Rig & Rotator control software that does this?

[VK1JA]

G'day All,

I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of this, and I've done a bit of searching and come up blank...

I have my TS2000 radio and G5500 rotator set up nicely and both can be controlled via the PC. SatPC32 works well at tell the rotators where to point automatically, and it also takes care of the VFO stuff.

Now the question, I was trying to find a free software package that I can save beacon and operator call signs, frequencies and rotator positions into memories, so, in a perfect world I'd just click on the VK3RED memory button and the software would tune the TS2000 VFO to 144.4360 and swing the antenna's around to 182 degrees etc.

That way I could have all the beacons saved in memories and it would be a simple task of clicking on the button and waiting for the antenna's to swing around to see if a beacon is coming through.

Surely something like this has been made?

I've tried DXLab Suite and it came close to saving frequencies into memories, and even though it has some form of rotator control, you can't save rotator positions into the memories

Any ideas?

73

Jayson
VK1JA

[VK3FZ]

yes this can be done using dxlab suite
and add the Frequency Manager v 2.0 byRick Ellison - N2AMG
Frequency Manager is an add-on Program for Logger32 by Bob Furzer K4CY and Commander by AA6YQ.
Its main function is to store frequencies including a title and mode in a tree
hierarchy layout for easy access via computer interface. All information is
stored in an Access database capable of holding 32000 records.Also included is a
frequency scanner that will scan thru selected entries at a set time interval.
it can all be found free at
http://www.dxlabsuite.com/download.htm#Bridges, Gateways, and Extenders

cheers roger vk3fz

[VK1JA]

Thanks Roger,

I'll download the Frequency Manager addin and have a fiddle.

DXLab seems to have a lot of functionality, but the set up can be a bit clunky, but I'll give it a go

73

Jayson

[VK3DXE]

I'd be really interested in how you've done your system Jayson. Looking at doing same here.

[VK1JA]

No problems Alan, I'll keep you in the loop as to how it turns out.

[VK1JA]

Hi Roger,

I might be doing something wrong here, but I can't see where I can enter in the beam heading/rotator control in the Frequency Manager.

Does Frequency Manager integrate with a rotator controller somehow - is there another addin that will do this?

Thanks

Jayson

[VK1JA]

Hi All,

I'm still on the hunt for a solution to this, surely I'm not the first one to think of this, must be something out there...

I did hear from Rick, the maker of Frequency Manager and he has plans of putting beam headings into the memory slots of Frequency Manager and incorporate rotator control, but he has a few other projects to iron out before he gets to it, so unsure of an eta.

If anyone stumbles across some software that does this, please let us all know!

Cheers

Jayson

[VK3FZ]

the rotator is set up in dxview click the config in the bottom right
then select rotator control ant1 offset 180 set the comports and should work

cheers roger vk3fz

[VK6DF]

Update? did this work in the end?

[VK1JA]

Nope, no go

I've since emailed the creator of Frequency Manager and asked if it's possible to add beam heading/rotator control in his program and he replied to say that it can be done, and has put it on the list for feature enhancements.

Also, I downloaded the latest HRD demo and can confirm it doesn't have the functionality either
You can save favourites for name and frequency in the main program, and in Rotator Control you can save name and beam heading, but no there's nowhere in HRD that you can save name, frequency AND beam heading in the one favourite !

So I've put a feature request ticket in with HRD for it and they have also put it on their list of enhancements. They also said they would keep me up to date as to when it's done.

I wonder if there's a way of doing it in the Sat control part of HRD or even SatPC32? Both programs control frequency and beam headings at the same time in the same 'favourite', but you'd have to fool the program to look at a custom made kep file for each beacon I'm guessing? And I wouldn't know where to start for that

It'd be such a good thing to have, imagine clicking one button and the radio tuning to a saved frequency and beams swinging tithe right direction. Great for beacon hunting, repeater hunting, regular nets/contacts. It would be so useful.

73

[VK6DF]

sounds like a great idea, its a shame that there doesn't seem to be anything out there that will accommodate (just yet)

Hopefully you get a solution in the not to distant future.

[VK7XX]

Also, I downloaded the latest HRD demo and can confirm it doesn't have the functionality either

Have you had a look at Log4OM ??? I think, but an not 100% sure, that it interfaces with Frequency Manager. Log4OM is free and has the best support of any free software that I have ever seen. http://www.pisto.it/wordpress/log4om-en/

John

[VK1JA]

Hi John,

Thanks for the Log4OM suggestion. I loaded it up last night and while it has a lot of options (it would be great for contests), it doesn't have the function I'm looking for

73

Jayson

[YO3DMU]

PstRotatorAz v11.45 is able to do this.
http://www.qsl.net/yo3dmu/index_Page346.htm
There are 12 preset buttons. The rig is controlled via OmniRig.

73, Codrut - YO3DMU

[VK1JA]

Hi Codrut,

Thank you very much for posting the link, I have been searching for a long time!!

I will download the software tonight and test it out - hopefully the software is compatible with the G5500 rotators and Fox Delta 3 interface

Regards

[YO3DMU]

Hi Jayson,

I added the same feature to the PstRotator program (the AZ + EL version). It is compatible with the G5500 rotator and Fox Delta 3 interface.

73, Codrut - YO3DMU

[VK1JA]

Just a quick update.

I've since been able to have a bit of a play with PstROTATOR and it looks good!

It does exactly what I was after, and Codrut is very responsive to emails and has even done a bit of fine tuning/extra features to the software for me in the meantime - like the addition of saving the MODE (CW/SSB etc) in the presets as well as frequency and antenna heading.

It also has a few nifty features which would come in handy for quite a few people. One feature is the ability to monitor a nearby weather station (using http://www.wunderground.com) and when the wind gusts get above a certain speed (selectable by you) it will automatically turn your antennas to point into the wind! I've got a weather station just around the corner from me which is very convenient

Another cool feature is the ability to simply click on a location on the map (it can use Google Maps, plus others) and it will turn the antenna's to that location - great for field day ops.

Oh, it also has built in tools for EME, MS, working Satellites etc.

The only thing I can think of at the moment that would be good is to have more preset memories available - at the moment it has 12 which can quickly fill up when you program in the beacons for 6m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm.

I'll keep having a play, but at the moment it does exactly what I was looking for