Perhaps this might be of help: http://gatorradio.org/Manuals/Yaesu_GS-232B_Manual.pdf
It might be cool to build the controller around an inexpensive Raspberry-Pi or BeagleBone Linux controller that has an ethernet interface available. You could export a simple REST-based HTTP API, as well as emulating the Yaesu serial protocol over a TCP connection. A simple HTTP API might make testing easier, perhaps. You could easily return status and debugging information if you used an extensible encoding format like JSON.
For bonus points, you could also implement the Meade or Celestron serial protocol to be able to drive the rotor like it was a telescope mount from various astronomy-oriented programs that might be useful for locating the moon, Jupiter or tracking satellites. It would be a shame to build something new a modern and saddle it with only an ancient serial protocol that might not be the best choice for today.
Just a thought.
louie wa3ymh
On May 31, 2013, at 10:50 AM, David Bern David.Bern@engineer.com wrote:
Friends:
I am working on a summer project with students at Montgomery College, Rockville. The project is to design and build a device that controls a pair of inexpensive satellite TV rotors. And the device would emulate a popular AZ-EL rotor such as a Yaesu G-5500 AZ-EL controller so it can be used by a satellite tracking program such as SatPC32. Tom, K3IO suggested this project at the last AMSAT-DC workshop and is guiding us with this project.
I would like to borrow a Yaesu G-5500 AZ-EL controller and rotor for about three months or buy a used one so we can study and understand its command protocol.
I will pick up or pay for shipping. Please contact David, W2LNX directly at
W2LNX@amsat.org
Thank you, David, W2LNX _______________________________________________ Via the AMSAT-DC mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA AMSAT-DC@amsat.org http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-dc