[time-nuts] Re: Synergy / iLotus M12M Firmware

[Tom Van Baak]

Hi Razvan,

I have not heard of new firmware for the Motorola M12 or iLotus M12M. 
One suggestion is to look at the SSR6T from Synergy. I heard it was a 
size, electrical, and software compatible board and likely includes 
software fixes for GPS WNRO issues. Please verify with them.

More info here:

https://synergy-gps.com/products/gps/timing-boards-modules/

https://synergy-gps.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/EOL-M12M-GPS-receiver-2021.pdf

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/motorola-oncore-data-as-applied-in-z3801a/

https://synergy-gps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SSR-VP_UT-Single-Board-Datasheet-062922.pdf

Depending on your level of microcontroller and programming experience it 
is also possible to make a transparent 1024 week fix yourself, even 
within an opaque embedded instrument like a "IP clock server". This was 
one of the factors that drove the SSR-6T market. A similar approach is 
used by heoldesign.com for legacy Trimble Lassen receivers.

/tvb


On 3/10/2023 11:14 AM, Razvan Popescu [YO8RYR] wrote:
> Hello Tom,
>
> This module is embedded in a "IP Clock Server" that does NTP and PTP
> (IEEE 1588 v2).
>
> The unit came without the GPS timing module option and I opened it and I
> saw it has space for 3 different modules inside and I had this M12M on
> hand I put it in so I can use it for sync and also 10MHz reference in my
> lab. You can only install one module inside, somehow they overlap and
> have different connectors for each type of GPS module.
>
> I am afraid that next year this box will not work due to GPS week
> rollover. I searched for quite some time on the net and it seems to be
> no firmware available for them so I said to ask on the list.
>
> I ordered a different module yesterday that should also fit in another
> slot and the new one has a U-Blox which should be fine with GPS week
> rollover.
>
> Do you know how can I dump the firmware and flash a new one on the M12M?
>
> Regards,
> Razvan

On 3/9/2023 2:35 AM, Razvan Popescu [YO8RYR] via time-nuts wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am trying to get the latest firmware for the M12M module IL-GPS-0030-B
> but I cannot find it anywhere.
>
> I am interested to have this module updated for the GPS Week Rollover
> mainly. From what I read this is based on the compiled firmware date.
> The newer the compilation date the more years the module will work.
>
> For example the modules with firmware date 2005 to 2015 will have a week
> rollover on 17 August 2024. The modules with firmware 2016 will have
> rollover week August 17, 2035 and the ones with 2017 firmware will have
> August 17, 2036.
>
> The module I have it is from 2006 so I expect next year to have issues.
>
> Best regards,
> Razvan