[CQ-Contest] Logging Software Automation For Antenna Rotators

[Steve Lott]

Tom W2SC

I am really interested in learning more about the app you wrote

you may email me off list if your prefer

kg5vk at arrl dot net

steve


http://www.KG5VK.com
My Ham Radio Friends


On Fri, Apr 7, 2017 at 6:37 AM, john at kk9a.com <john at kk9a.com> wrote:

> Perhaps it depends on what controllers you have. Hy-Gain rotators have a
> brake and are a pain to turn with the stock controller, especially when
> they stick. I have only prop pitch and TIC ring rotators all with Green
> Heron controllers. Neither have brakes. It is easy to reach over and turn
> the knob to the direction that I want and let the rotator do its thing.
> About the only issue is selecting the correct rotator and antenna switch
> when sleep deprived. From 8P I cannot imagine that you use the rotators
> often.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> From:   "Tom Georgens" <tomgeorgens15 at gmail.com>
> Date:   Thu, 6 Apr 2017 16:17:18 -0700
>
> 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
>
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