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 2.GQ Geiger Muller Counter
 GMC-600+ Firmware 2.42 (as of 2022/12/19)

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
ihab17 Posted - 01/20/2021 : 16:37:54










What's new and Changelog to be filled by the manufacturer... hopefully :)



  1. Fixed crash when viewing the taken screenshots from the device using buttons S2 and S3

  2. Fixed crash on Text Idle Mode when uSv/h reaches 9.999

  3. GQ will add more info or will keep it secret

  4. GQ come on

  5. When CPM reaches 256, an icon of a naked radioactive woman called GEIGERA pops dancing on the screen. Bonus Easter Egg only @CPM 256

  6. GQ is smiling and discussing this internally

  7. GQ is banning me from the forum

  8. Users go on strike and finally GQ listens to customers

  9. And customers lived happily ever after, or died of radiation!



46   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
EmfDev Posted - 01/11/2023 : 12:17:22
Hi Chelovek, you can also send your serial number to support@gqelectronicsllc.com. The forum email sometimes does not work.
ihab17 Posted - 01/10/2023 : 09:05:33
quote:
Originally posted by Chelovek

How I can update Firmware from 2.22 to 2.42?


You have to contact EMFDEV using a private message, sending him your device serial number, and wait for him to reply with a download link
Chelovek Posted - 01/09/2023 : 20:48:46
How I can update Firmware from 2.22 to 2.42?
EmfDev Posted - 12/29/2022 : 17:03:59
Since im not the main dev of the simulation software, I cannot tell if user can make changes on a file/code to reflect on the demo. We need to wait a bit.
ihab17 Posted - 12/29/2022 : 01:52:13
quote:
Originally posted by Damien68

Hi Emf Dev,
thanks to the screenshots of ihab 17, I will make corrections in the next few days. so I think it's better to wait a bit before integrating all this. :=)


It would be nice if we could point the demo executable to our language settings so that we can test it ourselves before GQ includes them in the next firmware update, by doing so, we would avoid contacting GQ for every single modification we need to perform, until we find the most suitable translation and display settings. @EmfDEV is this possible?
Damien68 Posted - 12/28/2022 : 23:49:10
Hi Emf Dev,
thanks to the screenshots of ihab 17, I will make corrections in the next few days. so I think it's better to wait a bit before integrating all this. :=)
EmfDev Posted - 12/28/2022 : 10:28:05
@Damien68 and @ihab17, thank you for your translations. I will send them to support so they can update the demo simulation software.
Damien68 Posted - 12/22/2022 : 23:16:01
Hi EmfDev,
To help, I quickly made a French version, with there will be mistakes due to the context in which the expressions will be used. if you implement it on a simulator, with several iterations, if I have the time I should be able to correct some errors, you are free to do what you want with it.
Regards.

https://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/uploaded/Damien68/20221222115640French_language_alpha_version.c

Note:
it will miss the following entry:
"Français", //lid_French
ihab17 Posted - 12/22/2022 : 12:38:26
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev

Thanks ihab17! Yes there is a way by updating the demo. It may take a while since the demo software has not been updated for a while.


I'd like to test it first before releasing to production, as I want to see how the text is displayed on the screen and if I can/have to abbreviate some words. Let me know. Thanks
EmfDev Posted - 12/22/2022 : 10:58:19
Thanks ihab17! Yes there is a way by updating the demo. It may take a while since the demo software has not been updated for a while.
ihab17 Posted - 12/22/2022 : 01:02:43
Here is the file with the Italian language included
https://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/uploaded/ihab17/2022122201583620221221014629language_italian_included.c

@EmfDev is there a way to test the translation and how it fits the display without updating the firmware itself? It would be nice to test it before implementing it and see what other Italians here who may have other translation suggestions
EmfDev Posted - 12/21/2022 : 12:45:43
Hi ihab17, thank you for helping. Let me see if I can attach the file here.

https://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/uploaded/EmfDev/20221221014629language.c

@ullix you can check if the German language is accurate. Thanks!
ihab17 Posted - 12/20/2022 : 23:38:48
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev

@ihab17 and ullix, there is already a German language added from the Main Menu -> Init Setup -> Language.

German/Deustch was the first one to be added.

@ihab17, if you want to translate the text to italian, please email me and I will send you the file to be translated. Thank you.



Yes, I'd like to help. Please send me the file. Thanks
Bobakman Posted - 12/20/2022 : 17:47:46
Just updated my 600+ to 2.42 so far all went well. FYI a factory reset occurs after the update so you will need to input saved settigs such as WiFi and server settings among other things after the update.

Bob
EmfDev Posted - 12/20/2022 : 12:54:23
@ihab17 and ullix, there is already a German language added from the Main Menu -> Init Setup -> Language.

German/Deustch was the first one to be added.

@ihab17, if you want to translate the text to italian, please email me and I will send you the file to be translated. Thank you.
ihab17 Posted - 12/20/2022 : 12:03:06
@Ullix, I've never had consistent results like this before! Data taken between yesterday after 20:30 and today 20:40 with firmware 2.4.2

ALso, I see that the GMC 600+ has two languages, English and German for the joy of Ullix (was it you?)
Data can be found here
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pxc3AhrzUiNdM2XSvVWTvZs15PnJYNgh?usp=share_link

This is my GMCMAP counter data
https://www.gmcmap.com/historyData.asp?Param_ID=95508869953

Looks like GMC folks made some significant changes and optimizations








ihab17 Posted - 12/20/2022 : 02:50:52
quote:
Originally posted by ullix

What? No German translation?

quote:
. but this time we need Geigera!


She is still waiting to be detected!



Folks! We have a German translator. Ullix!
ullix Posted - 12/20/2022 : 02:13:58
What? No German translation?

quote:
. but this time we need Geigera!


She is still waiting to be detected!
ihab17 Posted - 12/20/2022 : 01:53:54
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev
We would love to add Italian/French Language but we so far we didnt find anyone that can transalte.



I can help with the Italian translation... I'm Italian... but this time we need Geigera!
EmfDev Posted - 12/19/2022 : 15:56:24
Hi ihab17,

You have the latest version of GMC-600+. There is another one with Spanish language support that has not been released yet.

We would love to add Italian/French Language but we so far we didnt find anyone that can transalte.
ihab17 Posted - 12/19/2022 : 12:53:42
quote:

GMC 600+ 2.22 firmware.



My new GMC 600+ arrived today and the firmware version is 2.42. Try asking EmfDev for the latest FW and see if the problem persists. For the time being I haven't had enough time to play around with all the settings and test it. I might need a month or so, collecting data and hoping to analyze it using GeigerLog
ihab17 Posted - 12/19/2022 : 05:48:40
I am coming back to this topic because I am also coming back to GQ GMC 600+. I have been using Radiation Alert Ranger for quite a while, but I sold it and got another counter, which I also sold and came back to GQ (which by the way was my first counter I bought). I love the compatibility with Ullix's GeigerLog and the fact that I can configure the counter to automatically upload data using Wi-Fi, AND also like the fact that there is a forum page where I can talk to the DEV team, download and update the FW (which none of the other brands offered). I guess my Geiger Counter adventure has ended by choosing GMC 600+ as my definite and final counter.

@EmfDev, just for curiosity, what is the latest firmware update for the 600+?
gorbavid Posted - 03/02/2022 : 23:24:04
when I start up the quick log, the CPM shows up as CPS for some reason.

And the CPM acts as the CPS on the graph. However loading history works
just fine.

GMC 600+ 2.22 firmware.
Damien68 Posted - 03/24/2021 : 23:08:18
OK Randy, it's nice, this is the first time that I see it and the result is pretty good and without artifacts from the RGB backlight.
this is interesting. Thanks for sharing this.

It would be better to have this type of backlighting or even display on the 500+ rather than an LED that flashes green or red and that we do not see color change.
Oldtron Posted - 03/24/2021 : 20:01:30
quote:
Originally posted by Damien68


Ok, nice.
Randy, where you find your pink LCD, it is photoshoped?



Damien68, What is photoshopped?



LCD: https://www.adafruit.com/product/716

No pink, that's supposed to be violet.

I change the backlight according to the particular function being executed so to observe the behaver of the program from across the basement. I can't read it from more than about 2 feet away.

Randy

blargg Posted - 03/22/2021 : 05:31:12
quote:
Originally posted by kotarak
- the thin plastic case is (mildly put) terrible - feels cheap and flimsy - on my unit, the case cracked after falling from a foot onto a thick carpet and I had to glue the crack, while reinforcing it inside with a plastic piece. When holding it in hand - durability is not the first thing that comes to my mind. The feeling is even more disappointing if you hold a Radiation Alert Ranger in the other hand - I know that it costs twice as much as the GQ counter (I paid for both) but I also think the Ranger is grossly overpriced. Still GMC-600+ is not the device I carry in the field and instead of buying a second one for field use, I keep it on my lab bench because of the fragile enclosure.



I'd be more worried about breaking the GM tube, with its delicate mica window, than breaking the case. I keep my 600+ in a padded camera bag that fits snugly, when transporting, and use the wrist strap. I don't want to drop a $300+ instrument.
Damien68 Posted - 03/19/2021 : 08:20:28
quote:
Originally posted by Oldtron

quote:
Originally posted by Damien68

and now it work? or not?


Damien68, Sorry if I wasn't clear: A factory reset cleaned up the corrupted calibration data, and the 600+ appears to be working perfectly!

Randy




Ok, nice.

Randy, where you find your pink LCD, it is photoshoped?
Oldtron Posted - 03/19/2021 : 07:50:34
quote:
Originally posted by Damien68

and now it work? or not?


Damien68, Sorry if I wasn't clear: A factory reset cleaned up the corrupted calibration data, and the 600+ appears to be working perfectly!

Randy
Damien68 Posted - 03/18/2021 : 23:53:45
quote:
Originally posted by Oldtron

No, really… Unless someone else has another idea, I must assume the cable was at fault or the connector was bumped while a transfer was in progress. That poor cable has since been retired, just in case.



and now it work? or not?
Oldtron Posted - 03/18/2021 : 13:28:14
quote:
Originally posted by Searinox

Also I only just noticed, 70%+ voltage?

There’s a thread about that: Sticky: Auto Voltage Adjust - 500+, 600, 600+
https://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7677
quote:
Originally posted by Damien68

On data viewer, have you selected the right device? (GMC-600+)?

That’s Old-tron not Stupid-tron!
No, really… Unless someone else has another idea, I must assume the cable was at fault or the connector was bumped while a transfer was in progress. That poor cable has since been retired, just in case.

Before I inadvertently hi-jacked this thread and scared the hell out of the 600+ owners, and software engineers, I believe my intent was to comment on ver. 2.22.

I see the same display errors on the LCD as before mentioned. I know as irritating as they are some of them can be a real pain to get rid of. I don’t know about the GQ line, but in sensors that I’ve built, one can program the MCU to do almost anything. But to talk to a display! Well, that’s a different device with it’s own MCU and memory which was programed by someone else (firmware) thinking about how a display should work, not how you intend to use it.



Take this MCU I built for a ventless heater fan, so… simple. Notice the two “F”’s. The last one was written when the temp was over 100. The first one was written when temp fell below 100(actually; the same one right, it’s just written to a different memory location). To get rid of the 2nd F you can just add a space “_“ behind the F to effectively erase the second F that was already in memory when the digit shift occurs. No wait you can’t do that because the communication protocol automatically removes any trailing spaces to speed up the display! Ok, let’s use an invisible character to erase the 2nd F. Nope, there isn’t one in the character set! Ok, I’m tired of messing with it so it’s going to stay that way!
Yes, there are a few ways to fix this but most just move the problem somewhere else like clearing the whole display and rewriting it till the flicker drives you insane. And this is just a two-line character LCD, a Graphic LCD is an order of magnitude more complex.

The ideal solution is to have the LCD custom made with your own firmware, so it behaves the way you want it to. Oh, but that drives the cost up till no one can afford it.

I’d love to see a new heaver case with the molded-on rubber bumpers around all the corners and edges, but I probably can’t afford that ether… (I was thinking about putting some big O-rings around it, but it might not be as stable when used vertically).

What I can’t find is anything wrong with the battery charging and notification. Mine seems to be functioning exactly as I would expect it to. Percent Charge is a calculated value that will dance around a bit, +/- 2%, normal. 16% dance while charging I don’t believe I’ve seen. Perhaps another battery or higher current power supply?

Can we get ver. 3.0 to make espresso, ah, never mind…?

Randy

EmfDev Posted - 03/18/2021 : 10:07:04
Links must be HTTPS not HTTP I think.
Damien68 Posted - 03/18/2021 : 00:44:39
quote:
Originally posted by Oldtron

Relax, Problem Solved, maybe.

It required a second expresso this morning…

Look what I found; calibration data look a little strange?


On data viewer, have you selected the right device? (GMC-600+)?
I'st looks like a fake register map or fake definition, can be a wrong device selected or a bug from either the app or the counter.
in any case it should not be possible to look that, so there is a bug.
Searinox Posted - 03/18/2021 : 00:22:29
Looks about accurate for what I get out of these myself(I have a non-plus 600 device but still it's calibrated and I wrapped the mantle up to hold against the detector). Also I only just noticed, 70%+ voltage? Man after my own heart! \m/ I didn't even know you could set calibration to negative uSv/h. What even is a negative radiation dose rate? Lol. XD

To the moderators: I find it hilarious how the forums have a link filter that censors out "H**P" but then also parses the rest of the link to make it clickable! XD
Oldtron Posted - 03/17/2021 : 10:43:00
Relax, Problem Solved, maybe.

It required a second expresso this morning…

Look what I found; calibration data look a little strange?



After a Factory Reset, and reprogramming…

Up against the Aladdin Mantle box.



Noticed during attempted reprogramming:
Data Viewer - Setting - Configuration - Write to Device: Did not work
Data Viewer - Setting - Other - to reprogram device.
Then
Data Viewer - Setting - Configuration - Read/Write to Device: Did work
Strange, maybe, I don’t know, no big deal, may have been a brain cloud?

Anyway, I have no idea how or when the calibration data became corrupted.
If it wasn’t something weird, I would have to say it was a USB communication error during reading/writing operations with the Data Viewer/Logger software, or possibly a temperamental USB cable, but I have no clue...

Searinox Posted - 03/17/2021 : 04:25:14
Dead time was only a problem with very high CPM not the >9.999 uSv/h on Text screen. That was a separate bug. But I'm curious how that crash still happens as I am on 2.22 myself and it isn't happening anymore.
Oldtron Posted - 03/16/2021 : 18:49:14
Sir EmfDev,

Revision 2.22

Repeated the experiment today: Same results…

Today’s Source: h**p://www.aladdin-us.com/product/R150# (Because I have an Aladdin Oil Lamp), I have 3 old broken mantles, so with only 1 mantle still in it’s cardboard box (0.38mm - 1/64” thick), right at 25.5cm - 10” in front of the GM tube opening.

As the count rolls up over 0.999µSv/h, the screen freezes, approximately 2 sec. then WDT (watchdog timer) resets microcontroller.

Fast Estimate was set to Dynamic.

Dead time set at 270µS, Enabled or Disabled still crashes.

Randy
EmfDev Posted - 03/16/2021 : 10:07:19
Hi Oldtron, which revision of 600+ do you have? It takes at least 1 minute to get a good reading unless you have the Fast Estimate feature it will estimate the CPM faster than 1 minute.
Oldtron Posted - 03/15/2021 : 21:38:38
quote:
Originally posted by Searinox

Fix for crash in text mode over 10 uSv/h also confirmed! Great release.



Strange, mine crashes going over 0.999uSv/h.
This is just before the crash.


unit-change is up because my thumb slipped while taking the screenshot

This is the same thing in Text Mode.


Both crashes occurred by slowly decreasing the distance to an 6" Uranium glass candy dish. This dish could be pretty hot it's old and glows very bright under UVA, although I hear that has nothing to do with the amount of U in it.

It takes the 600+ a minute or two for the count to go back to the background reading after being close (5-6") to the dish, don't think I understand exactly why?

EDIT: I need to test this more carefully!
A 6" dish isn't really what one could call a point source, so trying to slowly ramp up the CPM may be impossible without saturating the tube.

Randy
Searinox Posted - 03/03/2021 : 08:35:44
Forget the radioactive woman, the most important feature is here. When exposed to very high doses of radiation with dead time enabled, the device no longer produces ridiculously high values that result in a crash. That's a very big win as far as I'm concerned! Fix for crash in text mode over 10 uSv/h also confirmed! Great release.
kotarak Posted - 01/22/2021 : 09:04:58
quote:
Originally posted by lars.dietrich

I just want to say "Thank You" for your great support. Of course there are many minor things that can continuously be improved, but this device is
- a great piece of hardware (I don't know any Geiger counter with such a sensitive and large tube at this price tag, that can even detect the radioactivity of a banana :-), and
- a great piece of software, which can not only display a value, but save them of long time, show diagrams, allow for many, many different views, provide individual functions, like food measuring, and so on.

My only wish would be to get regularly informed on the website or in the forum about new software / firmware releases and probably to update the user manual with missing and newly added stuff.




I agree with you - GMC-600+ is probably the most advanced counter in terms of firmware features and making the best use of an on-board microcontroller. It is priced well for what you are getting:
My only complaints with the hardware are:

- the HV bias supply could be "stiffer" - it seems to drop a bit under high counts

- battery charge metering is very inconsistent and all over the place, especially during charging. For example: during charging my units shows randomly 52% then a moment later 68% than back to 65%. When I unplug it at 70% and turn it on it shows 83% with a msg but the battery icon is showing 100%. Repeated checks for the battery voltage thru the menu shows 80% - 81% -79% -81%


- the thin plastic case is (mildly put) terrible - feels cheap and flimsy - on my unit, the case cracked after falling from a foot onto a thick carpet and I had to glue the crack, while reinforcing it inside with a plastic piece. When holding it in hand - durability is not the first thing that comes to my mind. The feeling is even more disappointing if you hold a Radiation Alert Ranger in the other hand - I know that it costs twice as much as the GQ counter (I paid for both) but I also think the Ranger is grossly overpriced. Still GMC-600+ is not the device I carry in the field and instead of buying a second one for field use, I keep it on my lab bench because of the fragile enclosure.
lars.dietrich Posted - 01/22/2021 : 01:34:31
I just want to say "Thank You" for your great support. Of course there are many minor things that can continuously be improved, but this device is
- a great piece of hardware (I don't know any Geiger counter with such a sensitive and large tube at this price tag, that can even detect the radioactivity of a banana :-), and
- a great piece of software, which can not only display a value, but save them of long time, show diagrams, allow for many, many different views, provide individual functions, like food measuring, and so on.

My only wish would be to get regularly informed on the website or in the forum about new software / firmware releases and probably to update the user manual with missing and newly added stuff.

kotarak Posted - 01/21/2021 : 14:49:54
So 2.22 is a much better release - the annoying restart in text mode bug is finally fixed and the screenshot bug. Also the annoying bug which turns off the speaker in Food/Sample in 2.18 is fixed! This is all great!

Seems also, that the display font was changed a bit from 2.18

There are a few small issues with the display output tho:

- when changing the orientation, the divider line of the top status area is drawn first over the old image, then after a brief moment the screen is refreshed - visually the effect is kind of ugly. It is not a show-stopper just not perfect transition between landscape and portrait mode but this lead to the next problem:

-if you are in any mode other than LARGE FONT and orientation is changed to Portrait / Vertical, the divider line on top of the display is drawn over the screen / text striking it over indiscriminately and then blinks periodically - this is rather annoying and pretty ugly as well - just looks messy and unprofessional on the screen.

-Wi-Fi icon in Large Font mode / Landscape screen is cutoff partially by the field clearing the background for the date - 1 pixel column is missing from the icon on the left side.

-the status label (NORMAL/MEDIUM/HIGH) still cuts off the first digit if the secondary unit is a decimal with more than 2 significant digits - for an example if the Large Font is CPM and the secondary display shows uSv/h and mR/h AND the reading is larger 9.999 uSv/h, the first significant digit is covered by the STATUS label. This can easily be fixed by moving the decimal point and showing only 2 digits after the decimal if the value is > 9.999 uSv/h. Sad to say this problem was reported last summer but never addressed. Instead, support's solution was - "just turn off the status msg". Kind of silly to sacrifice a feature because of a few lines of code missing an "if...then" condition

-when you are in a sub-menu, the status icons are printed on over the name of the sub-menu in the top status line - good example is the Display Options sub menu where the Wi-fi icon is just slapped over the text

(!) Lastly and this will be really great if implemented, the Dosimeter mode should be able to display different units from the one set as primary in Large Font. For an example I use Large Font mode in CPM units 99% of the time but when I switch to Dosimeter CPM are meaningless - they are not used for dose measurements anyway and I should be able to set it independently to uSv/h or mR/h. When I go back to Large Font, I should be seeing my unit of choice for that mode and not what the Dosimeter is set to.

If you guys fix these things, the firmware will be nearly perfect
Damien68 Posted - 01/21/2021 : 12:40:43
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev

Sorry but no GEIGERA for now.


EmfDev Posted - 01/21/2021 : 12:05:18
Sorry but no GEIGERA for now.
Damien68 Posted - 01/21/2021 : 11:12:43
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev

Hi ihab17, the only changes are the fixed crash on Screenshot Menu and fixed crash on Text Idle Mode when uSv/h reaches 9.999


No GEIGERA?
EmfDev Posted - 01/21/2021 : 11:01:14
Hi ihab17, the only changes are the fixed crash on Screenshot Menu and fixed crash on Text Idle Mode when uSv/h reaches 9.999

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