SDU5600 firmware / software page

The firmware of the SDU5600 is displayed when the display unit is switched on and can be flash updated via the RS232 port of a PC. A utility (SHboot) is provided here to transfer a HEX file but the displayed language of the utility is Japanese. A full description of the process with screen shots is presented as an Acrobat PDF file as part of the utility ZIP file. You will also need to remove the top cabinet from the SDU5600 and move a jumper, no soldering is required.

1) Right-click the link for the compressed ZIP file and save it to a temporary directory on your PC, the file is 1.96MB in size and includes the documentation and latest HEX file. Right click here

2) Unzip the file to the temporary directory and read the "sdu5600_flash_update_instructions.pdf" file using Acrobat Reader. If you do not have a utility to unzip or read the file, follow these links for free utilities:

3) Run SETUP.EXE to install the flash utility to your computer, best to accept the default paths. This utility has been used on English and Japanese language PCs via COM1 with operating systems W95/98/ME/XP/2000.

4) Copy the latest HEX file to the target directory, currently the file name is sdu050_106_411a.mot (for serial number 09050400 and below) or sdu050_a106_411a.mot (for serial number 09050401 and above).

As the PDF file is not constantly being updated, this file name will not be the same file as the illustration in the PDF documentation, but the file is included in the ZIP and is available as a download using the link below.

Then follow the instructions given in the PDF file to set up the flash update utility.

If you already have the flash utility and just want the latest HEX file, it is available here. It contains two 616kB MOT (HEX) files zipped into a single 470kb file... right click the link and save it to your computer then extract the zip:

5) It is possible to uninstall the utility after the firmware upgrade has been successfully completed, look at your PC control panel / add - remove programs for the SHboot entry.

The original release version of firmware was V102-401A, we have seen V104-404A and the current version A106_411A.

The first update to V104-404A was to enable the receive mode to be selected with the AR5000 rather than having to rely on automode for IF bandwidth selection (to the request of a government user). V104-406A debugged a scenario where the receive frequency was incorrectly reported via the PC port of the SDU5600 on a handful certain frequencies.

Updates continue to appear with hex file names specific to MAJOR changes starting 'sdu036' then 'sdu038' for pass-through command support, 'sdu040' for LCD on/off, improved handling of spectral inversion and other radio support. The current firmware release is sdu050_106_411a.mot (for serial number 09050400 and below) or sdu050_a106_411a.mot (for serial number 09050401 and above)... the process may still be ongoing. For details of added features, see further down this page headed 'Added firmware commands + system limitations'.

If you want to run PC control and have an early production unit, we suggest you update the SDU5600 firmware, otherwise leave it alone as there is no additional functionality.

AOR Japan (the manufacturer) has not provided a detailed list of firmware changes.

The PC software for control of the AOR SDU5600 has been released. It is complete but does not include a HELP file... its fairly intuitive to use. You may freely use the software, a licence is granted for its use in support of the SDU5600 'as is with no warranty'. The software should be okay for Win95/98/ME/XP platforms. The software remains (c) AOR LTD 2004.

It is possible to uninstall the software, look at your PC control panel / add - remove programs for the SDU5600. There is a bug with V0.9, if you set the POLL RATE faster than 1S the recorded trace will not be displayed.

The PC software is in a single ZIP file of 2.465MB. Right click the link below, save the file to a temporary directory on your PC then extract the zip and run the SETUP.EXE file (do not attempt to install the software from within the ZIP).

V0.9 is regarded as the full release version of the FREE package and is fully functional. Further updates or new releases may or may not be produced, but a custom version may be produced on a chargeable basis.

The PC software requires that the FIRMWARE in your SDU5600 is up to date... this is displayed on the SDU5600 during power up. The original release version is [1.02 401A] but the PC software requires at least version [1.04 404A]. The current version is [1.06 411A] see above.

Have your radio and SDU5600 connected and switched on when you launch the SDU5600 software, it will automatically scan COM1 COM2 COM3 of your PC for the SDU5600.

The cable should be pin-to-pin minimum five wire hook-up, both end of the cable plug into 9-pin male sockets, so female-female gender is required for the lead (avoid nul-modem leads as they have cross-over connections). We are aware that the flash upgrade will work with just a three-wire hook up of pins 2, 3, 5 but suggest that a five-wire lead be used:

Entry of frequency in CENTRE FREQUENCY and SPAN defaults to MHz format when ENTER is pressed on the PC. If you prefer, you can use the [M] key to complete the frequency entry process in MHz format or use the [K] key to complete the frequency entry in kHz format.

Look in the FILE and DISPLAY menus for additional features such as RECORD and PLAYBACK of display activity, waterfall and display persistence. There is a bug (V0.9), if you set the POLL RATE faster than 1S the recorded trace will not be displayed.

The recorded display data is stored in TEXT format as generated by the SDU5600 line-by-line so interpretation is easy via third-party database software etc. it also makes the file size VERY small so that long duration recording is practical. You can replay the saved traces at normal speed or use a slider control to display faster or slower (or pause), % of file played and date-time are displayed during playback on the lower right of the display.

If you can't get the SDU5600 to communicate with the PC check the cable (see above).

Try talking to the SDU5600 using Windows HyperTerminal and see if there is any response (connect at 9600baud, 8 bit, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control, type RIVE<CR> should return a version number. Manual gives more examples.

Unplug the cable from the SDU5600, and connect to a different serial port on the same or another PC, again running Windows HyperTerminal. This requires a null-modem cable, and a gender changer. Run the PC software, and you should see some commands coming through from one computer to another or between RS232 ports.

1. Additional modes have been added to the PC command list to enable FM reception with IF bandwidth other than that determined by the automode data of the AR5000 receiver (April 2004). Changes to the WUMD / RUMD command are as follows... originally the range was 1 to 15, now it extends from 1 to 17:

2. A 'pass-through command' has been added for antenna switching. In a similar manner to the earlier SDU5500, customers wish to pass commands via the SDU5600 directly to the AR5000 receiver in order to select antenna etc. If the command is prefixed with * then the command will be directed to the receiver, for example *AN1 or *AN2, AOR Japan confirm that other commands may be prefixed in this manner too.

3. 'Other radio' support has been improved with firmware 'sdu038' upward, however serial numbers below 09050100 will require a modification to correct a frequency offset when OTHER radio has been selected. If any companion receiver is used, there is no issue. Serial numbers 09050101 upward do not require any modification. Eventually new stock will contain firmware 'sdu038' or higher.

For a simple two page scan of the PCB in Acrobat PDF format (647kb) - click here

Remember, if you are not using the SDU5600 set for OTHER radio type, or your serial number is above 09050101 then ignore this note.

4. Commercial users locating the SDU5600 remotely via computer control have requested a means of disabling the LCD screen via computer control. Firmware version 'sdu040' or higher will be required for the following commands to work:

If you forget to reactivate the LCD from computer control, it is possible to toggle the LCD back on from the front panel of the SDU5600 by holding the 3 and 6 keys while powering on the SDU5600... it may take a couple of attempts to succeed.

Serial numbers below 09050300 will not support the LCD on/off command and will ignore the instruction leaving the LCD permanently on. It is officially not possible to retrospectively update serial numbers below 09050300 as an additional sub-PCB would be required and messy to implement. Serial numbers 09050301 - 09050400 will just require the 'sdu040' firmware update as the hardware support already exists. Serial numbers higher than 0905401 are likely to support the LCD on/off straight from the carton box.

When the SDU5600 is used with the AR5000, AR8600, AR3000A receivers the front panel of the receivers are generally frozen (locked), this prevents the SDU5600 and radio getting out of synchronisation. However, the AR-ONE /ICR8500 front panels are not locked, so there are a couple of limitations to bare in mind:

Due to continuous developments, AOR reserves the right to make design and specification changes for product improvement without prior notice. The performance specification figures indicated are nominal values of production units. There may be some deviation from these values in individual units.

SDU5600 9-pin female	PC 9-pin female
1 not used	1 not used
2	2
3	3
4 not used	4 not used
5	5 GROUND
6 not used	6 not used
7	7
8	8
9 not used	9 not used