To understand why a firmware upgrade is revolutionary for the ATS20, we must look at what is under the hood. The device relies on the Silicon Labs Si4732-A10 receiver IC paired with an ATmega328P microcontroller (the same chip powering the Arduino Uno).
One of the biggest complaints about the ATS20 is the backlight noise bleeding into the RF path. Exclusive firmware introduces and a "dark mode" where the screen turns completely off during low signal periods, reducing noise floor by up to 6dBm.
What your computer runs (Windows, Mac, or Linux)?
| Feature | Stock / PU2CLR Firmware | Goshante ATS_EX | ATS_MINI (for ESP32) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Official / Community | PU2CLR + Closed Source | Ralph Xavier / Goshante | | Seamless SSB Tuning | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Tuning Steps | Basic (AM: 1/5/9/10k) | AM: 1/5/9/10/50/100k/1M SSB: 10/25/50/100/500 Hz & 1/5/9/10k | Similar to Goshante | | Band Coverage | AM/FM/SW/SSB | + LW Band (153-520 KHz) | AM/FM/SW/LW/SSB | | Key Exclusive Feature | N/A | Seamless SSB & full tuning step control | Calibration per band (professional feature) | | User Interface | Simple / Basic | Fully reworked , modern, 7-segment font | Modified from Ralph Xavier, added status bar | | Customization | Basic (some versions) | Extensive (Gain, ATT, Soft Mute, AVC, Brightness, CPU Freq) | Advanced (Brightness PWM, Calibration, AVC, per-mode settings) | | Community Status | Stable, good for beginners | Most popular & transformative | Active development, modern hardware | ats20 firmware exclusive
Corrects minor frequency offsets inherent to budget internal crystals. Tune to a known time-standard station (like WWV or CHU) and adjust the PPM offset until the audio centers perfectly.
"Radio New Zealand coming in strong, and SSB contacts between Scotland and Australia sounding local. I've never felt so connected to the electromagnetic spectrum. The radio? Surprisingly, a cheap ATS-20+ from AliExpress. It's pretty good (and cheap!), especially after flashing the firmware by Goshante."
Ready to flash? You’ll need a few tools and a bit of patience. ATS_EX Firmware for ATS-20 DSP Receiver - GitHub To understand why a firmware upgrade is revolutionary
This exclusive deep dive explores the cutting-edge custom firmware ecosystems transforming the ATS20 from a budget novelty into a high-performance, feature-rich powerhouse. The Hardware Backbone: Why Firmware Matters
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or XLoader (XLoader is recommended for beginners as it flashes pre-compiled .hex files instantly). Exclusive firmware introduces and a "dark mode" where
| Step | Action | | :--- | :--- | | | Identify COM Port : Plug the USB cable into your ATS-20, open Device Manager on your PC, and expand the "Ports (COM & LPT)" section. The ATS-20 will appear as a new COM port (e.g., COM3, COM4). | | 2 | Open xLoader : Launch the xLoader application and locate the downloaded Goshante .hex firmware file. | | 3 | Configure Settings : Select the correct Device Type (choose 'Arduino Nano' or 'ATmega328P' depending on your ATS-20 version) and select the COM port you identified earlier. | | 4 | Set Baud Rate : If your ATS-20 has an older bootloader, set the baud rate to 57600 . For newer devices, it’s likely 115200 . | | 5 | Upload : Click 'Upload' and wait. The software will transfer the firmware to your radio, and the ATS-20 should reboot automatically when finished. | | 6 | Factory Reset : Crucially , after unplugging and powering off the ATS-20, hold down the rotary encoder knob ("TUNE") while turning the power back on. This resets the EEPROM and ensures the new firmware runs without conflicts from old saved data. |
: Replaces "ugly" stretched fonts with a minimalistic, highly readable layout, including a 7-segment frequency font and an optional relative S-meter.