Re: Computer Controll for old Yaesu Rotators
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org]On Behalf Of Tony Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 23:19 UTC To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Computer Controll for old Yaesu Rotators
All,
I have an old Yaesu G-500A elevation rotator mated to a Yaesu G-800SDX and would like to use computer controll for both. They each have their own controller, but they do not have buit-in computer controll boards.
Idiom ( http://www.idiompress.com/rotorcard.html ) makes a board for the G-800SDX, but I can't find anything for the G-500A.
What would be the best inteface / boads to use with this set-up? The Yaesu GS-232 interface is a bit pricy and was wondering about an alternative. I use NOVA software for tracking.
Thanks,
Tony -K2MO
Hello,
I use Kansas City Tracker to operate my CDE Ham II azimuth rotor and Yaesu/Kenpro G500a elevation rotor. Modifying the G500a control box was a breeze! The rear panel has an eight wire terminal strip, although only wires 1-6 are actually used. I ran the common motor control wire to terminal #8. Now all necessary wires for automatic control are available at the back panel.
I found my KCT board here on the BB a couple of years ago. . Seems like there should be a few more out there for sale? I think that the going rate is in the $40-$50 range? Just make sure that you have a PC with an available ISA slot. The most modern PC I've found with an ISA slot is a Pentium 2 450 MHz. It runs Windows 98 quite nicely, and SATPC32 operates my Icom radios and KCT quite nicely. I also use InstantTrack/Instanttune, which can be run in Windoze or DOS.
Of course. the LVB tracker looks really nice, too! Some day.... <grin>
73,
Kyle Yoksh K0KN Olathe, Kansas
----- Original Message ----- From: "K & R Yoksh" yokshs@sbcglobal.net To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 3:11 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Computer Controll for old Yaesu Rotators
Hello,
I use Kansas City Tracker to operate my CDE Ham II azimuth rotor and Yaesu/Kenpro G500a elevation rotor. Modifying the G500a control box was a breeze! The rear panel has an eight wire terminal strip, although only wires 1-6 are actually used. I ran the common motor control wire to
terminal
#8. Now all necessary wires for automatic control are available at the
back
panel.
73,
Kyle Yoksh K0KN Olathe, Kansas
Hi Kyle, K0KN
For the G-500a I understand that you connected the common motor control wire to the available terminal #8 of the strip and using 2 external relays you get in parallel the normally open relay contacts with strip #4 and strip #5 connected to the motor and to the front panel switches.
Now the manual switches are mechanically interlocked and the relay contacts can be also made interlocked but the manual switching operation is not interlocked with the automatic operation.
In this case during the automatic tracking it is possible to accidentally press the wrong manual switch and make a short.
For the above reason I have installed my 2 relays inside the control box and I have used the manual switches and the automatic control to excite only the relay coils via two PNP transistor with the same circuit used into the G-5500 control box.
Since the 24 volt AC contacts are electrically interlocked a short circuit is now impossible.
I did the same modification as well for the CDE Tailtwister T2X
In a separate mail I have sent to you the schematic diagram of the above modification for both the KR-500 and KR-400
Best 73" de
i8CVS Domenico
participants (2)
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i8cvs -
K & R Yoksh