HamBench

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Protocols & DSL Overview ​

The HamBench ecosystem uses JSON languages to describe clone-style serial I/O and EEPROM layout. A generic driver and codec interpret the data, so new radios are added with configuration rather than new TypeScript classes.

Two DSLs ​

DSLPurpose
Protocol DSLSerial handshake and chunked memory transfer
Memory-Map DSLEEPROM bytes ↔ radio settings (and UI metadata)

Why declarative radio support? ​

  • Radio independence: One interpreter supports many radios.
  • Declarative: Handshake, layout, and menus are data, not TypeScript.
  • Testable: Protocol and memory-map JSON validate against schemas.

Protocol DSL (I/O) ​

  • Exchange: send bytes and expect a reply (exact ACK, N opaque bytes, or a framed pattern).
  • Chunk loop: read / write repeats an exchange across named memory segments.
  • Placeholders: $address, $chunkSize, $length, $data are filled in at runtime.
  • Write extras: optional chunkSize, delay, and skip on a write step (UV-5R clone uses 16-byte blocks).

Memory-Map DSL (settings) ​

  • Structs at radio EEPROM seek addresses with sequential fields.
  • Encodings: integers, enums, booleans, ASCII, digit arrays, DTMF, BCD, bitfields.
  • UI metadata: groups (left nav), nested sub-groups (panel sections), plus per-field group, label, widget.

See the Memory-Map DSL for UV-5R address conversion (Chirp image − 8) and the “no code” path for a new radio.

Next steps ​