The 6.7.0.244 version of Ham Radio Deluxe is now available for download. Please download it from the Download pages on our website at:
If you need an updated software activation key, please read the instructions on our download page.
Over 170 development requests were closed in this release cycle that began in early July 2019. In keeping with our 80/20 objective - 82% of the content was defect correction and 18% was enhancement requests. Significant changes include the following:
! NEW FEATURE ! Ham Radio Deluxe Panadapter Display is released in its initial phase. It was designed to work with compatible radios - ICOM IC-7300, IC-7610, IC-9700, and the Kenwood TS-890S.
(NOTE: Compatible radios must have internal SDR commands that can produce data for software to consume. If you don’t see your radio listed here, the feature won’t work. This feature is available to customers whose Software Maintenance and Support expiration date is later than the feature’s release date. Please use 115,200 baud COM port connection.)
In Rig Control, two radios were added - ICOM IC-9700 and Kenwood TS-890S.
In Logbook, QSL label fonts can be adjusted, HamQTH returned to callsign lookup options, and the callsign lookup function underwent a complete rewrite. (NOTE: Please view the video on our YouTube page that explains the callsign lookup function - www.YouTube.com/HamRadioDeluxe.)
In DM-780, data controller errors eliminated and callsign lookup uses much of the changes made in Logbook.
The remaining changes span Satellite Tracking, HRD Rotator, software activation keys, general maintenance and performance improvements.
What took so long?
In order to correct bugs and performance problems that customers had reported regarding the callsign lookup function, we decided to completely rewrite it from scratch. Because the original documentation was not created, this turned out to be one of the most complicated changes we’ve ever made. We went through a process of mapping all the available fields from all the callsign lookup options - even the ones we weren’t previously consuming - and coded, tested, coded, tested, coded, and tested. The result is fantastic. It was just a lot of time-consuming hard work in coding, documenting, and testing.
Despite the long development cycle for the 6.7 release, this was the most productive year for product development in the company’s history. Here’s a view of product development over the past five years:
- In 2019, there were 436 development changes in 6 releases.
- In 2018, there were 215 development items in 13 releases.
- In 2017, there were 149 development items in 9 releases.
- In 2016, there were 42 development items and 4 releases.
- In 2015, there were 41 development items and 6 releases.
Meanwhile, the volume of automated failure reports going to Microsoft and the number of technical support requests are at an all-time low on an increased overall count of users. For the whole team of developers (Mike, Doug, and Jose), technical support team (Tim, Kevin, and Ferry), the sales & marketing staff (Lindy, Peggy, and Tammy), and our beta testers… thank you!
What we didn’t get to
Whenever we send out these release notices, we quite often get healthy and vigorous feedback from our customers. Most of them ask about the same 4-to-6 items. We’ll try to cover them here.
There are a few things we didn’t get completed in this release. These become our top priorities for the next release. They include:
- FT4 QSOs confirm on LOTW in some cases, but not in all. This is a big priority for us that will cause us to make some big changes. Much of the work needed to enable us to expand the database schema to add submode was included in the 6.7 release.
- Update for the IOTA data. (The format has changed and we haven’t gotten the work complete to compile it from its new source.)
- We didn’t get a chance to include panadapter support for the SDRplay.
- We haven’t received a specimen of the Yaesu FTdx-101D/MP yet. We are making arrangements for a loaner and will include that as soon as we can get our hands on one.
Install this version of Ham Radio Deluxe.
All those who have purchased Ham Radio Deluxe at any time in the past should download and install this version in order to benefit from all bug fixes. You are entitled to them. Our clients who are covered by an active Software Maintenance and Support period are entitled to Feature Enhancements.
