Merge pull request #114 from thetechprepper/feature/mercury-enhancements

Merge current feature/mercury-enhancements work to R7

overlay/etc/skel/.config/systemd/user/et-service-mercury-arq.service

@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 16 July 2026
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose : User systemd unit file for EmComm Tools that starts mercury
-#         : in a fast configuration.
+#         : in an ARQ configuration.
 #
 # Usage: 
-#  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-fast
+#  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-arq
-#  Start service      : systemctl --user start et-service-mercury-fast
+#  Start service      : systemctl --user start et-service-mercury-arq
-#  Stop service       : systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-fast
+#  Stop service       : systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-arq
 #  Reload this config : systemctl --user daemon-reload
 
 [Unit]
-Description=EmComm Tools mercury default service for fast performance
+Description=EmComm Tools Mercury HF service for ARQ mode
 
 [Service]
-ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury fast
+ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury arq
 Restart=no
 
 [Install]

overlay/etc/skel/.config/systemd/user/et-service-mercury-broadcast.service

@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 16 July 2026
-# Purpose : User systemd unit file for EmComm Tools that starts mercury
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
-#         : in a balanced configuration.
+# Purpose : User systemd unit file for EmComm Tools that starts Mercury
+#         : in a broadcast configuration.
 #
 # Usage: 
-#  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-balanced
+#  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-broadcast
-#  Start service      : systemctl --user start et-service-mercury-balanced
+#  Start service      : systemctl --user start et-service-mercury-broadcast
-#  Stop service       : systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-balanced
+#  Stop service       : systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-broadcast
 #  Reload this config : systemctl --user daemon-reload
 
 [Unit]
-Description=EmComm Tools mercury default service for balanced performance
+Description=EmComm Tools Mercury HF service for broadcast mode
 
 [Service]
-ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury balanced
+ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury broadcast
 Restart=no
 
 [Install]

overlay/etc/skel/.config/systemd/user/et-service-mercury-custom.service

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 12 August 2026
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose : User systemd unit file for EmComm Tools that starts mercury
-#         : in a Winlink configuration.
+#         : in a custom, user-defined configuration.
 #
 # Usage: 
 #  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-winlink
@@ -10,10 +11,10 @@
 #  Reload this config : systemctl --user daemon-reload
 
 [Unit]
-Description=EmComm Tools mercury default service for winlink performance
+Description=EmComm Tools Mercury HF service in a custom mode
 
 [Service]
-ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury winlink
+ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury custom
 Restart=no
 
 [Install]

overlay/etc/skel/.config/systemd/user/et-service-mercury-reliability.service

@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-# Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
-# Date    : 16 July 2026
-# Purpose : User systemd unit file for EmComm Tools that starts mercury
-#         : in a reliability configuration.
-#
-# Usage: 
-#  Check status       : systemctl --user status et-service-mercury-reliability
-#  Start service      : systemctl --user start et-service-mercury-reliability
-#  Stop service       : systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-reliability
-#  Reload this config : systemctl --user daemon-reload
-
-[Unit]
-Description=EmComm Tools mercury default service for reliability performance
-
-[Service]
-ExecStart=/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury reliability
-Restart=no
-
-[Install]
-WantedBy=multi-user.target

overlay/etc/skel/.local/share/emcomm-tools/mercury/mercury.ini.arq

@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+; Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
+; Date    : 26 August 2026
+; Purpose : Mercury ARQ configration for EmComm Tools
+
+[main]
+
+ui_enabled = false
+ui_port = 10000
+ui_protocol = ws
+waterfall_enabled = false
+
+; Use hamlib rig control over the local network
+radio_model = 2
+radio_device = 127.0.0.1:4532
+radio_serial_speed = 0
+
+; Plug-and-play audio support
+; Note: input|output_device are set by et-mercury
+;input_device = 
+;output_device = 
+capture_channel = left
+sound_system = alsa
+
+; Keep same TCP control and data ports for VARA HF compatibility
+arq_tcp_base_port = 8300
+
+broadcast_tcp_port = 8100
+
+; Logging
+verbose = false
+
+; FreeDV modem verbosity level, 0 to 3 (default: 0)
+freedv_verbosity = 0
+
+; Hamlib radio log level, 0 to 6 (default: 0)
+; 0=NONE, 1=BUG, 2=ERR, 3=WARN, 4=VERBOSE, 5=TRACE, 6=CACHE
+hamlib_log_level = 0
+
+[audio]
+
+; TX audio gain in dB applied to modulator output samples (default: 0.0).
+; 0.0 dB = no change.  Use this to set Mercury's TX level independently
+; of the host audio mixer, so other modems sharing the radio aren't
+; disturbed when you tune Mercury's drive.  Saturation is applied at the
+; int32 PCM ceiling so any value clips cleanly.
+; Range: -20.0 .. +20.0 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_gain_db = 0.0
+
+; TX keying delay in milliseconds (default: 10), waited after PTT ON before
+; audio is written to the playback device on TX. The default covers the
+; local radio relay's switch time. Increase this if your host app drives
+; PTT off Mercury's "PTT ON" TNC notification and needs more time to
+; actually key the radio (e.g. a slow serial/CAT relay) — otherwise the
+; start of the transmission can be clipped before the radio is keyed.
+; Range: 0 .. 2000 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_delay_ms = 10
+
+[arq]
+
+; ARQ link no-progress disconnect budget (seconds, default: 180).
+; When data-retry slots exhaust on a frame, Mercury no longer disconnects
+; immediately — it resets the retry counter and forces a payload-mode
+; downgrade.  The link only drops when wall-clock since the last ACK that
+; advanced the sequence number exceeds this budget, OR when the keepalive
+; miss limit is reached (5 * 20s = 100s by default).  180s sits just above
+; the keepalive timeout as a safety net for the asymmetric case where peer
+; keepalives still arrive but our TX direction has gone one-way.  Raise
+; this for ultra-marginal NVIS work where forward progress can take longer.
+no_progress_timeout_s = 180
+
+; Absolute cap (seconds, default: 30) on how long an application DISCONNECT
+; may stay deferred while Mercury drains the last queued TX bytes.  When the
+; host (e.g. BPQ32) ends a BBS forwarding session, Mercury finishes sending
+; any buffered data, then completes a clean air-side DISCONNECT handshake.
+; This cap guarantees the link always tears down within the window even if
+; the session is stuck ping-ponging — preventing the rig from being keyed
+; indefinitely after the host has already disconnected.  On a healthy link
+; the drain finishes in seconds, so this only bites on a stuck session.
+disconnect_drain_timeout_s = 30
+
+; Number of DATA-frame retries before a downgrade cycle (default 10, range 1..64).
+; Affects the data plane only; connection-setup (CALL/ACCEPT) retries keep their
+; short defaults so a failed connect gives up quickly.  Use the RETRIES TNC
+; command at runtime to widen CALL/ACCEPT/DATA retries together.
+data_retry_slots = 10
+
+; Seconds to hold the lower mode after a forced downgrade (default 6, range 0..60).
+mode_hold_after_downgrade_s = 6
+
+; Clean ACKs required to step the speed ladder up one level (default 2, range 1..16).
+ladder_up_successes = 2
+
+; Consecutive retries that force a one-step downgrade (default 2, range 1..16).
+retry_downgrade_threshold = 2
+
+; IRS response guard after decoding a frame, in ms (default 700, range 200..3000).
+; Raise if your radio's TX-to-RX switch is slow and you lose ACKs.
+channel_guard_ms = 700
+
+; ISS guard before resuming DATA TX after an ACK, in ms (default 900, range 200..3000).
+iss_post_ack_guard_ms = 900
+
+; Keepalive transmit interval in seconds (default 20, range 5..120).
+keepalive_interval_s = 20
+
+; Missed keepalives before the link is dropped (default 5, range 2..20).
+keepalive_miss_limit = 5
+
+; Seconds to hold the peer's payload mode after activity before reverting
+; (default 15, range 1..120).  Reduce (e.g. 8-10) if you see long gaps between
+; turns; this also scales the IRS inactivity probe (hold x 5).
+peer_payload_hold_s = 8
+
+; Control-mode-only startup window in seconds (default 10, range 2..60).
+; Only DATAC16 is used until the link is proven stable; raise if the initial
+; handshake (e.g. UUCP) times out before the first data frames get through.
+startup_max_s = 10
+
+[channel]
+; Channel-busy (occupancy) detector.  Mercury classifies the HF channel as
+; busy/clear from the RX spectrum and reports transitions to the host with
+; VARA-compatible "BUSY ON" / "BUSY OFF" notifications on the control port.
+;
+; OFF by default, deliberately.  Mercury itself never gates transmission on it,
+; but the hosts that consume these notifications do: BPQ32 and Winlink hold
+; transmissions while BUSY is asserted, so a detector that fires on noise, or on
+; a station you are already in QSO with, stops the station transmitting and
+; strands traffic in the queue.  That is field experience on HF, not theory, and
+; it is why VARA ships with busy detection off as well.
+;
+; Turn it on if you scan: it is then the only early warning a host gets, since
+; everything else waits for a full frame to decode (3.7 s for a connect request)
+; and a scanning host cannot hold its dwell that long.  Expect to tune the
+; thresholds below per band and noise environment before trusting it.
+busy_detect = false
+
+; Passband peak level, in dB above the tracked noise floor, required to call the
+; channel BUSY (default 10, range 3..40).  Lower = more sensitive.
+busy_threshold_db = 10
+
+; Release hysteresis in dB: the channel is only declared CLEAR once the peak
+; falls below (busy_threshold_db - this) (default 3, range 0..20).
+busy_hysteresis_db = 3
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay above threshold before asserting BUSY
+; (debounce against transients; default 300, range 0..5000).
+busy_on_debounce_ms = 300
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay below the release level before declaring CLEAR
+; (hang time; default 1500, range 0..10000).
+busy_hang_ms = 1500
+
+[tnc]
+; IAMALIVE interval sent on the TNC control port to tell connected clients
+; the TNC is still alive. Valid range: 5..600 seconds. (default: 60)
+keepalive_s = 60
+; Interval between BUFFER reports sent to the TNC control port, telling
+; clients how many bytes are queued for TX. Valid range: 100..10000 ms. (default: 1000)
+buffer_report_ms = 1000

overlay/etc/skel/.local/share/emcomm-tools/mercury/mercury.ini.broadcast

@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+; Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
+; Date    : 26 August 2026
+; Purpose : Mercury broadcast configration for EmComm Tools
+
+[main]
+
+ui_enabled = false
+ui_port = 10000
+ui_protocol = ws
+waterfall_enabled = false
+
+; Use hamlib rig control over the local network
+radio_model = 2
+radio_device = 127.0.0.1:4532
+radio_serial_speed = 0
+
+; Plug-and-play audio support
+; Note: input|output_device are set by et-mercury
+;input_device = 
+;output_device = 
+capture_channel = left
+sound_system = alsa
+
+; Keep same TCP control and data ports for VARA HF compatibility
+arq_tcp_base_port = 8300
+
+broadcast_tcp_port = 8100
+
+; Logging
+verbose = false
+
+; FreeDV modem verbosity level, 0 to 3 (default: 0)
+freedv_verbosity = 0
+
+; Hamlib radio log level, 0 to 6 (default: 0)
+; 0=NONE, 1=BUG, 2=ERR, 3=WARN, 4=VERBOSE, 5=TRACE, 6=CACHE
+hamlib_log_level = 0
+
+[audio]
+
+; TX audio gain in dB applied to modulator output samples (default: 0.0).
+; 0.0 dB = no change.  Use this to set Mercury's TX level independently
+; of the host audio mixer, so other modems sharing the radio aren't
+; disturbed when you tune Mercury's drive.  Saturation is applied at the
+; int32 PCM ceiling so any value clips cleanly.
+; Range: -20.0 .. +20.0 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_gain_db = 0.0
+
+; TX keying delay in milliseconds (default: 10), waited after PTT ON before
+; audio is written to the playback device on TX. The default covers the
+; local radio relay's switch time. Increase this if your host app drives
+; PTT off Mercury's "PTT ON" TNC notification and needs more time to
+; actually key the radio (e.g. a slow serial/CAT relay) — otherwise the
+; start of the transmission can be clipped before the radio is keyed.
+; Range: 0 .. 2000 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_delay_ms = 10
+
+[arq]
+
+; ARQ link no-progress disconnect budget (seconds, default: 180).
+; When data-retry slots exhaust on a frame, Mercury no longer disconnects
+; immediately — it resets the retry counter and forces a payload-mode
+; downgrade.  The link only drops when wall-clock since the last ACK that
+; advanced the sequence number exceeds this budget, OR when the keepalive
+; miss limit is reached (5 * 20s = 100s by default).  180s sits just above
+; the keepalive timeout as a safety net for the asymmetric case where peer
+; keepalives still arrive but our TX direction has gone one-way.  Raise
+; this for ultra-marginal NVIS work where forward progress can take longer.
+no_progress_timeout_s = 180
+
+; Absolute cap (seconds, default: 30) on how long an application DISCONNECT
+; may stay deferred while Mercury drains the last queued TX bytes.  When the
+; host (e.g. BPQ32) ends a BBS forwarding session, Mercury finishes sending
+; any buffered data, then completes a clean air-side DISCONNECT handshake.
+; This cap guarantees the link always tears down within the window even if
+; the session is stuck ping-ponging — preventing the rig from being keyed
+; indefinitely after the host has already disconnected.  On a healthy link
+; the drain finishes in seconds, so this only bites on a stuck session.
+disconnect_drain_timeout_s = 30
+
+; Number of DATA-frame retries before a downgrade cycle (default 10, range 1..64).
+; Affects the data plane only; connection-setup (CALL/ACCEPT) retries keep their
+; short defaults so a failed connect gives up quickly.  Use the RETRIES TNC
+; command at runtime to widen CALL/ACCEPT/DATA retries together.
+data_retry_slots = 10
+
+; Seconds to hold the lower mode after a forced downgrade (default 6, range 0..60).
+mode_hold_after_downgrade_s = 6
+
+; Clean ACKs required to step the speed ladder up one level (default 2, range 1..16).
+ladder_up_successes = 2
+
+; Consecutive retries that force a one-step downgrade (default 2, range 1..16).
+retry_downgrade_threshold = 2
+
+; IRS response guard after decoding a frame, in ms (default 700, range 200..3000).
+; Raise if your radio's TX-to-RX switch is slow and you lose ACKs.
+channel_guard_ms = 700
+
+; ISS guard before resuming DATA TX after an ACK, in ms (default 900, range 200..3000).
+iss_post_ack_guard_ms = 900
+
+; Keepalive transmit interval in seconds (default 20, range 5..120).
+keepalive_interval_s = 20
+
+; Missed keepalives before the link is dropped (default 5, range 2..20).
+keepalive_miss_limit = 5
+
+; Seconds to hold the peer's payload mode after activity before reverting
+; (default 15, range 1..120).  Reduce (e.g. 8-10) if you see long gaps between
+; turns; this also scales the IRS inactivity probe (hold x 5).
+peer_payload_hold_s = 8
+
+; Control-mode-only startup window in seconds (default 10, range 2..60).
+; Only DATAC16 is used until the link is proven stable; raise if the initial
+; handshake (e.g. UUCP) times out before the first data frames get through.
+startup_max_s = 10
+
+[channel]
+; Channel-busy (occupancy) detector.  Mercury classifies the HF channel as
+; busy/clear from the RX spectrum and reports transitions to the host with
+; VARA-compatible "BUSY ON" / "BUSY OFF" notifications on the control port.
+;
+; OFF by default, deliberately.  Mercury itself never gates transmission on it,
+; but the hosts that consume these notifications do: BPQ32 and Winlink hold
+; transmissions while BUSY is asserted, so a detector that fires on noise, or on
+; a station you are already in QSO with, stops the station transmitting and
+; strands traffic in the queue.  That is field experience on HF, not theory, and
+; it is why VARA ships with busy detection off as well.
+;
+; Turn it on if you scan: it is then the only early warning a host gets, since
+; everything else waits for a full frame to decode (3.7 s for a connect request)
+; and a scanning host cannot hold its dwell that long.  Expect to tune the
+; thresholds below per band and noise environment before trusting it.
+busy_detect = false
+
+; Passband peak level, in dB above the tracked noise floor, required to call the
+; channel BUSY (default 10, range 3..40).  Lower = more sensitive.
+busy_threshold_db = 10
+
+; Release hysteresis in dB: the channel is only declared CLEAR once the peak
+; falls below (busy_threshold_db - this) (default 3, range 0..20).
+busy_hysteresis_db = 3
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay above threshold before asserting BUSY
+; (debounce against transients; default 300, range 0..5000).
+busy_on_debounce_ms = 300
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay below the release level before declaring CLEAR
+; (hang time; default 1500, range 0..10000).
+busy_hang_ms = 1500
+
+[tnc]
+; IAMALIVE interval sent on the TNC control port to tell connected clients
+; the TNC is still alive. Valid range: 5..600 seconds. (default: 60)
+keepalive_s = 60
+; Interval between BUFFER reports sent to the TNC control port, telling
+; clients how many bytes are queued for TX. Valid range: 100..10000 ms. (default: 1000)
+buffer_report_ms = 1000

overlay/etc/skel/.local/share/emcomm-tools/mercury/mercury.ini.custom

@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+; Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
+; Date    : 26 August 2026
+; Purpose : Mercury custom configration for EmComm Tools
+
+[main]
+
+ui_enabled = false
+ui_port = 10000
+ui_protocol = ws
+waterfall_enabled = false
+
+; Use hamlib rig control over the local network
+radio_model = 2
+radio_device = 127.0.0.1:4532
+radio_serial_speed = 0
+
+; Plug-and-play audio support
+; Note: input|output_device are set by et-mercury
+;input_device = 
+;output_device = 
+capture_channel = left
+sound_system = alsa
+
+; Keep same TCP control and data ports for VARA HF compatibility
+arq_tcp_base_port = 8300
+
+broadcast_tcp_port = 8100
+
+; Logging
+verbose = false
+
+; FreeDV modem verbosity level, 0 to 3 (default: 0)
+freedv_verbosity = 0
+
+; Hamlib radio log level, 0 to 6 (default: 0)
+; 0=NONE, 1=BUG, 2=ERR, 3=WARN, 4=VERBOSE, 5=TRACE, 6=CACHE
+hamlib_log_level = 0
+
+[audio]
+
+; TX audio gain in dB applied to modulator output samples (default: 0.0).
+; 0.0 dB = no change.  Use this to set Mercury's TX level independently
+; of the host audio mixer, so other modems sharing the radio aren't
+; disturbed when you tune Mercury's drive.  Saturation is applied at the
+; int32 PCM ceiling so any value clips cleanly.
+; Range: -20.0 .. +20.0 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_gain_db = 0.0
+
+; TX keying delay in milliseconds (default: 10), waited after PTT ON before
+; audio is written to the playback device on TX. The default covers the
+; local radio relay's switch time. Increase this if your host app drives
+; PTT off Mercury's "PTT ON" TNC notification and needs more time to
+; actually key the radio (e.g. a slow serial/CAT relay) — otherwise the
+; start of the transmission can be clipped before the radio is keyed.
+; Range: 0 .. 2000 (values outside are clamped).
+tx_delay_ms = 10
+
+[arq]
+
+; ARQ link no-progress disconnect budget (seconds, default: 180).
+; When data-retry slots exhaust on a frame, Mercury no longer disconnects
+; immediately — it resets the retry counter and forces a payload-mode
+; downgrade.  The link only drops when wall-clock since the last ACK that
+; advanced the sequence number exceeds this budget, OR when the keepalive
+; miss limit is reached (5 * 20s = 100s by default).  180s sits just above
+; the keepalive timeout as a safety net for the asymmetric case where peer
+; keepalives still arrive but our TX direction has gone one-way.  Raise
+; this for ultra-marginal NVIS work where forward progress can take longer.
+no_progress_timeout_s = 180
+
+; Absolute cap (seconds, default: 30) on how long an application DISCONNECT
+; may stay deferred while Mercury drains the last queued TX bytes.  When the
+; host (e.g. BPQ32) ends a BBS forwarding session, Mercury finishes sending
+; any buffered data, then completes a clean air-side DISCONNECT handshake.
+; This cap guarantees the link always tears down within the window even if
+; the session is stuck ping-ponging — preventing the rig from being keyed
+; indefinitely after the host has already disconnected.  On a healthy link
+; the drain finishes in seconds, so this only bites on a stuck session.
+disconnect_drain_timeout_s = 30
+
+; Number of DATA-frame retries before a downgrade cycle (default 10, range 1..64).
+; Affects the data plane only; connection-setup (CALL/ACCEPT) retries keep their
+; short defaults so a failed connect gives up quickly.  Use the RETRIES TNC
+; command at runtime to widen CALL/ACCEPT/DATA retries together.
+data_retry_slots = 10
+
+; Seconds to hold the lower mode after a forced downgrade (default 6, range 0..60).
+mode_hold_after_downgrade_s = 6
+
+; Clean ACKs required to step the speed ladder up one level (default 2, range 1..16).
+ladder_up_successes = 2
+
+; Consecutive retries that force a one-step downgrade (default 2, range 1..16).
+retry_downgrade_threshold = 2
+
+; IRS response guard after decoding a frame, in ms (default 700, range 200..3000).
+; Raise if your radio's TX-to-RX switch is slow and you lose ACKs.
+channel_guard_ms = 700
+
+; ISS guard before resuming DATA TX after an ACK, in ms (default 900, range 200..3000).
+iss_post_ack_guard_ms = 900
+
+; Keepalive transmit interval in seconds (default 20, range 5..120).
+keepalive_interval_s = 20
+
+; Missed keepalives before the link is dropped (default 5, range 2..20).
+keepalive_miss_limit = 5
+
+; Seconds to hold the peer's payload mode after activity before reverting
+; (default 15, range 1..120).  Reduce (e.g. 8-10) if you see long gaps between
+; turns; this also scales the IRS inactivity probe (hold x 5).
+peer_payload_hold_s = 8
+
+; Control-mode-only startup window in seconds (default 10, range 2..60).
+; Only DATAC16 is used until the link is proven stable; raise if the initial
+; handshake (e.g. UUCP) times out before the first data frames get through.
+startup_max_s = 10
+
+[channel]
+; Channel-busy (occupancy) detector.  Mercury classifies the HF channel as
+; busy/clear from the RX spectrum and reports transitions to the host with
+; VARA-compatible "BUSY ON" / "BUSY OFF" notifications on the control port.
+;
+; OFF by default, deliberately.  Mercury itself never gates transmission on it,
+; but the hosts that consume these notifications do: BPQ32 and Winlink hold
+; transmissions while BUSY is asserted, so a detector that fires on noise, or on
+; a station you are already in QSO with, stops the station transmitting and
+; strands traffic in the queue.  That is field experience on HF, not theory, and
+; it is why VARA ships with busy detection off as well.
+;
+; Turn it on if you scan: it is then the only early warning a host gets, since
+; everything else waits for a full frame to decode (3.7 s for a connect request)
+; and a scanning host cannot hold its dwell that long.  Expect to tune the
+; thresholds below per band and noise environment before trusting it.
+busy_detect = false
+
+; Passband peak level, in dB above the tracked noise floor, required to call the
+; channel BUSY (default 10, range 3..40).  Lower = more sensitive.
+busy_threshold_db = 10
+
+; Release hysteresis in dB: the channel is only declared CLEAR once the peak
+; falls below (busy_threshold_db - this) (default 3, range 0..20).
+busy_hysteresis_db = 3
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay above threshold before asserting BUSY
+; (debounce against transients; default 300, range 0..5000).
+busy_on_debounce_ms = 300
+
+; Milliseconds the peak must stay below the release level before declaring CLEAR
+; (hang time; default 1500, range 0..10000).
+busy_hang_ms = 1500
+
+[tnc]
+; IAMALIVE interval sent on the TNC control port to tell connected clients
+; the TNC is still alive. Valid range: 5..600 seconds. (default: 60)
+keepalive_s = 60
+; Interval between BUFFER reports sent to the TNC control port, telling
+; clients how many bytes are queued for TX. Valid range: 100..10000 ms. (default: 1000)
+buffer_report_ms = 1000

overlay/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-kill-all

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Author   : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date     : 12 November 2024
-# Updated  : 23 August 2026
+# Updated  : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose  : Stops all EmComm Tools soundcard-based services (i.e. modems)
 #            and radio applications to ensure a clean start for the next mode.
 
@@ -40,10 +40,9 @@ stop_all_services() {
   pkill -9 modem73
 
   # Stop the Mercury HF modem
-  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-balanced
+  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-arq
-  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-reliability
+  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-broadcast
-  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-fast
+  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-custom
-  systemctl --user stop et-service-mercury-winlink
   pkill mercury
 
   # Stop VARA with a sledge hammer

overlay/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mercury

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 16 July 2026
-# Updated : 12 August 2026
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose : Wrapper script for starting Mercury with PnP support
 #
 # Preconditions:
@@ -10,26 +10,16 @@
 #
 # Postconditions:
 # 1. Mercury started with sane defaults
-#
-# Notes:
-#
-# Mercury supports many modulation types and configuration options. To
-# keep usage simple, only three modulation settings have been configured
-# that map to a combination of reliability and speed for most general
-# purpose applications.
-#
-# The DATAC17 and QAM16C2 modes are documented on the RETICULUM.md
-# documenation on the mercury GitHub project, but are not yet supported
-# in version 1.9.9. Disabling these options from now.
 
+ET_MERCURY_HOME="${HOME}/.local/share/emcomm-tools/mercury"
+ET_MERCURY_LOG="${ET_MERCURY_HOME}/session.log"
 
 usage() {
   echo "usage: $(basename $0) <mode>"
   echo "  <mode>"
-  echo "    reliability - Max reliability (Slower Speed) [DATAC1]"
+  echo "    arq       - Automatic Retry Request mode (Winlink)"
-  echo "    balanced    - Balanced (Reliability and Speed) [DATAC17]"
+  echo "    broadcast - Broadcast mode (Reticulum)"
-  echo "    fast        - Fast (Low Reliability) [QAM16C2]"
+  echo "    custom    - User defined mode for custom settings"
-  echo "    winlink     - Used for Winlink [DATAC3]"
 }
 
 if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
@@ -41,21 +31,17 @@ fi
 MODE="$1"
 
 case "${MODE}" in
-  reliability)
+  arq)
-    MODE_INDEX="0"
+    ET_MERCURY_INI="${ET_MERCURY_HOME}/mercury.ini.arq"
+    OPTS=""
   ;;
-  winlink)
+  broadcast)
-    MODE_INDEX="1"
+    ET_MERCURY_INI="${ET_MERCURY_HOME}/mercury.ini.broadcast"
+    OPTS="-m 0 -b 8100"
   ;;
-  balanced)
+  custom)
-    MODE_INDEX="9"
+    ET_MERCURY_INI="${ET_MERCURY_HOME}/mercury.ini.custom"
-    et-log "Mode not yet supported."
+    OPTS=""
-    exit 1
-  ;;
-  fast)
-    MODE_INDEX="10"
-    et-log "Mode not yet supported."
-    exit 1
   ;;
   *)
     et-log "Can't started Mercury modem. Mode not supported."
@@ -64,8 +50,15 @@ case "${MODE}" in
   ;;
 esac
 
-[[ -z ${ET_LOG_DIR} ]] && ET_LOG_DIR="${HOME}/.local/share/emcomm-tools"
+if [[ ! -e ${ET_MERCURY_HOME} ]]; then
-[[ ! -e ${ET_LOG_DIR} ]] && mkdir -p ${ET_LOG_DIR}
+  et-log "ET_MERCURY_HOME does not exist at ${ET_MERCURY_HOME}. Exiting"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -e ${ET_MERCURY_INI} ]]; then
+  et-log "Mercury configuration file not found  at ${ET_MERCURY_INI}. Exiting"
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 start() {
   update_config
@@ -80,12 +73,7 @@ start() {
   
     ALSA_DEVICE=$(et-system-info et-audio-card) 
 
-    # Mercury implemented support for rigctld oddly. Even though the rigctld IP and port are
+    CMD="mercury -C ${ET_MERCURY_INI} -L ${ET_MERCURY_LOG} -i plughw:${ALSA_DEVICE} -o plughw:${ALSA_DEVICE} ${OPTS}"
-    # specified with the -A option, the code will not trigger the PTT unless a rig model
-    # is specified. We can specify model '2' (network mode) with the -R option to ensure that
-    # the PTT conditional code blocks for hamlib are called. This explains why earlier tests
-    # only worked with the DigiRig Lite as it has an internal VOX circuit.
-    CMD="mercury -m ${MODE_INDEX} -i plughw:${ALSA_DEVICE} -o plughw:${ALSA_DEVICE} -A 127.0.0.1:4532 -R 2"
 
     et-log "Starting Mercury in mode ${MODE} with: '${CMD}'"
     echo

overlay/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-mode

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Author   : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date     : 6 November 2024
-# Updated  : 23 August 2026
+# Updated  : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose  : Configures the system for a specific mode of operation
 
 # Use a simple text file to save the state of the last mode selected
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ if [ $exit_status -eq 0 ]; then
     ;;
     ${MODE_ID_WINLINK_MERCURY}) 
       et-log "Using Mercury as the modem."
-      start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-winlink
+      start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-arq
       start_and_wait_for_service et-service-winlink-mercury
       min http://localhost:8080
     ;;

overlay/opt/emcomm-tools/bin/et-reticulum

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 12 May 2026
-# Updated : 21 July 2026
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose : Wrapper script for starting Reticulum with PnP support
 #
 # Preconditions:
@@ -111,12 +111,7 @@ if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
 
   HAS_MERCURY_CONFIG=`grep "Mercury HF" ~/.reticulum/config`
   if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
-    modem_options+=("mercury-reliability" "Max reliability (Slower Speed) [DATAC1]")
+    modem_options+=("mercury-broadcast" "Mercury Broadcast Mode")
-    # The modes below, DATAC17 and QAM16C2, are documented on the RETICULUM.md
-    # documenation on the mercury GitHub project, but are not yet supported in
-    # version 1.9.9. Disabling these options from the UI for now.
-    #modem_options+=("mercury-balanced" "Balanced (Reliability and Speed) [DATAC17]")
-    #modem_options+=("mercury-fast" "Fast (Low Reliability) [QAM16C2]")
   fi
 
   if [[ ${#modem_options[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
@@ -178,17 +173,9 @@ if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
         et-log "Starting modem73 in fastest mode"
         start_and_wait_for_service et-service-modem73-fastest
       ;;
-      mercury-reliability)
+      mercury-broadcast)
-        et-log "Starting mercury in reliability mode"
+        et-log "Starting mercury in broadcast mode"
-        start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-reliability
+        start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-broadcast
-      ;;
-      mercury-balanced)
-        et-log "Starting mercury in balanced mode"
-        start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-balanced
-      ;;
-      mercury-fast)
-        et-log "Starting mercury in fast mode"
-        start_and_wait_for_service et-service-mercury-fast
       ;;
     esac
   fi

scripts/install-mercury.sh

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Author  : Gaston Gonzalez
 # Date    : 17 July 2026
-# Updated : 12 August 2026
+# Updated : 26 August 2026
 # Purpose : Builds and installs the Mercury HF modem
 set -e
 trap 'last_command=$current_command; current_command=$BASH_COMMAND' DEBUG
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ trap 'et-log "\"${last_command}\" command failed with exit code $?."' ERR
 . ./env.sh
 
 APP="mercury"
-VERSION="1.9.11"
+VERSION="1.9.13"
 APP_AND_VERSION="${APP}-${VERSION}"
 GIT_TAG="v${VERSION}"
 GIT_URL="https://github.com/Rhizomatica/mercury.git"