Every now and then I get sick of dealing with Windows updates and particularly the dreaded updates and think about going back to using an Apple computer. I'd be interested in learning how many of you are using Apple computers with Apple software. Let me hear from you please.
73 Rick, W2JAZ
Dog Park Software makes everything you need satellite tracking and logging! I have limited experience with the software (I do have an old MacBook Air, but don’t use it very often) but everything I’ve heard about it is that it works great.
MacDoppler is also available through the AMSAT store and AMSAT gets a portion of the proceeds.
https://www.amsat.org/product/macdoppler/
73,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Executive Vice President AMSAT
On Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 20:04 Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Every now and then I get sick of dealing with Windows updates and particularly the dreaded updates and think about going back to using an Apple computer. I'd be interested in learning how many of you are using Apple computers with Apple software. Let me hear from you please.
73 Rick, W2JAZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
My main station uses a combination of: - MacDoppler for rig control (controlling my IC-9700) - GPredict for antenna control. - GQRX for interfacing with various SDRs.
Ideally I'd be using MacDoppler for both rig *and* antenna control, but my rotator controller is served up by a RPirunning hamlib's rigctld, which MacDoppler doesn't support (even though the protocol is absurdly simple). So, I still use GPredict to do antenna control.
If you don't want to pay for MacDoppler (and it isn't particularly cheap), GPredict will also do radio control, but it does have some issues controlling dual-VFO rigs correctly.
73 Mark VK5QI
On Fri, Jun 19, 2020 at 9:34 AM Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Every now and then I get sick of dealing with Windows updates and particularly the dreaded updates and think about going back to using an Apple computer. I'd be interested in learning how many of you are using Apple computers with Apple software. Let me hear from you please.
73 Rick, W2JAZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Rick: I ran Windows for 30+ years in industry because it's prevalent business platform (where I worked). I still run Windows but only when I can not do the required task any other way.
I currently run Mac as preferred platform including MacDoppler (easy and the support is great).. MacLoggerDX (premier logging application).
Considering the volumes of emails we see on "can't get this or that to work on {name your application] for Windows," one could easily pay for a new Mac.
Also, you'll hear/discover Macs are expensive. Data: My 2009 MacBookPro still runs great. A $4,000 laptop divided across 11 years of trouble-free use (with no issues) and associating some value to my time (during which I was not doing Windows updates to my Mac), the Mac wins the cost/benefit analysis.
very 73,
iDave KJ9I
On 6/18/20 7:04 PM, Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB wrote:
Every now and then I get sick of dealing with Windows updates and particularly the dreaded updates and think about going back to using an Apple computer. I'd be interested in learning how many of you are using Apple computers with Apple software. Let me hear from you please.
73 Rick, W2JAZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Hi Richard,
I switched to using a Mac in my station a couple years ago when I remembered that I had an old Mac Mini--so old that it could not even be updated to the latest OSX. But what the heck, I tried it. I am using MacDoppler to run both my tuning (IC9700 and before that a TS-2000) and my rotator (G5500 with AMSAT LVB Interface). It works VERY well. I also like that I can buy MacLogger and the two integrate so that I can log on MacDoppler and it automatically gets the satellite, time, frequency, etc.
Don, at Dog Park Software gives excellent support and has helped me several times. There are a few irritating things about the UI, but it is mostly just a nice piece of software. And believe me, I don't intend to disparage SatPC32 either. I also have that, used it for quite some time, and also got used to its quirks just as I did with MD.
And yes, the Mac is not perfect--especially Apple is a real pain about Java (for FoxTelem) but with my old Mac Mini, I don't have to worry about updates :)
On Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 8:06 PM Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Every now and then I get sick of dealing with Windows updates and particularly the dreaded updates and think about going back to using an Apple computer. I'd be interested in learning how many of you are using Apple computers with Apple software. Let me hear from you please.
73 Rick, W2JAZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (5)
-
Burns Fisher -
David J. Schmocker -
Mark Jessop -
Paul Stoetzer -
Richard Lawn