-
-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 7
Expand file tree
/
Copy pathrotators.html
More file actions
120 lines (112 loc) · 6.99 KB
/
Copy pathrotators.html
File metadata and controls
120 lines (112 loc) · 6.99 KB
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en-GB">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title>Rotators — OscarWatch Help</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />
</head>
<body>
<div class="wrap">
<header>
<div class="brand">
<a href="index.html" class="brand-home" title="Home"><img src="oscarwatch-icon.png" alt="" class="brand-icon" width="56" height="56" /></a>
<div class="brand-text">
<h1>Rotators</h1>
<p class="tagline">Beam steering, park, and high-elevation passes</p>
</div>
</div>
<nav aria-label="Help topics">
<ul>
<li><a href="quick-start.html">Quick start</a></li>
<li><a href="map-and-sidebar.html">Map & sidebar</a></li>
<li><a href="frequencies.html">Frequencies</a></li>
<li><a href="satellites.html">Satellites & TLEs</a></li>
<li><a href="passes.html">Pass planning</a></li>
<li><a href="radio-rotator.html">Radio & rotator</a></li>
<li><a href="settings.html">Settings</a></li>
<li><a href="keyboard-shortcuts.html">Shortcuts</a></li>
<li><a href="troubleshooting.html">Problems?</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
</header>
<nav class="subnav" aria-label="Radio and rotator topics">
<a href="radio-rotator.html">Overview</a> ·
<a href="radio-icom.html">ICOM</a> ·
<a href="radio-yaesu.html">Yaesu</a> ·
<a href="radio-kenwood.html">Kenwood</a> ·
<a href="radio-sdr-dual.html">SDR dual</a> ·
<a href="radio-offsets.html">RX/TX offsets</a> ·
<a href="radio-doppler-tuning.html">Doppler tuning</a> ·
<a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial</a> ·
<a href="rotators.html" aria-current="page">Rotators</a>
</nav>
<main>
<p class="lead">
OscarWatch can point your antenna during a pass. Configure the rotator under
<strong>Settings → Rotator</strong> — use a serial port different from the radio. On Linux, prefer a stable
<code>by-id</code> or udev path — <a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial ports</a>.
</p>
<h2>Supported controllers</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr><th>Controller</th><th>Typical hardware</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>GS-232</td><td>Yaesu G-5500 and many clones</td></tr>
<tr><td>SPID</td><td>SPID Rot1Prog / Rot2Prog / rot2proG in <strong>SP</strong> mode (600 baud default; 1200 for Rot1Prog)</td></tr>
<tr><td>EasyComm II</td><td>Controllers in <strong>EC</strong> mode — SPID, M2, and similar (try <strong>9600</strong> baud; some hardware uses <strong>1200</strong>)</td></tr>
<tr><td>SAEBRTrack</td><td>Classic satellite tracker interfaces (BASIC Stamp, PSR-100, and similar) — <strong>9600</strong> baud default</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Main settings</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Serial port</strong> and rotator type. On Linux, see <a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial ports</a> for stable paths after reboot.</li>
<li><strong>EasyComm II:</strong> set the controller to <strong>EC</strong> (or EasyComm) mode. Default baud is <strong>9600</strong> when you pick this type in Settings; use <strong>1200</strong> if your controller manual specifies it (some SPID emulation modes).</li>
<li><strong>SAEBRTrack:</strong> select this type for PSR-100 and other SAEBRTrack-compatible rotors. Default baud is <strong>9600</strong>. Position feedback is used when the controller supports EasyComm-style <code>AZ</code>/<code>EL</code> queries.</li>
<li><strong>SPID native mode:</strong> set the controller to <strong>SP</strong> protocol and <strong>Auto (A)</strong> on the front panel before connecting.</li>
<li><strong>Azimuth range</strong> — <strong>360°</strong> or <strong>450°</strong> (G-5500 style).</li>
<li><strong>Smart azimuth (450°)</strong> — shortest path across north when useful (only shown for 450°).</li>
<li><strong>Elevation range</strong> — <strong>0–90°</strong> standard, or <strong>0–180°</strong> for over-the-top mounts that can track past zenith by flipping azimuth.</li>
<li><strong>Track-start elevation</strong> — tracking begins when the satellite rises above this angle (default −3°).</li>
<li><strong>Park azimuth / elevation</strong> — home position.</li>
<li><strong>Park rotator after pass</strong> — on by default; moves to park when the satellite drops below track-start. Uncheck to leave the beam where it finished.</li>
<li><strong>Calibration offsets</strong> — optional az/el corrections (degrees) for pass tracking and manual moves. Park uses configured park az/el exactly.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="keyhole-avoidance">Keyhole avoidance (0–180° elevation only)</h2>
<p>
On <strong>0–180°</strong> rotators, a high pass near zenith can outrun the rotator — the “keyhole” where
azimuth swings rapidly while elevation passes through 90°. OscarWatch can analyse such passes and, when
beneficial, <strong>pre-position</strong> the beam flipped (azimuth +180°, elevation 0°) before AOS, then
track over the top instead of fighting the keyhole.
</p>
<p>
These options appear only when elevation range is <strong>0–180°</strong>. They are hidden for
<strong>0–90°</strong> rotators.
</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Enable keyhole avoidance</strong> — off by default. Sidebar may show <strong>Keyhole Avoidance</strong> during a flipped pass.</li>
<li><strong>Slew rate (°/s)</strong> — your rotator’s maximum speed; used to estimate signal-loss windows.</li>
<li><strong>Keyhole threshold (°)</strong> — minimum pass max-elevation (60–89°) before a pass is treated as keyhole (default 80°).</li>
</ul>
<p>If planning fails or the feature is off, tracking uses normal az/el commands.</p>
<h2 id="manual-rotator">Standby and manual pointing</h2>
<p>
<strong>Standby</strong> parks the rotator and pauses CAT — use when browsing the map.
<strong>Resume</strong> restores pass tracking.
</p>
<p>
While in Standby, the menu bar shows <strong>Rotator</strong> (if rotator control is enabled).
Point the beam manually without resuming tracking — handy for a quick terrestrial contact or between passes.
</p>
<ul>
<li>Enter <strong>Azimuth</strong> and <strong>Elevation</strong> within your configured limits.</li>
<li><strong>Rotate</strong> — slew to position; <strong>Stop</strong> — halt in progress; <strong>Park</strong> — go to park.</li>
<li><strong>Close</strong> — dismiss the dialogue; beam stays put until Park or Resume.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="radio-rotator.html">← Back to radio overview</a></p>
</main>
<footer><a href="index.html">Back to help home</a></footer>
</div>
</body>
</html>