This is a request by Shay C@ to incorporate RT-900 custom UI symbols into the H3 firmware as I did not provide a mechanism to do this from the font touch up utility. So this is the patched firmware, it's basically just a hex edit. Other than that there's no difference between the previous release.
2025-06-06 20:44:30 +0000 UTC View Post
The next release (coming soon) has more key-programming capability.
You will be able to assign Long-Press and Short-Press actions to the side buttons depending on the PTT-Mode that's being used.
I have included an image of the default settings, these can of course be completely rewired as you see fit.
2025-06-06 12:52:30 +0000 UTC View PostSince the Radtel RT-900 is not a dual PTT radio out of the box I'm curious what PTT mode users of nicFW on the RT-900 use. I myself use Hybrid mode (Essentially the same as stock FW) because the PTT-B button is limited on the 900 (No repeater tone or manual DTMF is possible).
I am asking this because I've received a number of requests to assign the middle side button single and long press actions.... Well, I've had requests to do this for the two side buttons below PTT...
2025-06-05 22:07:20 +0000 UTC View PostThis is a very comprehensive user manual that was kindly put together by Dustin Hawkes for the TD-H3 running nicFW.
Different radios may have different sized screens and buttons, but the core functionality is pretty much the same across them all. Reading this will cover 90% of stuff that nicFW can do on any radio. Reading the notes of releases will explain any differences.
2025-06-04 22:43:10 +0000 UTC View PostRelease Notes
This update focuses on reorganizing the menu system and adding a new DTMF decoding option.
Menu Reorganization
The menu system is now split into two sections — User and Advanced - to improve usability and navigation.
To switch between User and Advanced menus, press the [Bottom Side Bu...
2025-06-04 11:08:36 +0000 UTC View PostI’m hesitant to add menu options for every minor configurable feature, as this tends to bloat the menu system and makes it harder for users to find and navigate general settings efficiently.
To address this, I propose splitting the menu into General and Advanced sections. By default, only the General menu items would be visible. Users would need to perform a specific key combination during startup to unlock the Advanced menu options. Additionally, the...
2025-05-31 04:13:32 +0000 UTC View PostJust to show the 900 decoding quickly and not missing digits.
2025-05-30 19:07:30 +0000 UTC View PostNote: Please read this "heads-up" post before proceeding [CLICK HERE]
This release focuses heavily on DTMF functionality enhancements and improvements.
Settings Reset Functionality
Holding the ‘#’ key while powering on the radio now performs a full settings reset.
Radios with red and blue L...
Important Notice: Upcoming V4.00.18 Firmware Release
The V4.00.18 firmware includes major changes to SPI Flash allocation and is not compatible with previous code plugs.
As a result, when you flash this update, the radio’s screen will appear blank, corrupted or unreadable. This is expected behavior due to changes in SPI Flash offsets, which will temporarily break fonts, skins, logos, and settings.
...
2025-05-29 21:47:43 +0000 UTC View PostUse with SPI App 4.00.15 (Previous Release)
Next stage of the DTMF decoding system. Should now show IDs from the DTMF presets when they are heard, even if the squelch is not open.
Hopefully fixed the DTMF banner overwriting the menu.
Improved the DTMF decoding speed.
Rotary encoder now changes the gr...
2025-05-28 15:49:38 +0000 UTC View PostNot 100% yet, there's a few things to tidy up but this should give an idea of its operation.
2025-05-28 10:27:10 +0000 UTC View PostUse with SPI App V4.00.15 (Previous Release)
Fixed: Resolved the reported issue affecting Group Slots 3 and 4.
New Feature (DTMF Decoding - Initial Phase):
As previously discussed in the community chat, work has begun on implementing DTMF decoding functionality. This release includes the initi...
My 880 has arrived (non GPS)
Although we have little to no info on the internals yet, unless Radtel come through it's gonna take a while to reverse over 50 GPIOs so don't hold your breath for nicFW yet. Besides, this is such a different radio, Si4732 / Twin BK4819s it's not going to be a port, it's a full rewrite from:
void main() {
2025-05-26 09:07:08 +0000 UTC View PostFix audio mute after key tone
Added per channel frequency clarifier (100 Hz per unit adjustment), a value between -2 to +2 will usually be enough to bring an off-frequency repeater into spec.
Fixed bad settings offsets in SPI app
AM AGC is now continuous, now uses the PWM GPIO Pin Radtel created specifically for this purpose rather than messing with the BK4819 gain settings. (I had to work out how to enable PWM)
I f...
2025-05-25 11:44:32 +0000 UTC View PostTesting here with my local repeater CTCSS=71.9 430.91250 MHz Signal S5
With XTAL 671 = +0, patchy, sometimes decodes sometimes not, right at the edge of the window.
With XTAL 671 = +80 , this represents roughly 500 Hz adjustment, repeater comes in fine, no cutting out.
With XTAL 671 = +150, it begins to be patchy again, decoding sometimes, sometimes not, so it's now at the other edge of the decode window.
XTAL671=150 at 430.91250 representsa bout 1 kHz decode window. ...
2025-05-25 08:48:06 +0000 UTC View PostThis is a bit of a pain to understate it. I have SPI offsets for the original voice prompts, but the voice pack that was issued with the later stock firmwares I have no information about.
As a result I'm unable to implement voice prompts just yet as I have no way to figure out the voice offsets. I'm not sure there exists a voice "downgrade" pack and it would lead to all sorts of conflicts with people having different packs flashed and what not, certainly not a place I want to go. The s...
2025-05-25 07:32:54 +0000 UTC View Post
Matt recently uploaded an excellent video of this radio. However, some things about this radio didn't add up at first glance.
The radio can receive below 18 MHz, which the BK4819 cannot do, it can also use "proper" USB and LSB which again the BK4819 cannot.
This leads me to suspect this thing also has an Si4732 lurking in it as well like the RT-860, maybe utilizing the second antenna? Although I can't seem to summon the Google-Fu to confirm this.
If so, twin BK4819s and an S...
2025-05-23 21:45:45 +0000 UTC View PostSome settings defaults adjusted in SPI App.
Cosmetic fixes, large channel name scanning fix, scope frequency placement.
ASL COS System implemented.
Channel editor uses 'TX Power' drop down instead of a number.
Removed 'TX Current' feature (not feasible with this hardware).
Added battery ADC level readout to debug dump.
This scan had been running for ages previously.
Thinking about it, the countdown NOT counting down is actually deliberate, RFi compensation is designed to stop RFi from the LCD screen, writing a number to the display every second is going to cause RFi, so it doesn't.
2025-05-21 12:44:06 +0000 UTC View PostFor use with SPI Flash App 4.00.11 (Previous Release)
Better battery calibration.
Optimized UI while scanning/monitoring, less flickery.
Introduces squelch transition cool-down timers, attempting to prevent stuttering.
Squelch hi-noise close will no longer check other squelch parameters, is now absol...
2025-05-21 10:10:42 +0000 UTC View PostWhen the Chip-ID is read on the the RT-900 (Register 0x00) it returns as 0x4819 which is the same ID a normal BK4819 returns. The Chip ID is kind of important and it should return what the chip is. So either Beken have messed up big time, some radios (like mine) have 4819s in them or the chip in all RT-900s is not a BK4829 at all and Radtel are liars.
I've asked Radtel on Telegram to explain why this is, but if they answer or not is another matter.
2025-05-20 18:05:00 +0000 UTC View PostUse with SPI Application V4.00.11 (previous release).
This release changes the timing of the communication between the MCU and the BK48(1/2)9 in an attempt to prevent destabilization and error conditions.
The "Console Debug" option has been updated to perform a live read of all registers rather than reporting the cached values, should give me better information. Note the value of Register 0x00 when doing this (convert to hexadecimal)....
2025-05-20 09:49:13 +0000 UTC View PostI just got my radio into this state again and noticed something else. When transmitting there is no TX Modulation. I always have the TX Mod Meter turned on and while testing trying to find out exactly what frequency it was transmitting on during this state I noticed the TX Mod Meter was not moving when I spoke, even though the tx mod meter was on and mic gain and TX Deviation were turned up.
I think the BK4819(4829) has "crashed" if that's even possible. The symptoms for this problem ar...
2025-05-18 17:52:39 +0000 UTC View PostIntroduces two new menus.
Menu 2 "Noise Floor"
-- Allows adjustment of the absolute highest noise level, above which the radio will always consider the channel as having no signal. This value was previously hard coded as 55 but is now adjustable. Default value is 55 in the SPI App. The menu option also displays a live reading of the noise level of the current VFO to aid in calibration of the setting. Should really be called "Noise Ceiling" but I've named it n...
One is being ordered as I type
(Thank you everyone for your support allowing me to order this as this is not a typical ultra cheap radio, just a reasonably cheap one)
Work is still being done on the 900, so I won't be doing anything with the 880 yet, I just want to get familiar with it before any work is done. Once the 900 has gone to public release and is reasonably stable we can get cracking on this monster. It's such a big step forward I think it will warrant a rewrite r...
2025-05-16 18:07:31 +0000 UTC View PostRequested by a patron in community chat, this is my bad as I forgot to upload it. So here it is.
2025-05-14 15:39:12 +0000 UTC View PostJust a maintenance release.
Fixes activity scan.
Changed AM AGC such that it stops seeking the gain after a short time, enough time to stabilize the signal, but not continuously any more as this introduces noise. A setting of around 100 is recommended, this reduces all signals above S7 down to around S7 which is enough to eliminate any distortion from strong signals. Squelch needs to be used with this setting as squelch closing is what resets the ...
2025-05-14 02:19:06 +0000 UTC View PostI need to clarify how the development cycle works.
nicFW900 is under development. That means the releases I put out are NOT stable and they are ABSOLUTELY NOT meant for general use. The latest version is what you should be using and experimenting with to provide feedback, it does me and everyone else no good at all if you revert to a previous version because of an issue with the latest one.
If you need to use a radio normally, flash it back to stock for that, or simply use another...
2025-05-13 00:06:28 +0000 UTC View PostI have left my RT-900 scanning Air Band for hours and hours and hours. I have not yet gotten the frequency shift/deaf state during scanning. The only time I've ever gotten it was once directly after power on, something that's never occurred again. I'm going to need help with getting this to happen, currently it's seemingly random, that's not good enough, it may seem random but it isn't, there will be a trigger, it needs to be found, you guys are far better placed to find it than me as there a...
2025-05-11 23:11:40 +0000 UTC View PostFor use with existing .08 SPI App
This does not address the random frequency drift problem yet as I'm still investigating what causes it.
Fix for silent FM Tuner
Reduced volume of key beeps
Added "Classic Keys" menu option. This option restores the original "Exit" - "#" to perform the actions of "VFO/MR" - "A/B", used for other models similar to the RT-900 that don't have tho...
2025-05-11 02:41:17 +0000 UTC View Post