DIY METAR

Support

Firmware updates

What is new in 6.1, how to put an older map on it, and every release before it.

Firmware 6.1 Hub 1.0 and Hub 2.0 · 6.1.2, October 2026

  • Change settings from your computer: plug the hub into a Windows or Mac computer and change its WiFi, airports and every other setting in Chrome or Edge, with no setup mode. Hub settings over USB.
  • Wind pulses yellow when an airport's wind or gusts go above the max wind you set.
  • Lightning animation: quick flickering strikes when an airport reports thunderstorms or lightning.
  • Dims after sunset: each airport dims at its own local sunset.
  • Airports outside the US light correctly.
  • Pick your WiFi from a list on the setup page instead of typing its name.
  • Light show button: plays the light show for about 5 minutes, then returns to weather.
  • Hub 1.0: an airport with an old report breathes red until a new one arrives.

Weather refreshes about every 15 minutes, and later updates install on their own. See getting started for the full 6.1 setup.

Upgrade an older map to 6.1

Moving a map on older firmware to 6.1 is a one-time upgrade, installed remotely. Your map stays on the wall.

  1. Buy the software upgrade ($10). At checkout, give your hub's serial number (at the bottom of your setup page) or your public IP address. To find your public IP, visit ipchicken.com from a device on the same WiFi as the map. Don't have either? Leave them blank and we email you.
  2. We install 6.1 over the internet. The lights breathe white while it installs; leave the map plugged in.

Buy the upgrade: $10

Is your map restarting?

Older maps could get stuck restarting through green, yellow, red, blue and pink in an endless loop. Three ways to fix it:

  1. Enter setup mode, copy your airport codes somewhere safe (a text file), leave only one airport code, and save. This lets the hub connect and update. Once it does, put your airport codes back in. The hub turns white while updating.
  2. Email support@diymetar.com your hub's serial number or public IP address, and we can update it remotely.
  3. Ship us the black hub and we will update it and send it back. You pay shipping both ways, and it takes 2 to 4 weeks from the day it arrives. Include a note with your name, return address and order number.

Release history

6.1.2Automatic update · October 2026

  • Change every setting from your computer over USB, with no setup mode: WiFi, airports, brightness, max wind, wind, lightning and icing, sunset dimming, light style, time zone and sleep. Plug the hub into a Windows or Mac computer and open the hub settings page in Chrome or Edge.

6.1.1Automatic update · October 2026

  • Saving settings on the setup page no longer asks for your WiFi password again. Turn on Change password only when you want to change it.

6.1.0September 2026

  • First 6.1 release for Hub 1.0 and Hub 2.0. See Firmware 6.1 at the top of this page.

4.4.4Automatic update · 10/11/2025

  • Fixed an issue where maps with no WiFi password would not connect.
  • Connect to a WiFi network with a password to download this update, then you can switch back to a network with no password.

4.4.0Automatic update · 9/25/2025

  • Fixed an error for maps over 100 airport codes; verified up to 300 airports per hub working as intended.
  • Another fix for the endless reboot loop (out of memory issue).

4.3.9Automatic update · 9/24/2025

  • Fixed an error where maps would constantly restart. We traced this to the over-the-air update function we use: a recent update to it broke some older maps, so we reverted to an older version while a fix rolls out.
  • Added cleanup of airport codes to make sure they are in the right format. The new weather service is less forgiving of typos.

4.2.6Automatic update · 9/22/2025

  • Fixed an infinite loop if wind was set to 99 (to turn off the wind function).
  • Fixed an error where long WiFi passwords would sometimes not fully read from memory.
  • Made airport data processing more efficient for the new aviationweather.gov service.
  • Fixed custom taxi-light projects (all 50 lights the same airport code) only lighting light number 1 correctly.
  • Fixed older maps that never entered lightning or icing settings getting stuck in an infinite loop.

4.2Automatic update · 9/19/2025

  • The automatic release of version 4.1. Thank you to the test group that ran 4.1 and helped us fix the error!
  • Fixed the hub serial number not displaying.
  • Fixed lightning and winds getting stuck and not going away.
  • Fixed a small memory issue where the map would reset after 72 hours of running (counter overflow).

4.1Manual update · 9/17/2025

  • The FAA updated its weather servers, which affected every DIY METAR map. This update fixes it.
  • Airports are now processed in batches of 50 so the chip does not run out of memory.
  • Updated the WiFi chip firmware.
  • Rewrote some code to be more efficient and use less memory. Fun fact: our hubs run on only 64 KB of memory!

3.8.8Automatic update · 12/2/2024

  • Adjusted the brightness setting to be more accurate. You may notice your map become brighter or dimmer.

3.8.4Automatic update · 2/7/2024

  • Gave aviationweather.gov more time before the hub times out.
  • Updated the WiFi stack for a smoother connection.
  • Reworded parts of the settings page to make it clearer.
  • Fixed flashing winds still flashing when only that setting was turned off.
  • Raised the maximum brightness setting.
  • Fixed a memory bug that could crash the map and force a reset.
  • Reduced how often the map checks in with the update server.
  • Fixed maps above 270 lights crashing.
  • Added the L6 legend code for a light that is always white, for example a white glow behind a custom map.
  • Taxi diagram projects no longer need the airport code entered 3 times in a row.
  • SKIP no longer causes flashing lightning behind the map.

3.5.0Mandatory update · 10/17/2023

  • By request, added the hub MAC address to the bottom of the settings page.
  • aviationweather.gov, where we get the weather, had a large update that broke the service we use. This required patch fixes it for all maps.

3.4.5Automatic update · 7/23/2023

  • The virtual legend is now on by default. Place the legend codes in with your airport codes.
  • Fixed an out of memory error that restarted the map.
  • Settings page cleanup: Y/N is now a toggle switch.
  • Fixed a crash on startup when a period was typed instead of a comma.
  • Lightning no longer freezes when more than 20 airports have lightning.
  • General code cleanup.
  • Default lights switch to Style 2 on all kits shipping 8/1/2023.
  • New purchases no longer need to register their hubs.

3.3.9Automatic update · 6/11/2023

  • Added the virtual legend. With the setting on, the first 5 lights of the strand become legend lights: green, blue, red, pink, yellow, starting closest to the hub.
  • You can also place legend lights anywhere with the codes L1 (VFR green), L2 (MVFR blue), L3 (IFR red), L4 (LIFR pink) and L5 (windy yellow).

3.3.8Automatic update · 6/1/2023

  • Added quiet startup mode, which skips the test light sequence at power-on. A customer's family member is sensitive to flashing lights and asked for a way to turn it off.
  • Added WS2812 light support for advanced users: use option 2 for light style in settings. WS2811 still works.

3.3.5Automatic update · 5/18/2023

  • Added flashing lightning, flashing wind and flashing icing settings.
  • Added a sleep timer, so the map can turn off during set hours.
  • Added fill in the blank mode, which fills lights for airports with no report (for example a closed tower). Make sure every light works before turning it on for a new map, since a filled light is not a real weather report.
  • If your hub is stuck on all pink after this update, update your settings: enter setup mode, connect to the setup WiFi, go to 192.168.4.1 and make sure every setting has a Y or N.

3.2.6Automatic update

  • Raised the maximum to 300 lights (was 200). Thanks, Tom, for helping test!
  • Spaces are now removed automatically from airport codes, winds and brightness. They caused the hub to connect but not download data.
  • More work on WiFi compatibility for some dual-band routers.

3.2.2Automatic update

  • Fixed the setup WiFi name staying visible outside setup on one chip we use.
  • Added a factory reset: type RESET as the WiFi name to wipe all settings and memory.
  • Made a loop in the code more efficient.

3.1.8Automatic update

  • A hot fix for 3.09. Red, white and blue wired lights work properly again, and we added a test rig for this combination.
  • A reset due to network conditions now happens quietly, without the startup light sequence.
  • Fixed some maps hanging on pink after startup. Maps load within 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the network.
  • Switched to Major.Minor.Fix version numbers.

3.09Automatic update

  • Introduced a watchdog that monitors the WiFi and resets just the WiFi connection when it has a problem. This fixes maps hanging for a long time without updating colors.
  • General code cleanup to prepare for new features.

3.02Manual update

  • Automatic updates are live! Hubs on 3.02 update themselves from here on.
  • Fixed the setup page crashing on WiFi with no password.

2.63

  • Larger packets, so weather downloads faster on maps over 50 lights.
  • Added the update link to the firmware and website for new users.

2.62

  • Fixed brightness not saving and displaying correctly. Use two digits; 10 to 40 is recommended.
  • Fixed SKIP showing blue. It is now dark as intended.

2.60

  • Setup mode is now solid red on all strands (it was sometimes a zigzag of red and pink).
  • All pink means the hub is trying to connect to WiFi.

2.58

  • Better support for some third-party WS2811 lights; fixes the legend bug for third-party lights.

2.57

  • Better handling of unstable WiFi: the hub reconnects much more often before forcing a reset.

2.53

  • Startup time cut almost in half.
  • If an airport fails to download, the hub keeps its old weather for one more cycle, which reduces dark lights on large maps.
  • Settings are now kept when you re-enter setup mode, one of our most requested updates.