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Re: [TowerTalk] RS-232 control of M2 Rotator

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RS-232 control of M2 Rotator
From: Les Kalmus <w2lk@bk-lk.com>
Reply-to: w2lk@bk-lk.com
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:52:37 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
  According to the manual for the Orion RC2800PX-AZ controller, which is 
the current controller, the port setup is:
baud rate 9600, 8N1. The older controller was the same.

It says to start Hyperlink, then turn on the controller. You should get 
a message like:
M2AZ1 2.2 KO6YD where 2.2 is the software version and KO6YD is the author.
A=25.4 S=9 where S= top speed setting and 'S' means the unit is stopped.

I have not played with this for a while but I have followed these 
instructions successfully in the past and was able to send commands to 
the controller via Hyperlink.

If you don't have the manual, I can send you a scan of the relevant page.
Also see: http://www.m2inc.com/index2.html for links to their documents.

Les W2LK

On 9/27/2010 4:06 PM, codrut buda wrote:
> Hi,
>   
> You can try this software:
> http://www.qsl.net/yo3dmu/index_Page346.htm
>   
> 73, Codrut - YO3DMU
>
> --- On Mon, 9/27/10, TexasRF@aol.com<TexasRF@aol.com>  wrote:
>
>
> From: TexasRF@aol.com<TexasRF@aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RS-232 control of M2 Rotator
> To: n6kj.kelly@gmail.com, guy_molinari@hotmail.com
> Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
> Date: Monday, September 27, 2010, 2:39 PM
>
>
> Would those unprintable characters perhaps be the data you are looking for?
> Many devices like this return ascii values that require further
> manipulation to  derive actual position data.
>
> US Digital encoders for example return three characters, first is device 
> address, second is most significant byte and finally the least significant
> byte.  The address is discarded or used for verification, the ascii value of
> the second  character is multiplied by 256 and added to the ascii value of
> the third  character to give position data. That number is further manipulated
> to allow for  the resolution of the sending device.
>
> I don't have first hand experience with the M2 unit so all of this may well
> be irrelevant.
>
> 73,
> Gerald K5GW
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 9/27/2010 2:29:45 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
> n6kj.kelly@gmail.com writes:
>
> As I  mentioned in the original e-mail: this port was known to work
> properly with  other applications in the past.  I will double-check
> when I get home  to make sure that is still the case.
>
> I am not using a null modem  cable.  If I were, then I'd get no data
> from the rotator controller  rather than a response that appears to be
> sent at a different baud  rate.  Everytime I power cycle the rotator
> controller, it outputs data  that I can see in hyperterm.
> Unfortunately, the data is just a few  unprintable characters; the kind
> of thing I usually expect to see when the  port configurations are not
> correct.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at  12:05 PM, Guy Molinari<guy_molinari@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>> Have  you verified that the port on the computer works when connected  to
>> another device?
>>
>> Also, another problem is proper  cabling.    Are you using a "null modem"
>> cable  (pins 2 and 3 reversed at each end)?   Or is it a straight  through
>> cable (not reversed).
>>
>>
>>> Date: Mon,  27 Sep 2010 12:02:41 -0700
>>> From: n6kj.kelly@gmail.com
>>>    To: guy_molinari@hotmail.com
>>> CC:  towertalk@contesting.com
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RS-232 control  of M2 Rotator
>>>
>>> Yes, I'm aware of that. I have hyperterm  set up for 8-N-1. I've
>>> tried that combination with nearly every  baud rate possible, but still
>>> nothing.
>>>
>>> On  Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 11:49 AM, Guy Molinari
> <guy_molinari@hotmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>    >
>>>> There are 3 parameters for RS-232  communication.
>>>>
>>>> 1)  Baud  rate
>>>> 2)  Parity bit (0 or 1)
>>>> 3)  Number of stop bits  (0, 1 or 2).
>>>>
>>>>    I believe the M2 rotator is expecting none for the parity bits (0)
> and  1
>>>> stop bit.
>>>>
>>>> 73,
>>>    >  Guy, N7ZG
>>>>> Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010  11:31:04 -0700
>>>>> From: n6kj.kelly@gmail.com
>>>    >>  To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>>>> Subject:  [TowerTalk] RS-232 control of M2 Rotator
>>>>>
>>>    >>  I'm trying to remote my home station. The last piece of the  puzzle
>>>>> for (non-QRO) operation is the rotator. I've tried  several things to
>>>>> get RS-232 control of my M-Squared  rotator to work, but so far no
>>>>> luck. The rotator control  box seems to be trying to communicate. I'm
>>>>> using the  standard M-Squared control box. I see data coming back from
>>>    >>  the rotator, but it appears to be the wrong baud rate. I've  tried
>>>>> every baud rate (including the one that the manual  claims should
> work)
>>>>> so far with no luck. I've tried  controlling it with Hyperterm and
>>>>> with DX4WIN. Neither  works. This serial port works fine for other
>>>>> purposes.  This is a real RS-232 port; not a USB-to-serial converter.
>>>    >>  Anyone got any tips before I call M-Squared?
>>>>>    _______________________________________________
>>>    >>
>>>>>
>>>>>    _______________________________________________
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>>>>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>>    >>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>    >
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