TIC is 24 VDC and there are a number of rotor controller options aside from
Green Heron. I am using six of the Arduino based k3ng type rotor
controllers - two of these operate TIC ring rotors. The Arduino based
control boards came from RemoteQTH.com. The EA4TX boards are similar and
will also work. Either can be configured to work with AC or DC motors by
setting jumpers on the boards to change the relay switching configurations.
You will also need a 24 VDC power supply with the Arduino based boards - I
think I recall that the TIC motors pull about 6 amps (??). 20A 24VDC
switching power supplies are inexpensive on eBay or Amazon.
Alternatively, you can also use a G-800 or G-1000 Yaesu rotor controller.
Pins 4 and 5 go to the motor. Pins 1 and 3 go to either end of the
potentiometer. Pin 2 goes to the potentiometer wiper. Reverse 4 and 5 as
required to coordinate CW/CCW motor operation. Reverse pins 1 and 3 to
coordinate azimuth CW/CCW indication.
The Arduino based boards have a local user interface with a 2-line display.
Simply dial in the desired direction, press go. You can also manually
rotate if desired. The boards also have USB interface for computer
control. I am interfacing the controllers to a Raspberry Pi which runs
RemoteQTH WEB server application running over Apache - download it for free.
The WEB interface includes a screen with a world map (you configure your
station location to center the map). You can just click anywhere on the
map you want the rotor to point to and the software does the rest. I think
the newer version of the RemoteQTH boards may have a built in WEB interface
which is even simpler.
Hope this helps.
Good luck on your project.
73
Matt
KM5VI
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Joe Subich,
W4TV
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2025 9:30 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Computer Control of a TIC Ring
Roll your own with this project:
<https://github.com/k3ng/k3ng_rotator_controller>
If the TIC uses a pot for direction, it should be an easy implementation.
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 2025-04-14 10:11 PM, Chris Hurlbut wrote:
> I am looking for an economical way to control TIC rings from the PC.
> The goal is to get the control boxes off of the operating desk.
>
> I really like the ERC offered by the guys at Vibroplex, but I don't
> see TIC compatibility listed.
> Controlling rotators is not complicated...surely there is some cross
> compatibility with something?
>
> RT-21's are nice, but outside of my price range.
> I don't see the EA4TX boxes having TIC compatibility also, but it is
> possible they do. Cheaper than RT-21's at least.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks!
> -Chris KL9A
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