uBITX with Nextion LCD (CEC Firmware) - Installation and Introduction

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.

UBITX usage except GUI is same as existing CEC Firmware. uBITX Manager is used in the same way. This document does not describe the use of uBITX and uBITX Manager. Use other posts or manuals.

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)

Do you want to make your own GUI by reading my 'How to use Nextion LCD' series?
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.

At Version 1.092 release, the Nextion LCD GUI is officially available in 2.4 "and 2.8".
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