Yaesu FT-897 and HRD satellite tracking problem
Merry Christmas everyone. And apologies since I expect the question I ask here is old hat, but I've researched everywhere and still can't find a solution that works:
When using the Ham Radio Deluxe satellite tool for satellite tracking with automatic Doppler shift adjustment, I have a periodic 'polling?' noise issue with my Yaesu FT-897, the same as I had last field day with HRD and a FT-857. There is a periodic noise burst that coincides with the black square animation on the upper left of the satellite tracking tool screen. This noise burst makes it impossible to listen to very faint signals, and is annoying as all get out when waiting for a satellite to come into range. FM and SSB modes. I want to use the HRD program with its built in Doppler shift tracking, but it is unusable -for me- as a result of this problem.
During Field Day the FT-857 rig was controlled by a laptop, and yagis were about 20' away pointing at the sky. This current FT-897 setup is on a desktop style office computer into eggbeaters warming the clouds.
My CT-62 interface cable is shielded, but the shield was not connected! I tied the shield to ground, no difference. The RS-232 extension cable used is also shielded. Grounds are good in this upstairs office shack but I am about 12' above the ground rod. Trying different grounding makes no difference. Ferrite Beads on the comm cable, looped multiple times through the beads, etc. makes absolutely no difference. And I just tried a USB to serial interface replacing the RS-232 from the computer, no difference. So I've shielded and beaded and grounded and experimented to no avail.
This is a really annoying problem, and I feel there must be something elementary that I am missing either in the FT-897 setup or in HRD. I expect it is a Yaesu FT-897/857 problem, but again it may just be a setup issue.
Any response is appreciated, Dave KI4PSR
Sounds like radiation from the CT-62 cable - try putting a ferrite or two on the cable.
Simon Brown, HB9DRV
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Matthews" dave@lostfrogs.com
I have a periodic 'polling?' noise issue with my Yaesu FT-897
Thank you Simon, and I appreciate the response from the guru as I appreciate your fine program!
I have tried all of the procedures I could glean from the HRD forum and messages on the pertinent Yaesu group, and eham. I have grounded, beaded with ferrites, shielded, tried different cables etc., and I still get the chuff-chuffing noise that coincides with the black square animation on the upper left of the satellite tracking tool screen.
I have tried different CAT baud rates, and switched from a RS-232 interface to a USB interface. (I still have another more direct USB attempt to make after I build the Ham Gadgets interface). And although I presently have a few beads on the CT-62 cable I guess I can add a few more beads and a few more loops through them, but so far there has been absolutely no difference notices with or without the beads.
Advice on the HRD forums follows yours: 'noise radiating from the CT-62 cable'. I don't think it is in this case as I have tested and improved the shielding and added ferrites, etc.
My experiments suggest that this may be a problem inherent to the rig, maybe losing its control of receiver parameters momentarily as it acts on the repetitive CAT data. And finally a user in the Yaesu group suggests that this problem is normal for these Yaesu FT-897/857 rigs and some others. But that user mentions simply turning off the polling to avoid the noise. I want to use the HRD automatic Doppler shift tracking, so I need at least some periodic polling to update the rig.
Thanks you Simon for your timely response! I will keep looking and experimenting. Dave KI4PSR
(I would appreciate hearing from any users of an FT-897 or FT-857 who are using the satellite tracking tool in HRD with polling to track the Doppler shift. Do you have the same chuff-chuffing? Did you find a fix?)
Simon Brown (HB9DRV) wrote:
did u try changing the baud rate ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Rich VK4TEC vk4tec@people.net.au mailto:vk4tec@people.net.au http://www.tech-software.net
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org]On Behalf Of Dave Matthews Sent: Thursday, 27 December 2007 6:06 AM To: Simon Brown (HB9DRV) Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [SPAM] [amsat-bb] Re: Yaesu FT-897 and HRD satellite tracking problem Importance: Low
Thank you Simon, and I appreciate the response from the guru as I appreciate your fine program!
I have tried all of the procedures I could glean from the HRD forum and messages on the pertinent Yaesu group, and eham. I have grounded, beaded with ferrites, shielded, tried different cables etc., and I still get the chuff-chuffing noise that coincides with the black square animation on the upper left of the satellite tracking tool screen.
I have tried different CAT baud rates, and switched from a RS-232 interface to a USB interface. (I still have another more direct USB attempt to make after I build the Ham Gadgets interface). And although I presently have a few beads on the CT-62 cable I guess I can add a few more beads and a few more loops through them, but so far there has been absolutely no difference notices with or without the beads.
Advice on the HRD forums follows yours: 'noise radiating from the CT-62 cable'. I don't think it is in this case as I have tested and improved the shielding and added ferrites, etc.
My experiments suggest that this may be a problem inherent to the rig, maybe losing its control of receiver parameters momentarily as it acts on the repetitive CAT data. And finally a user in the Yaesu group suggests that this problem is normal for these Yaesu FT-897/857 rigs and some others. But that user mentions simply turning off the polling to avoid the noise. I want to use the HRD automatic Doppler shift tracking, so I need at least some periodic polling to update the rig.
Thanks you Simon for your timely response! I will keep looking and experimenting. Dave KI4PSR
(I would appreciate hearing from any users of an FT-897 or FT-857 who are using the satellite tracking tool in HRD with polling to track the Doppler shift. Do you have the same chuff-chuffing? Did you find a fix?)
Simon Brown (HB9DRV) wrote:
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Dave,
I also have one FT-897D with CT-62 since 2005 using HRD for Satellite QSO's, and also have this "taa...ta...ta..." with schelch opened.
This happen when the FT-897 recive data from computer via CAT, for this the sound "ta...ta...ta..." is in sync with the square icon at "up left" in the screen, that squase show you when the radio refresh data from computer. This problem not happen with my FT-847 for example. I don't know why Yaesu not solved it on the radio.
What you can do, and is what I do here are set on Current Data (inside SAT screen) "refresh every" (set to 1 second) that will reduce the problem, and you can do your QSO's better.
When you are operating SAT, you must only wait more to press again F1. Or give up to 1sec interval between the TX. If anyone discovery the solution for this problem, I'm also want to know, please! Dave thi's my experience with FT-897D and HRD, sorry for not so pretty English ok?
I loooooove HRD, i use today with my 897 and 847 and works amazing! I hope I had help you
73 Fabiano Moser PY5RX Lisbon/Portugal
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Matthews" dave@lostfrogs.com To: vk4tec@people.net.au Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 10:28 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Yaesu FT-897 and HRD satellite tracking problem
Thank you for that verification Fabiano!
I have set the refresh time to 10 seconds and encountered the same F1 problem. (My apologies to everyone for the screw-ups I made on AO-51 half an hour ago, part of the F1 delay problem! I won't try that again.)
Your English is fine Fabiano, and you have been a great help to me. Thank you very much! If I find out any fix I will let you know.
73, Dave KI4PSR
Fabiano Moser - PY5RX wrote:
Dave-
I have also noticed this problem with the 857...its almost as if the rig mutes or noise-blanks with each time a remote frequency change is requested. I haven't spent much time with it, but I don't think it is RF related, unless there is enough RF spur being thrown off to kick on the rig's NB. I don't think my FT-817 had the problem.
Dave n0tgd
On Dec 26, 2007 7:41 PM, Dave Matthews dave@lostfrogs.com wrote:
Thanks Dave,
Your input is appreciated! I am starting to reach a consensus from here and other avenues that the problem resides in the rig, and is not an RF issue. The chuff-chuffing effect is exactly as you describe, whether it is an acg, nb, or other function. Thanks for your input!
Dave, KI4PSR
Dave hartzell wrote:
Dave,
I had forgotten about this, but there was a satellite rig years ago which in fact had a "feature" which blanked the RX whenever the frequency changed. The fix was to clip the transistor used to short the output. Perhaps you can determine which is which by using another RX to probe for RF pulses around the CAT and other lines?
Alan WA4SCA
Dave,
Something to try is to put a choke in series with the individual leads in the CT-62 line. These are small, about the size of a 1 watt resistor with the conductor through the center. They will have no effect on the relatively low frequency components in the CAT signal, but may help with the RF pulses. I used this very successfully with another interface, though each situation is different. I have a drawer full of them if you wish to try them. Also, you may be able to bypass the RF with some disc capacitors.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
Thanks Alan!
I also have a bunch of those tiny chokes, and other small ferrites, and pi network filters for rf as well, and I will install them on my next USB to CAT project as you have suggested. (To be completed in the next few days from a kit.) I think that really is a last ditch effort since I believe the problem is not RF noise related, but rather a shortcoming in the Yaesu rig. But I have been wrong many times before and I have an abundance of crows that visit by back yard, I may have to make a meal of one!
I do find that reducing the update frequency in the tracker program 'current data' makes it less obnoxious, so that is good news!
So I will continue to work on RF noise abatement. Thanks for the response!
Thanks again Alan! Dave, KI4PSR
Alan P. Biddle wrote:
participants (6)
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Alan P. Biddle
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Andrew Rich
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Dave hartzell
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Dave Matthews
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Fabiano Moser - PY5RX
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Simon Brown (HB9DRV)