Being able to turn the antennas without having to touch the rotor boxes has
a number of advantages. As Ken points out, getting the boxes out of the way
is one. I found that I would reach for the control box and hold down the
levers (T2X) while I continue to work guys on the radio. I would inevitably
overshoot, have my fingers slip off the levers, or hit the limit switch.
I found the Logging software to not have a useful solution to this. Most
rotor changes are on antennas I am not currently using, in anticipation of a
band change. I wrote a small app that lets me configure 6 presets (EU, US,
JA etc) I just click on the preset, and the rotor goes there. The display
will be the beam heading, unless it is within 5 degrees plus or minus of the
preset, in which case it will display the preset caption. Typically the
display of the 4 rotors will show something like EU, EU, US and CE instead
of 45, 45, 315, 190. It is much clearer, especially after being awake over
30 hours. Some other features are offsets in case the mast slipped, and
protection against hitting the limit switches, which can render a T2X
inoperative. Another feature is a timeout. I once had a sidemount antenna
slip in the most clamp so it hit the tower on rotation. The rotor was
trying for 30 minutes to get to its destination.
This was not an advertisement to sell software. Just some food for thought
for the logging SW developers
73, Tom W2SC
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ken
K6MR
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 3:39 PM
To: k9yc@arrl.net; cq-contest <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Logging Software Automation For Antenna Rotators
Yes, but.
Rather than fiddle with rotator controls, pressing buttons, watching the
display, etc., It's way easier to type a heading into the log line, press
enter, and let the rotator go there. As an added bonus, you can put the
rotator control boxes in the closet and just show the displays on screen.
This is especially true when you have many rotators: I'd have run out of
desk space long ago :^)
Ken K6MR
From: Jim Brown<mailto:k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 6, 2017 3:31 PM
To: cq-contest<mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Logging Software Automation For Antenna Rotators
While the innovative work of those writing logging software and building
automation hardware to help us push the limits, one feature I purposely do
NOT use is automation of antenna rotators. Why not? Simple -- If I'm running
and I hear a station calling me, it's obvious that we both hear each other.
While running to the east coast or to JA, I often hear callers off the back
of my antenna. The only times I'm going to turn the antenna (or switch to a
different one that hears that caller better) is if I'm having trouble
copying him, or if I decide I want to to run in a different direction.
73, Jim K9YC
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