Links of interest - ARS User's Opinion
Erik OZ4KK
sysop OZ4SCA GTWAY DENMARK.
He wrote:
"
I have now been the sysop
of a HF Mailbox for almost 5 years now. It has been very
busy, and too if I could not come home to the time where I
should have the beam turned against. For instance for my Far
East TFC which is not easy to link the whole H24 HI. Then I
decided to buy a KCT board from the USA. I did install it,
but it did not worked ok with my HAM-IV rotor, because this
rotor has its relay and motorwindings as well as the
meterline to the controlbox in one and same wire giving HUM
-AC- into the AD converters on the KCT board. Then I could
not use it, and have been very bored with it.
I then saw an
Internet WEB page around 2 month ago from Pablo EA4TX. He
announces that he has developed a PCB to could handle almost
all rotors and also the HAM-IV. I contacted Pablo, and asked
about his system. The reply promised so much that I could not
wait. I purchased a PCB, and installed it in my system. It
should work together with my FBB mailboxsystem, which has a
possibility called X and XC. X and XC are used in
scriptfiles, and the X and XC here means to execute a DOS
command. My system -FBB- is the FBB7.00f for DOS, and as such
it should work in this system to rotate my rotor.
I have had some
troubles, but the troubles belong to 50cm's from the monitor.
With other words,
I have made wrong syntax for the X and XC commands, and could
really not see what was wrong. I have been I contact with
Pablo all the time, and have followed his instructions. At
last he saw what I have done wrong, and since that it has
worked as an excellent and worthfull tool for my system.
I can give Pablos
system my best recommendations, and do not hesitate if you
like such a system.
The last Pablo
has made is a WINDOWS version which should be much more fancy
than the DOS version. I have just downloaded it, and look
forward to see what the Master has done. "
He wrote:
"Pablo
I received
the interface and wired it on my old KenPro KR600 RC... It is running
on first try perfectly. I congratulates you about the quality of your
documentation.
My next
version of TRX-Manager (V2.3) which supports your interface will be released
soon ...
A friend (F8PKC)
bought your interface and is very happy with it. I plan to write
a product review in a French magazine. Your interface is not expensive
and support AZ and EL on all rotators (included
the older)... Very fine."
He wrote:
"Ciao
, many thank's for addres ,I have called Prosistel and in 3 days I
have ARS on my station ....
The RCI is very good !!!!!!!
Is very simple traking the satellites ... I
use ARS with a Nova and KR400 & G500
rotors .
You have worked very fine for this project
...."
Alan - GI0OTC - 50Mhz
Alan Web Site
He wrote:
"Hi
Pablo, received the RCI board this morning. I am very
impressed with the quality of the unit and the software etc. Have been
playing with it most of the day (no work done today !!)
Thank you
very much for the fast delivery."
Guy - ON4AOI - A lot of
info.about DX4WIN, WRITELOG, DXTELNET, .
He wrote:
"HI
PABLO, AFTER LAST STORM IN OCTOBER ONE OF MY MOTORS
BROKE (YAESU-G 2800SDX) AND I HAD TO LOOK FOR A NEW ONE , HEARD FROM THE
PROSISTEL AND FOUND ALSO YOUR PAGE, VERY INTERESTING TO SEE SOMEBODY IN
EUROPE IS MAKING WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR SINCE LONG TIME A "ROTATOR
CONTROL" THAT WORKS WITH EVERY ROTATOR ON THE MARKET AND EVEN YOUR OWN
CREATIONS AND THIS CONTROLLED VIA "LPT PORT" AND NOT VIA SERIAL
COMMUNICATION.
THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS ALSO LOOKING NICE BUT I NEED TO CONTROL OUT OF
DX4WIN AND WRITELOG SO I WROTE TO THE AUTHORS OF BOTH PROGRAMS TO SEE WHAT
THEY CAN DO AND PROBABLY ONE OF THESE WEEKS WE CAN SETUP ARS WITH THERE SOFT.
AFTER SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU WE TALKED ABOUT TCP/IP CONTROL OVER THE
NETWORK TO REMOTE CONTROL THE TOWERS FROM A DISTANCE AND I WAS VERY SUPRISED
THAT ONLY 3 HOURS LATER I GOT THE UPDATE WHO COULD HANDLE THIS..........................
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS SUPPORT, AND THE MORE I CHAT WITH YOU THE MORE
YOU CHANGE.
MAYBE I'M GONNA WAIT A WEEK OR SO TO ASK YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE I DON'T
WAN'T YOUR "SIGNORITA" CALLING ME TO TELL THAT I'M STEELING HERE
HUSBAND HI"
Jean Paul - F6ASP
He wrote:
"I
wrote just to tell you that I am very satisfied by your hardware and
software...
Quite perfect... Congratulation Pablo..!.. your system works very well..."
Jaime - EA6NB
He wrote:
"I
have read many good comments about Pablo’s interface and recently have
support from DX4win so I decided to ask him for a RCI basic controller for
my old Ham-III what I use with a 50Mhz long yagi and a Hex 17-12 beam. After
installing the board and always with the near instant help of Pablo via
email, the old Ham-III from 1980.70 now is like a new digital rotor, ARSWIN
takes care, no more holding brake and turn controls, all fully automatic,
will integrated with a good Dx logging program or contest software, so you
have more time to play with other controls. Definetly a very good upgrade."
Frank - PA4FP - EME
Operator
He wrote:
"First
of all by opening the package I saw a nice PCB, which was
placed very nice with all the components.
After reading the manual it was a very easy job to install the hardware and
also the software. When I made a contact with the
ARS-board and computer I saw that this was a very easy job, it was already
working. No problem to readout the Azimuth YAESU
G-1000SDX. Also my own home brew Elevation rotator,
which I use most of the time for EME. A simple
potentiomer for the readout was used for max. readout on
the Elevation
Pablo, congrats with the nice ARS-System.
73, Frank - PA4FP <www.qsl.net/pa4fp>
70cm EME: <JO33BC> "
Ken - M0BPC
He wrote:
"Hi
Pablo
Thank you very much for the information you
supplied before I purchased the antenna rotation system.
The printed circuit board is constructed to a
very high standard and was fitted to my Yaesu g-400
rotator in minutes the screw connectors made
installation very easy the only internal modification needed to my
existing Yaesu control unit was the addition of one extra lead.
This now means that when a dx spot appears on
the cluster one mouse click on my Logger program
fills in the logbook page and changes radio
frequency and mode and as the Logger programm
also shows the long and short path directions
one mouse click on one of those buttons makes your rotator control unit
automattically turn my antenna to the required direction, that is
absolutly brilliant.
In addition your own ARSWIN program lets me find
the direction of any country I wish to work and again one mouse click
turns the antenna in the required direction.
To say I am pleased with the system and the
software is an understatement and it is great to know that if at any time
I need to change the Yaesu rotator your system will work with just about
any replacement.
I would be quite happy to recommend your
system to anyone and please feel free to supply my e-mail address or show
this e-mail to anyone who may need a recommendation.
To sum up the unit does all its advertised to
do only better and completely hassle free.
73 Ken M0BPC"
Andy - N9AB
He wrote:
"I HIGHLY recommend your product. See:"
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/954
Philippe - ON4VP
He wrote:
I ran into this interface on the net looking for a compatible interface
for my CREATE RC5A-3. The 'P' model comes with plug on the back of the
controller but mine didn't. As I understood that almost any rotator with
potmeter where you can readout the line voltage can be used with the ARS RCI,
I ordered one via PA4FP in Holland..
I ordered the 8bit version (standard) with has a resolution
of 256 for 360° so accurate enough for HF and VHF beams. (aprox 1.5° per
logic step).
If you like you can upgrade to an 10bit or even 12bit A/D converter for
finer heading and also elevation is optional installable.
The packages comes with the interface, ready db-25 pin connecter cable and
cdrom (software, drivers, 3th party soft). The documentation is clear to
understand, and you need some basic skills to measure voltages, but hey,
we're licenced hams, aren't we ?
I encountered a 'first time ever' problem. Pablo (EA4TX) told me he never
encountered this before, I had +22 VDC when fully CCW and 0 VDC fully CW.
Almost all rotators work the oposit way. So I mailed Pablo and he was VERY
helpfull, asking me to double check all connections, mailing the voltages,
and testing some out. After ONE night he mailed me a new DLL file that
inverted the A/D readings and reversed them into software.
All problems solved and I now have a wonderfull software controller that is
compatible with most logging programs, has a nice own interface, and is
compatible with a large range of rotators.
More info on my web: www.2die4.be
73, Philippe, ON4VP
Tony - M0DQZ
He wrote:
"Having first heard about your product from the guys who
wrote DX4WIN I was determined to have full computer control of my aerial
system. I use a Yaesu G-1000DXC at the top of my tower. After contacting you
I was amazed by the very prompt replies to all my E-Mails, and I sent you a
lot of questions! All of which you replied to immediately with helpful and
informative comments answering my questions and even anticipating others!
With my rotator, it involved opening the control box and soldering 6
connections, whilst Yaesu hadn't given me any circuit diagrams YOU did!
The unit arrived when you said it would, it was wired up in less than an
hour (most of the time being taken with the control box) and it worked first
time. A simple parallel connection to my computer, easy to use software
(that even recognised I was using XP) and it worked 1st time.
Using your control software or my logging programme (DX4WIN) with one push
of F11 I'm pointing at the DX!
I would without hesitation recommend ARS for anyone wanting full control of
their antenna system, it does exactly what you said it would and it can be
used on any rotator system.
Thanks for your help and such a great product there aren't many
manufactures who give the service you do.
Best 73's de M0DQZ, Tony "
Peter - DK2NG
He wrote:
I like to do DX. That's why I wanted to control my antenna from the pc with the logbook software Swisslog. After a long search I found ARSWIN, a interface to control the rotator from Pablo Garcia, EA4TX. This control is switched between the pc and the rotator control unit. The control software belonging to it is very confortable and enablees various functions.
I have build this interface in a small case. Light emitting diodes on the front signal the function of the rotator and a possibly present antenna brake.
Special credits go to the Pablo, himself. He helped me restlessly to solve any problems that would occur. It was always a pleasure to exchange e-mails with Pablo.
I don't want to miss this controling device and can only recommand it to any serious HAM.
Some more ARS Links
Mike - DF1ZN http://www.qsl.net/df1zn/ars.html
Damien - F5RRS http://perso.wanadoo.fr/f5rrs/equipment.html
Graham - M0AZJ http://www.btinternet.com/~g.p.gould/ham7.htm
Raffaele - IK4IDF
www.qsl.net/ik4idf/ars.htm
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