Airspy HF+ Discovery recent firmware update 5.0.1

[tuihill]

I have downloaded a file airspy-hf-flash from Airspy that appears to have been released on 11 December 2024.
I have been using my Airspy as it came out of the box from Itead two years ago, running very well on SDR++ for Mac.
Anyone know how to install the update from a Macbook?
How does one address the device to look at its version number etc? It doesn't show up as a connected device in Finder.

 

[MichSouth]

I think you can only flash from windows. Maybe you can use Parallels or the free VMWare fusion to run Windows on your Macbook and than flash the airspy.

 

[tuihill]

Thanks for confirming that. I can find a Windows machine somewhere in the family to do the necessary.
Have to check out the reviews on the new firmware before I rush into it.
Cheers.

 

[MichSouth]

I flashed it this morning (with a windows pc) without problems. Just follow the readme file.
In the readme file it says to double click on the flash file and then disconnect the Airspy. Make sure that you wait until the Arspy is flashed and it says it's ready before you disconnect it otherwise it will be bricked.

 

[tuihill]

Yikes! Thanks for the tip.
I have seen a passing older references (Reddit?) to Airspys being bricked that had me a little worried.

 

[tuihill]

I found the update here: Airspy HF+ Discovery - AIRSPY (link to download and change log at the bottom of the page).
Have managed to determine here that it must be flashed from a Windows 10 computer. I will seek one out as I'm using my Airspy with SDR++ on a Macbook.
Thanks to MichSouth here for the tip to wait for confirmation the flash has completed before disconnecting device from computer. The README file is vague at best on that and apparently you can brick your radio if removed too soon. Don't know how he knew that.
In the meantime, has anyone here got this update loaded and running? I'm not clear looking at the website just what it will do for me. Given the Change Log dates, my device, purchased from ITEAD in 2022, should be loaded with version 3.0.7.
Seems a lot of work has gone into the AGC. Has anyone noticed an improvement in performance using versions 4.0.0 from 2024-03-10 to the latest 5.0.1 released on 2024-12-11?