After going over the schematic (Thanks Dimitry) I see nothing wrong with the hardware, in fact I wonder if there was ever a hardware issue. I used the EL cable to move the antennas CCW about 1.5 turns. When I fired it up after replacing the relays it was stuck in CW on. I had to do this in an odd way , by resetting the el down 20 degrees at a time to bring the antennas back to north. Now I get no tactile(relay click on CCW AND EL up with the cables disconnected. All 4 relays seem good, this to me appears to be in the ROT2 firmware. Jerking around with the buttons in the setup routines in a meaning less way will get all for relays to click, but when I go to operational mode I’m back to CCW and EL only. Monday I’m going to try and contact someone who represents this company in the US. Anyone have a contact for AlfaSpid in the US? It seems there are lots of issues with this controller...
73 Jeff kb2m
I had similar problems to this over the last 18 months with the SPID ROT2 controller.
It was replaced 3 times and showed the same issue as you have intermittently over this time. I am using MacDoppler and my supplier and the manufacturer were convinced it was software. On returning to the manufacturer and taking the trouble to get my concerns and issues translated into Polish. I track numerous satellites, some one after another and listed all of this. So I returned the controller and rotor to Poland (at their expense) but they only tracked the ISS over a couple of days and found nothing wrong. Not wanting to continue with the ROT2 as I was convinced this was the issue I upgraded to their MD02 controller. Although this has its own quirks I have not suffered from the same relay related issue since.
There are also several YouTube videos of the problem that yours is exhibiting https://youtu.be/GWbhez5vadM
Sorry I haven’t got the cure.
Best 73 Pete G0ABI
On 20 Oct 2018, at 23:37, [email protected] wrote:
Here I go answering my own questions. I think I found part of my problem. The buttons don't line up in the case very well and caused the rotor to hung up turning in one direction. That was problem number two, I fixed problem number one the bad relay that started all of this.To fix this temporality I have the board out of the case to test and what is now happening is that I still can't turn CCW. All buttons work ok except for the CCW button. I tried a reset thinking that I'm over some set location in the firmware that I cant go CCW, but the reset doesn't work. I replaced all 4 relays. With the rotor completely disconnected I can get a relay click for every rotational control button except CCW, it has to be a glitch in the firmware I can't clear, as I replaced all four relays. And no I really don't want to spend the $900 for the green heron controller. Any other ideas? Thanks for your help...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 3:37 PM To: Amsat Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
I’m back at my winter home in Florida and decided today, to work on my AlfaSpid rotor control box issue. I replaced two relays to fix the Elevation issue but in testing it before I replaced the other two relays I’m now having a problem with the azimuth that’s been working 100% until this point. When I turn on the rotor control the elevation now seems to work ok, but now the azimuth immediately goes into a clockwise rotation. No matter what I do to the controller, upon startup it starts turning CW, only way to stop is to power it down The azimuth was working fine this morning when a worked a couple of sat passes. Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know where I can send this to have it fixed? I have no schematic, or even simple instructions on how to reset, etc.
73
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Someone just emailed me a reset procedure for a ROT1, does anyone happen to have the procedure for a ROT2 ? Thanks...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:08 AM To: Amsat Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
After going over the schematic (Thanks Dimitry) I see nothing wrong with the hardware, in fact I wonder if there was ever a hardware issue. I used the EL cable to move the antennas CCW about 1.5 turns. When I fired it up after replacing the relays it was stuck in CW on. I had to do this in an odd way , by resetting the el down 20 degrees at a time to bring the antennas back to north. Now I get no tactile(relay click on CCW AND EL up with the cables disconnected. All 4 relays seem good, this to me appears to be in the ROT2 firmware. Jerking around with the buttons in the setup routines in a meaning less way will get all for relays to click, but when I go to operational mode I’m back to CCW and EL only. Monday I’m going to try and contact someone who represents this company in the US. Anyone have a contact for AlfaSpid in the US? It seems there are lots of issues with this controller...
73 Jeff kb2m
I had similar problems to this over the last 18 months with the SPID ROT2 controller.
It was replaced 3 times and showed the same issue as you have intermittently over this time. I am using MacDoppler and my supplier and the manufacturer were convinced it was software. On returning to the manufacturer and taking the trouble to get my concerns and issues translated into Polish. I track numerous satellites, some one after another and listed all of this. So I returned the controller and rotor to Poland (at their expense) but they only tracked the ISS over a couple of days and found nothing wrong. Not wanting to continue with the ROT2 as I was convinced this was the issue I upgraded to their MD02 controller. Although this has its own quirks I have not suffered from the same relay related issue since.
There are also several YouTube videos of the problem that yours is exhibiting https://youtu.be/GWbhez5vadM
Sorry I haven’t got the cure.
Best 73 Pete G0ABI
On 20 Oct 2018, at 23:37, [email protected] wrote:
Here I go answering my own questions. I think I found part of my problem. The buttons don't line up in the case very well and caused the rotor to hung up turning in one direction. That was problem number two, I fixed problem number one the bad relay that started all of this.To fix this temporality I have the board out of the case to test and what is now happening is that I still can't turn CCW. All buttons work ok except for the CCW button. I tried a reset thinking that I'm over some set location in the firmware that I cant go CCW, but the reset doesn't work. I replaced all 4 relays. With the rotor completely disconnected I can get a relay click for every rotational control button except CCW, it has to be a glitch in the firmware I can't clear, as I replaced all four relays. And no I really don't want to spend the $900 for the green heron controller. Any other ideas? Thanks for your help...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 3:37 PM To: Amsat Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
I’m back at my winter home in Florida and decided today, to work on my AlfaSpid rotor control box issue. I replaced two relays to fix the Elevation issue but in testing it before I replaced the other two relays I’m now having a problem with the azimuth that’s been working 100% until this point. When I turn on the rotor control the elevation now seems to work ok, but now the azimuth immediately goes into a clockwise rotation. No matter what I do to the controller, upon startup it starts turning CW, only way to stop is to power it down The azimuth was working fine this morning when a worked a couple of sat passes. Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know where I can send this to have it fixed? I have no schematic, or even simple instructions on how to reset, etc.
73
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That procedure works on the rot2prog that's why I sent it.
Dave-KB1PVH
Sent from my Galaxy S9
On Sun, Oct 21, 2018, 11:55 AM [email protected] wrote:
Someone just emailed me a reset procedure for a ROT1, does anyone happen to have the procedure for a ROT2 ? Thanks...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:08 AM To: Amsat Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
After going over the schematic (Thanks Dimitry) I see nothing wrong with the hardware, in fact I wonder if there was ever a hardware issue. I used the EL cable to move the antennas CCW about 1.5 turns. When I fired it up after replacing the relays it was stuck in CW on. I had to do this in an odd way , by resetting the el down 20 degrees at a time to bring the antennas back to north. Now I get no tactile(relay click on CCW AND EL up with the cables disconnected. All 4 relays seem good, this to me appears to be in the ROT2 firmware. Jerking around with the buttons in the setup routines in a meaning less way will get all for relays to click, but when I go to operational mode I’m back to CCW and EL only. Monday I’m going to try and contact someone who represents this company in the US. Anyone have a contact for AlfaSpid in the US? It seems there are lots of issues with this controller...
73 Jeff kb2m
I had similar problems to this over the last 18 months with the SPID ROT2 controller.
It was replaced 3 times and showed the same issue as you have intermittently over this time. I am using MacDoppler and my supplier and the manufacturer were convinced it was software. On returning to the manufacturer and taking the trouble to get my concerns and issues translated into Polish. I track numerous satellites, some one after another and listed all of this. So I returned the controller and rotor to Poland (at their expense) but they only tracked the ISS over a couple of days and found nothing wrong. Not wanting to continue with the ROT2 as I was convinced this was the issue I upgraded to their MD02 controller. Although this has its own quirks I have not suffered from the same relay related issue since.
There are also several YouTube videos of the problem that yours is exhibiting https://youtu.be/GWbhez5vadM
Sorry I haven’t got the cure.
Best 73 Pete G0ABI
On 20 Oct 2018, at 23:37, [email protected] wrote:
Here I go answering my own questions. I think I found part of my problem. The buttons don't line up in the case very well and caused the rotor to hung up turning in one direction. That was problem number two, I fixed problem number one the bad relay that started all of this.To fix this temporality I have the board out of the case to test and what is now happening is that I still can't turn CCW. All buttons work ok except for the CCW button. I tried a reset thinking that I'm over some set location in the firmware that I cant go CCW, but the reset doesn't work. I replaced all 4 relays. With the rotor completely disconnected I can get a relay click for every rotational control button except CCW, it has to be a glitch in the firmware I can't clear, as I replaced all four relays. And no I really don't want to spend the $900 for the green heron controller. Any other ideas? Thanks for your help...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 3:37 PM To: Amsat Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
I’m back at my winter home in Florida and decided today, to work on my AlfaSpid rotor control box issue. I replaced two relays to fix the Elevation issue but in testing it before I replaced the other two relays I’m now having a problem with the azimuth that’s been working 100% until this point. When I turn on the rotor control the elevation now seems to work ok, but now the azimuth immediately goes into a clockwise rotation. No matter what I do to the controller, upon startup it starts turning CW, only way to stop is to power it down The azimuth was working fine this morning when a worked a couple of sat passes. Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know where I can send this to have it fixed? I have no schematic, or even simple instructions on how to reset, etc.
73
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
After obtaining a copy of the reset procedure all appears to be working well in KB2M sat land again. I still have to re-attach the coax, and zero the elevation and align to north. Too windy to go back up on the roof today, To my sat buddies, I will be back on tomorrow afternoon. I wonder why the documentation doesn't have the simple reset procedure in the manual, it would of saved me the trouble of the relay replacement. If I wasn't 1/2 Polish I would be really pissed at AlfaSpid :-)
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:53 AM To: Amsat Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
Someone just emailed me a reset procedure for a ROT1, does anyone happen to have the procedure for a ROT2 ? Thanks...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:08 AM To: Amsat Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
After going over the schematic (Thanks Dimitry) I see nothing wrong with the hardware, in fact I wonder if there was ever a hardware issue. I used the EL cable to move the antennas CCW about 1.5 turns. When I fired it up after replacing the relays it was stuck in CW on. I had to do this in an odd way , by resetting the el down 20 degrees at a time to bring the antennas back to north. Now I get no tactile(relay click on CCW AND EL up with the cables disconnected. All 4 relays seem good, this to me appears to be in the ROT2 firmware. Jerking around with the buttons in the setup routines in a meaning less way will get all for relays to click, but when I go to operational mode I’m back to CCW and EL only. Monday I’m going to try and contact someone who represents this company in the US. Anyone have a contact for AlfaSpid in the US? It seems there are lots of issues with this controller...
73 Jeff kb2m
I had similar problems to this over the last 18 months with the SPID ROT2 controller.
It was replaced 3 times and showed the same issue as you have intermittently over this time. I am using MacDoppler and my supplier and the manufacturer were convinced it was software. On returning to the manufacturer and taking the trouble to get my concerns and issues translated into Polish. I track numerous satellites, some one after another and listed all of this. So I returned the controller and rotor to Poland (at their expense) but they only tracked the ISS over a couple of days and found nothing wrong. Not wanting to continue with the ROT2 as I was convinced this was the issue I upgraded to their MD02 controller. Although this has its own quirks I have not suffered from the same relay related issue since.
There are also several YouTube videos of the problem that yours is exhibiting https://youtu.be/GWbhez5vadM
Sorry I haven’t got the cure.
Best 73 Pete G0ABI
On 20 Oct 2018, at 23:37, [email protected] wrote:
Here I go answering my own questions. I think I found part of my problem. The buttons don't line up in the case very well and caused the rotor to hung up turning in one direction. That was problem number two, I fixed problem number one the bad relay that started all of this.To fix this temporality I have the board out of the case to test and what is now happening is that I still can't turn CCW. All buttons work ok except for the CCW button. I tried a reset thinking that I'm over some set location in the firmware that I cant go CCW, but the reset doesn't work. I replaced all 4 relays. With the rotor completely disconnected I can get a relay click for every rotational control button except CCW, it has to be a glitch in the firmware I can't clear, as I replaced all four relays. And no I really don't want to spend the $900 for the green heron controller. Any other ideas? Thanks for your help...
73 Jeff kb2m
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 3:37 PM To: Amsat Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue
I’m back at my winter home in Florida and decided today, to work on my AlfaSpid rotor control box issue. I replaced two relays to fix the Elevation issue but in testing it before I replaced the other two relays I’m now having a problem with the azimuth that’s been working 100% until this point. When I turn on the rotor control the elevation now seems to work ok, but now the azimuth immediately goes into a clockwise rotation. No matter what I do to the controller, upon startup it starts turning CW, only way to stop is to power it down The azimuth was working fine this morning when a worked a couple of sat passes. Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know where I can send this to have it fixed? I have no schematic, or even simple instructions on how to reset, etc.
73
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participants (2)
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Dave Webb KB1PVH -
kb2mjeff＠att.net