SteppIR R/C F/W Just Dropped

Russ Ravella

The f/w for SteppIR's newest controller, the "OptimizIR 2.0" just dropped. It's in the "Software/Firmware" section at the top here:

https://consumer.steppir.com/support/files/

with the new user's manual that describes how to load and use it in "Manuals > Controllers" just below. A note here: as stated in the manual, be sure to hit "Enter" on your keyboard after connecting to the controller to activate the command window. It shows as connected but is blank until you do.

For SteppIR vertical users, other methods of operating the controller remotely (FRStack's "SteppIR" window, "PstRotator" s/w, etc) were/are unable to activate "3/4 Mode" due to a bug on SteppIR's end. I went so far as to program up an interface in Node Red but it has the same problem. I've been communicating with SteppIR about this for over two years and sure enough, it works correctly with this new interface. That's great news (at least for me) because my BigIR Vertical works much better in 3/4 mode on the higher bands supported. But below 17M, it's forced back to "Normal" mode and there's no way to get it back without physically pushing the front panel button. So if you're remote, you're in "Normal" mode from then on. Now it's possible to switch back to 3/4 mode using this new I/F via TeamViewer, etc.

BIG thanks to Jeff and John at SteppIR for sticking with what must have been a really miserable project and making sure they left us with this before they close shop. They'll be very sorely missed.

GL Russ KR6W

W2PP

does this FW apply to the original Optimizer?

Russ Ravella

Hi W2PP,

No. The "OptimizIR 2.0" is a major redesign, including this capability for user f/w updating among other things. This is the first (and probably last) user upgradable f/w update released for that device. As I understand it, to upgrade previous models customers have to send their units back to the factory. As an aside, if you're interested in doing that you've got about one more month to go before SteppIR closes their doors so don't wait.

GL Russ KR6W