uBITX with Nextion LCD (CEC Firmware) - Installation and Introduction
uBITX CEC Firmware supports various LCD since Version 1.08 (16x02 Parallel, 20x04 Parallel, 16x02 I2C, 20x04 I2C, 16x02 Dual LCD with I2C).Supports Nextion LCD (Graphic LCD) from Version 1.09, Version 1.09x is primarily aimed at Nextion LCD support. Also 1.09x will continue to be Beta version. If you want a stable version, please use 1.08 or 1.1 version to be released in the future.
Version 1.097 has been released.
http://www.hamskey.com/2018/08/ubitx-firmware-cec-version-1097beta.html

1.About uBITX with Nextion LCD
Two firmware are required to connect Nextion LCD to uBITX. One will upload to uBITX and the other will upload to Nextion LCD.
The video below contains most of the examples in this article.
1.1 uBITX firmware for Nextion LCD
uBITX firmware has released .Hex files for various LCD since 1.073Beta version as below
Since Version 1.091, uBITX Firmware release .Hex files with file names ending in _NX.hex.

The file name ends with _NX.hex is uBITX firmware for Nextion LCD.
1.2 Nextion LCD GUI Firmware for HF Transceiver (uBITX)
Nextion LCD has various kinds from 2.4 "to 9", CEC Firmware Version 1.092 Beta provides three types of GUI firmware.
Template files , GUI Source files and precompiled GUI Firmware.
You can choose one of these.
Blue box : Template file
Red box : GUI source
Yello box : compiled GUI Firmware

Do you use Linux or MAC?
Or Are you not interested in Nextion LCD development?
Or are you interested in uBITX firmware or hardware Mod rather than Nextion LCD GUI?
(I belong to this category, The GUI work was the hardest until I tried Nextion LCD)
You can use precompiled files. Files whose file extensions end with .tft
Will you modify existing GUI in Windows and create your own GUI?
Or are you interested in developing the Nextion LCD GUI?
You can use precompiled files. The file name ends with _Number.hmi (ex : ubitx_24.hmi, ubitx_28.hmi)
You can use template files. The file name ends with _TempNumber.hmi (ex : ubitx_Temp24.hmi, ubitx_Temp28.hmi)
You can build your own GUI in a simple way.
Template files support all versions.
Some beta testers have begun to create GUIs for 3.2 ", 3.5" and more by modifying the 2.4 "GUI, Perhaps a variety of GUIs are expected to be shared.
2.Uploading firmware to uBITX
Maybe you have experience uploading firmware to uBITX. You can do it the way you did.
If you are uploading firmware to uBITX for the first time, please refer to the link below
http://www.hamskey.com/2018/01/how-to-upgrade-ubitx-firmware.html
The LCD used in uBITX below is the same as the one included in uBITX purchase
Check if uBITX is working normally

Download the firmware file.
If version 1.092 or later is released, you can download it

Extract the downloaded .zip file

After Extract, the following files are displayed

Run X-Loader

Select the .Hex file (file name xxx_NX.hex)

Select the Com port

Click the 'Upload' Button

When the upload is completed, the LCD will not work normally

Remove the Character LCD

3.Uploading GUI Firmware to Nextion LCD
Prepare a Micro SD-Card

Download Nextion LCD Firmware.
If version 1.092 or later is released, you can download it
Select the file that matches your LCD resolution among the downloaded files.
I chose ubitx_24.tft because it uses 2.4 "

Copy the file to Micro SD-Card
Right click -> Click the Copy

Right Click -> Click the Paste

The .tft file has been copied to the Micro SD-Card as shown below.
Please note that only one .tft file is required. If the file does not match the resolution, or if there are two or more files, an error occurs.

Insert the SD-Card into the Nextion LCD

Connect Nextion LCD to uBITX
You do not need any hardware modifications to use the Nextion LCD
You can connect only 4 wires to the place where the LCD is removed as shown below.

Below is my uBITX with Nextion LCD connected
I used the cables included in my Nextion LCD purchase
You should connect the cable as short as possible after the test.
The sound generated during communication between uBITX and Nextion LCD, It is also recommended to shield the Nextion LCD if possible.
However, I use it as it is because I am not sensitive and need to experiment frequently.

Nextion When power is connected to the LCD, the following message will be displayed.

If you wait a bit, it will update quickly

All updates are complete.

Remove the SD-Card from Nextion LCD. Must be removed. If not, may be Nextion LCD always update.
Easy?
In the future, if you find a better GUI for uBITX, you can change the GUI by just copying the file. I hope that.
I saw Nextion LCD use in DMR communication. They seemed nice to share GUI firmware with each other.
If you want to know more about the Nexion LCD with amateur radio, you can study on the Nextion LCD and Amateur radio on facebook. I studied various ways to use it

Now power off uBITX

Power on uBITX
4.Basic of uBITX with Nextion LCD
Maybe your uBITX will look like this. This is a GUI created to verify the template file.
Since uBITX users are mostly engineers, I think that various GUIs will appear soon.

Marked A ~ Y in the figure below
A: Active VFO Frequency and Touch Pannel for Frequency Input Mode
B: TX / RX Status
C: TX Stop Status and Touch Button
D: Active VFO and Touch Button
E: Band Down Touch Button
F: Band Up Touch Button
G: Active VFO Mode and Touch Button
H: Dial Lock Status and Touch Button
I: SDR Mode / Speaker Mode Status and Touch Button
J: Sub VFO Frequency
K: Sub VFO Mode
L: Dial Step Value
M: Split Status and Touch Button
N: RIT Status and Touch Button
O: IF Shift Status and Touch Button
P: ATT Status and Touch Button
Q: Displayed Your Call sign
R:uBITX Firmeare Version Number (not Nextion GUI Version)
S:Signal Meter
T:Signal History
U:Information Pannel for CW and Touch for alternate functions
V:IF Shift Value status and Slide
W:IF Shift Value (number type)
X:ATT Value status and Slide
Y:ATT Value (number type)

Press the PTT, The RX / TX status has changed

Touch the 'TX Stop' button

Press the PTT, Actually, radio waves are not transmitted

Touch the 'Vfo A Button' Button, Changed the Active VFO

Touch the 'Band Down' button
Please use the uBITX manager to set up your ham band

touch the 'Band Up' button

Touch the 'Mode Button', You will probably see the available modes
Touch the 'CWL' Button.

Changed active VFO Mode

Touch the 'Lock' button (Dial Lock),
Turn the Dial (Encoder), The Frequency will not change
Touch the 'Lock' Button Again, Back Unlock mode

Touch the 'SPK' Button (SDR Mode Button), Changed SDR Mode

Touch the Split Button

Press the PTT, It will be transmitted from another VFO

Touch the 'RIT' Button

Press the PTT, RIT effect does not appear

Release the PTT and Change the Frequency

Press the PTT, Transmit at the RIT frequency

Click the 'IF-S' Button (IF Shift), You will see a Slide where you can change the IF Shift value

Move the IF Shift slide. It will be reflected when the touch is released.

Touch the 'IF-S' Button again, disabled the IF Shift Mode

Click the 'ATT' Button, The ATT value is automatically set to 70. Moving the ATT slide will change the receiver sensitivity

Touch the Active VFO Frequency that 14.074000 is displayed.

5.Frequen Panel
frequency input panel, Refer to the link below for frequency input panel.
http://www.hamskey.com/2018/06/how-to-use-nextion-lcd-3-practice-for.html

First input method. Use the numeric keypad to enter the frequency.
When the desired frequency is input, touch 'ENT' button.

The second method, '.', Is used
Mhz and enter '.' Touch the button
If you want to enter 7.070000 Mhz, press '7' and press '.'
The numeric position will move as shown below

When the desired frequency is displayed, press 'ENT'.
Example)'7', '.', '0', '7', 'ENT'
Third method, Input Band Frequency. It is possible to set the center frequency of the Ham Band according to the user's opinion.
Press the 'Shift' Button. Most Key Pad colors will change
Press the '14' (or 5) Button
changed the Frequency to 14.000000Mhz

Fourth Method, Try moving the slides.
Probably the frequency will change as a larger unit.

I intended it. Use the dial to fine tune the frequency. You will be able to adjust the desired frequency fairly quickly using this method.

Fifth Method, Touch on the large number with frequency.
Touch the top of the number to increase it, and touch the bottom to decrease it
I like Ham Radio Deluxe Software. Its motif from Ham Radio Deluxe.

6.Text Mode
- Some users may prefer the traditional way of uBITX control, I like how to set up all the menus with only one switch of uBITX.
- Many functions in the CEC Firmware can not be GUI.
So I decided to emulate the character LCD. I decided to call it Text Mode.
The appearance of the existing uBITX with Character LCD is displayed as is
Of course, most of the settings can be done in uBITX Manager. But you do not need to turn on your computer to change CW Side Tone.
Press the Function Switch on uBITX, You will probably see a screen that you are familiar with.

Turn the Dial, Press the Function Switch

Change Mode, The changed mode is immediately displayed in the GUI

Change the CW Tone

to 1000 Hz

The changed Side Tone will be displayed on the CW information panel below.

Try IF Shift changes. The graph at the bottom will change together

Try ATT changes. The graph at the bottom will change together

Press and hold Function Siwth to change Tuen Step

Turn the dial until the desired Step appears. The Tune Step List can be set in uBITX Manager.

The video below contains most of the examples in this article.
(This is the same as the video at the top of this post)
Thank you for reading.
Ian KD8CEC
Thanks for sharing all this new developments for ubitx owners.
ReplyDeleteBest 73’ Ton - PA1PXL
Thank you for your interesting
DeleteI have a display here, and I thought I had picked it up for eventual rasberry pi use with your system. But, it might be larger ? says NX4024T032_11 on the back. Is this a touch screen fitting your software ?
ReplyDeleteYour LCD is probably a 3.2 "Basic model. I have the same model. I'm still officially releasing only 2.4 "and 2.8" GUIs.
DeleteHowever, I will simply convert and distribute the 2.8 "for 3.2" users.
There will be a blank space on the right (80 pixels), but there is no problem in using it.
There is a second option. Beta testers are already converting to various sizes. You can use it.
There is a third method. Nextion GUI development is very interesting. You can do it yourself. For ease of development I have prepared a Template file. The template file supports LCDs of all sizes.
is it possible to use the display as an external add on in addition to the stock 2 x 16? for those of us who have already invested in an enclosure.
DeleteHi Ian, thanks for the great software and extra functionality for this great radio. Can I ask a question regarding the Nextion display? Can the Nextion display be added to the Ubitx as a second display leaving the original supplied display as well?
ReplyDeleteSteve
Steve
DeleteUnfortunately, that's impossible. It is difficult to use together because it uses the GPIO used by the conventional LCD.
Ian KD8CEC
Very impressive work! Some years ago I seen the nexion displays but can't immagine these results. Vy 73 de Giuseppe, IK8YFW
ReplyDeleteNextion LCD is very easy to use. You'll do better than that.
DeleteI've experimented with your DSP, I've got a motif from it and I'm going to make another fun thing.
Ian KD8CEC
I'm glad to read this, Ian, I got also a new Cortex m4 cheap module and I'm studing it now.
DeleteI'll wait your good news.
Best 73, Ik8yfw, Giuseppe.
Once again I must say Congratulations to you Ian for your excellent work.
ReplyDeleteI think I've lost count of how many times I have been amazed with your developments.
Great ideas!
73 de Konstantinos, SV1ONW
Thank you for your kind help
DeleteIan
Nice package, and it keeps on getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteGreat features and one of the best displays!
Thanks for all your hard work!!
Joe
VE1BWV
Thanks for helping me
DeleteI will often ask for your help in the future
Ian
Hi, congratulations to you Ian for your excellent work...!!! I'd like to know which display i've must to buy for try your Firmware, have some link in Amazon or eBay? Many Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIs possible to use this model?
https://www.amazon.it/UNIKEL-Nextion-display-touchpanel-ESP8266/dp/B008RU8WAK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1529567189&sr=1-2&keywords=nextion+lcd+2%2C8
73 de IW6CAE
Maybe it will be okay.
DeleteWhat I recommend is the cheapest.
I bought the cheapest in Ali Express and had to wait quite a long time. :)
First, CEC Version supports both English (Nextion)and Chinese (TJC) versions.
Ian KD8CEC
Hi, can use that ?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ebay.com/itm/253169553120?_trksid=p11401.c100711.m5036&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170110121435%26meid%3D463d74f861444e99af1af41fa393b607%26pid%3D100711%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D2%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D253169553120%26itm%3D253169553120&ul_noapp=true
regards from chile
CE3MSB
CE3MSB
DeleteThis LCD is not Nextion or TJC LCD, Nextion LCD use UART but this use SPI protocol,
Not compataible with this LCD, so do not buy this lcd for using on uBITX with CEC firmware.
Thank you
Hi again. I tested three diffeent SD cards until I found an old 4Mb SD-card which I formatted to FAT32. ubitx_35_E.tft file in the card, installed it in the slot and powered on.
ReplyDeleteThe Nextion says 9600 bd, uploading file....
Nothing happens.
So is the card faulted or what am I doing wrong? I don't have a suitable serial to ttl adapter which I could use for downloading.
73
Kai OH3WE
Kai
DeletePlease check if the LCD is supplying enough power. In my case, I recognized any SD card. I upload using the free space of the SD card used by Raspberry Pi.
In my experience, the same symptoms as you did when you limited the current to the LCD.
Please read the link below.
http://www.hamskey.com/2018/06/nextion-tjc-character-lcd-current.html
Ian KD8CEC
Thank you for quick reply. Today I used the small usb-to-2pin adapter which came along with the display. My 5V supply is the same (2.5A) which I use with my RaspPi so it must be good enough.
ReplyDeleteSD update starts but it never ends. What other ways do I have to push the file in?
Kai
An old style 4 gigabytes SD card solved my problem.
DeleteThank you for help.
How to get the display bigger to fill the whole screen area?
Can you please tell if you can use such a display https://al.aliexpress.com/item/2-8-TFT-320x240/32874098075.html?spm=a2g0v.10010108.1000014.3.7c7b36dd9wJVym&scm=1007.13338.98644.000000000000000&scm_id=1007.13338.98644.000000000000000&scm -url = 1007.13338.98644.000000000000000 & pvid = 9c668437-8ee9-4f3a-863b-79cde19011f1 & _t = pvid% 3A9c668437-8ee9-4f3a-863b-79cde19011f1% 2Cscm-url% 3A1007.13338.98644.000000000000000
ReplyDeleteThe screen must be a "NEXTION" screen. A 2.4 inch or 2.8 or 3.2 or larger
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Ian. This gentleman uses 1.97 (I Believe) but is also decoding CW ? Does your version do that ? https://youtu.be/iSKb4ZvR6xI His blog (translated by google) https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.hamradio.si%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D14%26p%3D66455%23p66455&edit-text=
ReplyDeleteHis Blog original http://forum.hamradio.si/viewtopic.php?f=14&p=66455#p66455
I think I've found it, its meantioned on the page for 1.97 beta and says you must have the stand alone signal analyzer for the CW Decode.
DeleteHas anyone converted the 2.8" LCD I2C stand alone signal analyzer firmware to 3,2" If so I would love to get a copy of that .tft file. Thanks, Eric
ReplyDeleteHi guys, I also need the same conversion for my 3.5`` standard nextion display.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot in advance.
TA2FU Alper
Many thanks Ian. A magnificent description of how to do it. I'm an old tube man, but always willing to learn.
ReplyDelete73 Ray G3SRQ/F5VKX
Hello Jan. I trid with a Nextion NX4024T032_011 (400x240) and it works fine. I notice only that the pictures (320x240) don't fully fill the screen. If I will buy a 480*320 with other HMI will I resolfe? Thank you in advance.
ReplyDelete73 de Renzo - IN3EQZ
Hello Ian,
ReplyDeleteI also have the Nextion 3.2" on my ubitx and I have the problem that the touch function is not working at all. I am only able to access the menu through the main dial, but the LCD doesn't react at all to touch. Could you imagine what could be the reason for that?
I also have no indication of the S-meter, but I suppose I have to wire up the purple wire from digital connector, which is not used right now...
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Conrad