Downloads

tBeacon firmware is a part of the Configurator utility and can be flashed from within the utility.

  • Totally redesigned tBeacon Configurator utility. Now it runs on Windows and macOS;
  • UBX-PVT protocol support (iNav, u-blox 8);
  • tBeacon mini and tBeacon Black hardware support;
  • Contactless power-off function (for Amber> = 6.7 and Black> = 7.7);
  • LiPo health care feature (configurable);
  • Beep pattern changed: strong - 3 beeps, medium - 2 beeps, weak - 1 beep;
  • Voltage sensor calibration feature;
  • GPS reading even if timer beacon activated;
  • Lower transmission power of initial GPS report;
  • Redesigned LED flashing pattern;
  • Initial support for the digital protocol and repeater feature;
  • Self-testing of the radio-module;
  • Stronger check for LiPo state at startup;
  • Fixed: Number of GPS satellites info in NMEA;
  • Fixed: GPS coordinates formatting errors (including DD MM.MMM);
  • Fixed: track download bug;
  • Tons of small bug fixes and improvements.

tBeacon Configurator (win32)

tBeacon Configurator (macOS)

tBeacon Configurator  (Linux)

  • tBeacon Amber support
  • Bebop Drone support (250000 baudrate)
  • OpenTelemetry support (EagleTree Vector)
  • LiHV external battery monitoring
  • Optional extended delay to aid slow squelches on some radios
  • GPS updates while timer beacon is active
  • A number of non-critical bugfixes (vbat, init_config, etc)

Configurator utility + firmware

  • Close proximity search mode was rename to Proximity mode. The beacon will report received signal strength with every call. It was found, that this search mode is more efficient not only on close distances but on far distances too. Three beeps are still there for you, old-school guys. :)
  • Entering Proximity mode was simplified a lot. No more following the rhythm, you can do it more relaxed.
  • External LiPo battery monitoring. The beacon can substitute a Low Voltage Buzzer! There are two thresholds: WARNING and CRITICAL. The beacon will notify both with radio and with LED/buzzer.
  • The beacon will beep decently every 30 minutes. Just in case it was forgotten to turn off.
  • You can tune the buzzer frequency in order to obtain a loud resonant sound. There are corresponding testing buttons in the configurator.
  • Every new tBeacon gets a new bootloader, which allows to use a UART without a DTR pin.
  • Fixed a number of bugs. Including that nasty bug with the power of the last beep.

NOTE: When upgrading from previous releases, all settings will be reset to default! You'll have to at least calibrate the frequency. Also, note that some defaults are changed!

Configurator utility + firmware

  • CTCSS as a calling tone. You no longer need a radio capable of transmitting a Tone burst, just a CTCSS capable one. There are nuances, read the manual.
  • GPS-protocols are checked for a correct checksum.
  • GPS signal quality filter. You can set minimum visible satellites as reported by the GPS receiver for processing by the beacon.
  • To facilitate the preflight checking, the beacon immediately transmits the first correct location received from GPS (once).
  • Close proximity search mode! See the manual for details.
  • AUX outputs are completely redone. It is now a buzzer output and a LED flash output. See the manual for details.
  • Voice quality significantly improved.
  • The beacon is now capable of sending your callsign in Morse code. That means you can use HAM bands! Note: you'll need a HAM license for that.
  • The beacon is no more vulnerable to momentary blackouts during the impact. The last location is saved into the onboard non-volatile memory.
  • As a bonus feature: the beacon has the ability to store ~100 last position coordinates, allowing the user to download the tBeacon’s GPS track!

NOTE: all settings will be reset to default when upgrading. Also, note that some defaults have changed compared to the previous releases!

Configurator utility + firmware

 


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Docs

tBeacon documentation and manual

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How to get started with tBeacon

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