SatPC32 And Green Heron RT21: "Limits" not obeyed
Anyone notice that when tracking a bird that SatPC32 will go far above the limits set for Az & El within the Green Heron's own "RT-21 Setup Utility" program?
I double-checked that the limits for Elevation were to go no higher than 50 degrees.
A bit ago I was tracking CAS which was making an 86 degree pass over me.
I was on CW listening to my "VVVVV" 's ; looked out the window, to see the antenna was at 86-degrees and inches from being driven into my roof!
Bob,
I'm using a Green Heron Az/El with an Alpha Spid and SatPC32. Interface has worked flawlessly for 2 years with Max El at 90 degrees and Min El at 0. My recollection is that was the default. I didn't have to set the parameters.
73,
Marshall, AA0FO EM29ne
On Mon, Apr 5, 2021 at 7:31 AM Bob KD7YZ [email protected] wrote:
Anyone notice that when tracking a bird that SatPC32 will go far above the limits set for Az & El within the Green Heron's own "RT-21 Setup Utility" program?
I double-checked that the limits for Elevation were to go no higher than 50 degrees.
A bit ago I was tracking CAS which was making an 86 degree pass over me.
I was on CW listening to my "VVVVV" 's ; looked out the window, to see the antenna was at 86-degrees and inches from being driven into my roof!
--
73 Bob KD7YZ
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On 4/5/2021 11:25, Marshall Toburen wrote:
Bob,
I'm using a Green Heron Az/El with an Alpha Spid and SatPC32. Interface has worked flawlessly for 2 years with Max El at 90 degrees and Min El at 0.
Indeed. Yes, mine does that also. Flawlessly too. Thanks to Erich.
Perhaps my old brain didn't correctly formulate the issue.
In some parts of the 3-D Arc, "If" I allow the yagis to elevate more than 50 degrees then the antennas will surely be driven and wedged against the sloping roof.
I have set these parameters into, or through, the RT-21.
Yet I just saw the antenna elevate to 86 ... quite fortunately the Azimuth was such that the fed-end of the yagis was way south of the roofline.
This time.
-- 73 Bob KD7YZ
Bob, the elevation problem has nothing to do with SatPC32. Up to program version 12.8d the program doesn't control the GH controller directly. The GH tracker or PStRotator, which are used with the controller, evaluate the DDE string sent by SatPC32. The string only outputs the true elevation (0...90). All other features have to be done by the client programs. Wtth vers. 12.9 I have added direct support of the GH RT-21 controller to the program. However, SatPC32 doesn't not provide to limit the elevation to values below 90. I don't know whether the controller firmware will do that.
73s, Erich, DK1TB
Am 05.04.2021 um 21:06 schrieb Bob KD7YZ:
On 4/5/2021 11:25, Marshall Toburen wrote:
Bob,
I'm using a Green Heron Az/El with an Alpha Spid and SatPC32. Interface has worked flawlessly for 2 years with Max El at 90 degrees and Min El at 0.
Indeed. Yes, mine does that also. Flawlessly too. Thanks to Erich.
Perhaps my old brain didn't correctly formulate the issue.
In some parts of the 3-D Arc, "If" I allow the yagis to elevate more than 50 degrees then the antennas will surely be driven and wedged against the sloping roof.
I have set these parameters into, or through, the RT-21.
Yet I just saw the antenna elevate to 86 ... quite fortunately the Azimuth was such that the fed-end of the yagis was way south of the roofline.
This time.
-- 73 Bob KD7YZ
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On 4/6/2021 02:35, Erich Eichmann wrote:
Bob, the elevation problem has nothing to do with SatPC32......
..... SatPC32 doesn't provide to limit the elevation to values below 90. I don't know whether the controller firmware will do that.
excellent point Erich.
I will email the GH person. Thank you.
-- 73 Bob KD7YZ
Also Bob, not sure if you're using it but since the topic of PSTRotator came up, I had a similar issue recently where I had an elevation limit of 40degrees setup and it blew past it and about bottomed out the antennas on the ground (they're on a non penetrating roof mount in the back yard).
Turns out PSTRotator appears to only enforce limits if you are in 0-90 deg mode and ignore them if you're in 0-180 mode. Changed the mode yesterday and tested and stops at 40 degrees as expected.
Ryan, NF0T.
On Tue, Apr 6, 2021 at 6:15 AM Bob KD7YZ [email protected] wrote:
On 4/6/2021 02:35, Erich Eichmann wrote:
Bob, the elevation problem has nothing to do with SatPC32......
..... SatPC32 doesn't provide to limit the elevation to values below 90. I don't know whether the controller firmware will do that.
excellent point Erich.
I will email the GH person. Thank you.
-- 73 Bob KD7YZ
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On 4/6/2021 10:45, Ryan Butler wrote:
Turns out PSTRotator appears to only enforce limits if you are in 0-90 deg mode and ignore them if you're in 0-180 mode. Changed the mode yesterday and tested and stops at 40 degrees as expected.
good to know as I am going to revert Az/El control back to PSTRotator. I just had SatPC32 run it to 78 degrees EL with AO7 a few mins ago
I emailed the Green-Heron programmer but never heard back. There is a setting in the rotor-control program whereby one sets in CW & CCW plus Elevation LIMITS.
But I see those are not enforced either.
SatPC32 can't know what limits I have in the RT-21 control-box and there seems to be no limits to set in the SATPC32 program ... that I can find.
I've let PSTRotator control the SPID before and (at 0 - 90) PST adheres to my in-program Limits.
I won't use PST for CAT radio control as SatPC32 is plainly hands-down the most smooth and accurate I have ever used ...I hit the CW keyer and BANG, there I am in the speakers .
It seems to me that the Green-Heron rotor control box should allow and enforce rotor limits.
I made the mistake this early pre-dawn morning of not using a flashlight to see if limits WERE enforced.
On 4/7/2021 05:57, Bob KD7YZ wrote:
I emailed the Green-Heron programmer but never heard back.
Strike that. I DID get an email with help on the matter from Green Heron's Jeff. great. I will let cha know if I successfully make limits be watched.
On 4/7/2021 06:01, Bob KD7YZ wrote:
On 4/7/2021 05:57, Bob KD7YZ wrote:
GH Jeff walked me through verifying the Limits set by using the Controller unit's front knobs.
My previously set limits of max-EL of 50 are still iin the settings register of the box which other programs must go thru to activate the SPID.
So the Limits exist, just that an external program can cause the antenna to hyper-elevate, so to speak. (??)
OK. I'm done with this topic. Thanks for writing for those that contacted me off-list
participants (4)
-
Bob KD7YZ -
Erich Eichmann -
Marshall Toburen -
Ryan Butler