I believe Len is talking about the durability of the "most recent"
flash, not the number of times the device may be re-flashed.
For rigs like the K1 and K2, the firmware is literally "burned" into
the chips by applying enough voltage to open internal fuses. The data is
permanent. For most re-programmable memory, however, the "chemistry" is
more volatile and the data can degrade over time. This isn't a problem if
you can reprogram the chips, but the radio may well outlive the hardware
and software needed to perform such a reprogramming.
- kb7psg
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT wrote:
Last time I saw numbers on this, it was for the configuration memory on a
TAPR TNC-1.
The documentation said 100,000 writes, but it only counted if you actually
flipped a bit -- and it was per-bit, not per word or across the entire
device.
That means re-flashing with the same firmware shouldn't count at all, since
you're writing the same bits into the same words in storage.
I'm sure current parts are better.
73 -- Lynn
On 11/9/2016 12:07 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Hi All,
I'm constantly doing projects with microcontrollers and
programmable logic devices. I've been doing this long enough that I've got
devices that have "lost their memory." Things that I designed and built
decades ago no longer function. Over time flash will lose its mind, I
guess
just like we do.
At some point in time that will happen to our lovely little radios. From
an
operator stand point we can re-flash the firmware as long as the boot code
is functional. Does Elecraft have a provision in the radios that will
allow
an update of the bootloader to keep it fresh, so to speak? That is without
sending it back to the factory?
I know a lot of people don't keep stuff forever, but I pretty much do. In
old radios we replace caps, and a few other parts that age. With
programmable chips you need and ISP, unless there is another provision.
73
Len
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[email protected]
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [email protected]
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[email protected]
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [email protected]
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[email protected]
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [email protected]
