XG3 Firmware and Utility

Current Production Firmware:

REV 1.19, 2-6-2017

All XG3 signal source ordered today will have Product Firmware loaded as they come out of the box. Monitor the Elecraft Email Reflector where announcements are made when new releases become available.

Elecraft delivers new features in firmware. As a result, you should consider the Release Notes as an extension of the Owner's Manual. Documentation for the new features will be found there and will not appear in the Owner's Manual until the next major manual revision is released.

Current Production Firmware Release Notes

The serial command ‘W’ can now interpret the same meta-characters that the Morse memory (WM) command utilizes. This allows the XG3 Utility’s Command Tester to invoke a variety of complex macros using the programmable buttons in the Utility. Macros executed via the ‘W’ command can contain up to 93 characters.
See XG3 Signal Source Firmware Release Notes for complete revision history
Download the latest XG3 Signal Source Firmware

Production Firmware Installation Instructions are found in the Utility

All Production Firmware is loaded with the XG3 Utility. It will take care of the download and installing Production Firmware
Before loading Production Firmware, please ensure you have installed the latest version of the XG3 Utility.
See the Help → Getting Started pull-down menu in the K3 Utility for the steps to install firmware in your XG3.

Download and Install the XG3 Utility for your Operating System

Follow the links below to download and install the latest version of the Utility for your Operating System.

Minimum Operating System Requirements for Elecraft Utilities

Microsoft Windows: XP Service Pack 3 or later, including Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1 and 10.
Apple Mac: OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or later

Windows	XG3 Utility (Windows, Version 1.13.6.6) June 6, 2013
Macintosh	XG3 Utility (Mac OSX 64bit Version 1.19.9.6) September 13, 2019
X86 Linux	XG3 Utiility (Linux 64bit Version 1.19.9.6) September 13, 2019
Installing the FTDI driver	Follow this link to the FTDI Site for drivers: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm Depending on the Operating System you have, the driver needed for the Utility to communicate with the XG3 will need to be loaded. All Elecraft products in production use the FTDI chipset for this function. The FTDI driver allows your computer to create a virtual COM port so that the Utility can communicate with the Elecraft product.

Beta Firmware Installation and Release Notes

Beta Firmware Release Notes

None Right Now!

Beta Test Firmware Installation Procedures

NOTE: Beta test firmware may have new issues that we haven't caught during field testing. Please report them to support@elecraft.com.

A little more detail

We make it a little harder to load Beta firmware mainly because we want you to be sure you want to do this. Beta firmware means that, while the XG3 engineering team has fully tested the firmware, it has not yet been deemed ready for Production status. You can always return to the last firmware you have downloaded by following the steps in the XG3 Utility’s Help section.

To load Beta Firmware, follow the steps below:

1. Create a new folder for the beta firmware on your Desktop or some other easily found location. Use the a different folder than the default folder found in the Firmware tab of the Utility. In this way, you can revert to the last Production firmware easily.

2. Now, we will download the firmware in Zip file format. In a web browser, type in this URL:

https://ftp.elecraft.com/XG3/firmware/beta

If you do not see the correct version of the zip file, press the RELOAD / REFRESH button on your browser to update your browser cache.

3. Right-click on the .zip file containing the beta firmware (e.g. k3fwXrYZ.zip for revision MCU X.YZ and all associated files). Save the file to your beta folder you just created.

4. Unzip the files into the beta folder.

5. Enter the path to the beta folder in XG3 Utility → Firmware tab → "Local folder for firmware files".

6. After you have made the change in Step 5, make sure you *DO NOT* check the XG3 Utility box titled "Copy new files from Elecraft server". This will overwrite the Beta firmware if clicked.

7. Connect the XG3 to your computer and be sure it is turned on. Select the Firmware tab and Click on "Check versions now" button.

8. Review the release notes. To find them, select the "Help" pull-down menu.

9. Click "Send all firmware to XG3." This will cause the firmware to be sent to the XG3. You will see that the XG3 appears to restart itself. Monitor the Activity Log until it is complete.

10. After completing a new software download to your product, please power cycle the XG3 OFF and then back ON before using it.

11. Please report any new firmware issues to support@elecraft.com