, but it’s a meaningful one that improves both reliability and

Use with previous release SPI App [HERE]

This update includes just one change, but it’s a meaningful one that improves both reliability and the longevity of your radio.

Recently, someone in the community chat asked about how settings are saved on the radio, which led to a deeper look at how we handle Flash Storage preservation. As a reminder: flash memory has a finite lifespan; around 100,000 write cycles. Without safeguards, every small change (like scrolling through frequencies/channels/modes) could chip away at that limit. Once it's done, your radio is a brick! So there has to be some system in place to prevent undue wear.

To address this, I implemented a smart write delay system: changes are held in a queue, and only written to flash storage after five seconds of inactivity. This worked well to reduce unnecessary writes… but it had a downside. If the radio was powered down before that five-second window expired, some settings wouldn’t be saved; understandably leading to confusion.

Then came the “aha!” moment. 🤦

That delay system was originally designed for the RT-890, and when we moved to the RT-900, it came along for the ride, mostly because the flash hardware is so similar. But here's the key difference:

The RT-900 can detect when it's being powered off.

This opens the door for a much cleaner approach: now, every change is simply queued and saved once, right at the moment the radio shuts down. No more five-second timer. No more risk of lost settings. Fewer writes overall.

That improvement is now live in this release.

It’s a small change in code, but a big step forward in usability and flash health. Thanks to the community for asking the right questions; keep them coming!