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Overlay applications

This page describes the eleven applications currently available for the Labs edition: what they do and how to control them. For installation, compatibility, and developer information, see Overlay apps.

[!NOTE] Navigation keys depend on the radio and the SetNav setting: UP / DOWN on UV-K5, or LEFT / RIGHT on UV-K1. In the tables below, UP/LEFT and DOWN/RIGHT refer to these equivalent keys.

Starting an application

  1. Install a compatible .app file with UV Studio.
  2. From the normal radio screen, press F, then 7 VOX.
  3. Select an installed application with UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT.
  4. Press M to launch it.

In most applications, EXIT closes the application and returns to the launcher or normal radio screen. Some radio applications can also be assigned directly to a programmable key through the normal action picker.

Application summary

Application Purpose
Broadcast FM Full-featured broadcast FM receiver with VFO, memories, and station scanning
FoxHunt Signal-strength and direction-finding aid with history, attenuation, and audio guidance
Beacon Repeating ARDF-style Morse beacon using the selected transmit VFO
Beam Transfer one channel configuration between compatible radios over the air
Breakout Brick-breaking game
Tetris Falling-block game with scoring, levels, and a saved best score
Cube3D Animated 3D shape viewer
Plasma Animated demoscene-style patterns
Snake Classic grid-based snake game with a saved best score
Rapid Roll Platform game where a rolling ball must keep descending past hazards
Space Impact Side-scrolling space shooter with automatic fire, missiles, and bosses

Broadcast FM

Broadcast FM is a complete BK1080 broadcast receiver. It provides frequency and memory modes, four broadcast bands, manual seek, automatic station discovery, and 48 FM memories shared with the resident FM radio.

While this application is running, the normal BK4819 receive and dual-watch functions are suspended. Changes to FM memories are committed safely when the application exits.

Key Action
0–9 Enter a frequency in VFO mode, or a two-digit memory number in MR/save mode
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT Tune one step in VFO mode; select the previous/next stored station in MR mode; choose a save slot; change seek direction while scanning
* Start manual seek; stop an active scan
F, then * or hold * Start automatic scanning and rebuild the FM memory list
M in VFO mode Open SAVE?; press M again to save in the selected slot
M in MR mode Open DEL?; press M again to delete the selected memory
F, then 1 or hold 1 Select the next broadcast band
F, then 3 or hold 3 Switch between VFO and MR modes
F, then 0 or hold 0 Exit the application
EXIT Erase the last entered digit, cancel a save/delete prompt, or exit

[!WARNING] Automatic scanning clears and rebuilds the FM memory list before storing the stations it finds.

FoxHunt

FoxHunt helps locate a transmitter using the selected receive VFO. It shows corrected signal strength in dBm, an IARU-style S-meter, peak and minimum levels, trend information, and either a bar graph or signal history. Selectable attenuation extends the useful range close to a strong transmitter.

Key Action
1 Toggle between the bar graph and signal history
2 Select the next audio mode: off, strength beeps, or continuous station audio
3 Increase attenuation
F, then 2 Select the previous audio mode
F, then 3 Decrease attenuation
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT Increase/decrease attenuation directly
M Reset the peak, minimum, and trend reference values
Hold F Lock or unlock the application keypad
EXIT Exit while the keypad is unlocked

The graph, audio mode, and attenuation setting are saved for the next launch. The two navigation keys remain available while the application keypad is locked.

Beacon

Beacon repeatedly transmits an ARDF-style Morse identifier on the selected transmit VFO. It alternates between a configurable transmit window and idle period. Available identifiers are MOE, MOI, MOS, MOH, MO5, MO, and CALL; CALL sends the configured callsign followed by MOE.

Key Action
1 Increase the transmit duration in 5-second steps (5–60 seconds)
2 Increase the idle duration in 5-second steps (5–240 seconds)
3 Select the next identifier
4 Toggle TONE / CARR keying
F, then 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Change the corresponding setting in the reverse direction
M during transmission Stop the current transmit window and begin the idle period
M while idle Restart the complete idle countdown
Hold F Lock or unlock all application controls
EXIT Stop safely and exit while controls are unlocked

The first transmission starts immediately. Duration, idle time, identifier, and keying mode are saved for the next launch. If the resident firmware refuses transmission, the application displays TX OFF and does not transmit.

[!WARNING] Beacon transmits automatically. Check the selected VFO, frequency, power, antenna, callsign, duty cycle, and local regulations before launching it.

Beam

Beam transfers the selected VFO or memory-channel configuration between compatible radios. The sending radio transmits the channel data over the air; the receiving radio stores a valid packet in the first free memory.

Key Action
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT Toggle between transmit (BEAM TX) and receive (BEAM RX) modes; also stop an active receive operation
M in TX mode Send the selected channel configuration
M in RX mode Start waiting for a Beam packet
EXIT Stop receiving or exit the application

The display reports SENT, RECEIVED, MEM FULL, or ERROR as appropriate. Only one received channel is committed per launch; exit and reopen Beam before receiving another.

Breakout

Breakout is a compact brick-breaking game with 18 bricks, five starting balls, score, and level tracking. Clearing the wall starts the next level and awards an extra ball.

Key Action
4 or UP/LEFT Move the paddle left
0 or DOWN/RIGHT Move the paddle right
M Pause or resume; after GAME OVER, start the prepared new game
EXIT Exit the application

Game progress is not retained after leaving the application.

Tetris

Tetris uses a 16 × 16 visible well, a shuffled seven-piece bag, ghost piece, next-piece preview, score, lines, and levels. The best score is saved between launches.

Key Action
4 or UP/LEFT Move left
6 or DOWN/RIGHT Move right
M or 2 Rotate the piece
8 Soft drop
* or 0 Hard drop
F Pause or resume
M, *, or 0 after game over Start a new game
EXIT Exit the application

Movement and soft drop repeat while their keys are held.

Cube3D

Cube3D renders rotating solid or wireframe shapes. Eight shapes are available: cube, octahedron, tetrahedron, diamond, icosahedron, cuboctahedron, hexagonal prism, and pentagonal gem.

Key Action
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT Increase/decrease rotation speed (1–16)
1–8 Select a shape directly
* Select the next shape
F Toggle wireframe/solid rendering
M Pause or resume
EXIT Exit the application

Plasma

Plasma displays animated full-screen demoscene-style patterns with either bands or stippled rendering.

Key Action
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT Increase/decrease animation speed (1–8)
1–5 Select a pattern and disable automatic cycling
* Toggle bands/stippled rendering
F Enable or disable automatic pattern cycling
M Pause or resume
EXIT Exit the application

Snake

Snake is a classic Nokia-style game played on a 31 × 13 grid. Eat the food to grow the snake and score 10 points. Hitting the border or the snake’s own body ends the game. The best score is saved between launches.

Key Action
2 or 3 Move up
4 or 5 Move left
6 or 0 Move right
8 or 9 Move down
F Pause or resume
M, *, or 0 after game over Start a new game
EXIT Exit the application

Holding a direction key repeats it. The application refuses an immediate reversal into the snake’s own body. If the screen saver activates during a game, Snake pauses and resumes after wake-up.

Rapid Roll

Rapid Roll is a platform game in which the platforms rise toward a spiked ceiling. Move the ball sideways and drop from one safe platform to the next. Spiked platforms, the ceiling, and the bottom of the screen cost a life; crumbling platforms begin to appear from level 3. Hearts award 50 points and restore one life, up to a maximum of five.

Key Action
4 or UP/LEFT Roll left
6 or DOWN/RIGHT Roll right
F Pause or resume
M after game over Start a new game
EXIT Exit the application

The game starts with three lives and becomes faster as the level increases. Safe platforms become narrower at higher levels. Progress is not retained after leaving the application. If the screen saver activates during a game, Rapid Roll pauses and resumes after wake-up.

Space Impact

Space Impact is a side-scrolling shooter. The ship fires its main gun automatically, leaving the controls free for vertical movement. Enemy waves use several movement and attack patterns, followed by a boss with a visible health bar at the end of each level.

Key Action
2 or UP/LEFT Move the ship up
8 or DOWN/RIGHT Move the ship down
5 or M Launch a piercing missile
F Pause or resume
M after game over Start a new game
EXIT Exit the application

The game starts with three lives and three missiles. The main gun fires automatically. Every 16 enemy kills awards another missile, up to nine. Defeating a boss awards an extra life and missile when below their respective limits. Progress is not retained after leaving the application. If the screen saver activates during a game, Space Impact pauses and resumes after wake-up.