PSTRotator now supports a Direct Flex connection

Mike va3mw

All I wanted to thank Codrut for making the changes to support Flex radios. As usual, his magic happens very quickly. You can find the setting under Communication You will need the IP address of the actual radio The IP address can be found many ways, the but simplest is in SmartSDR. Highlight the radio and then the Network tab. Your will then see Connected in PSTRotatorAZ and it will start to track frequencies for all configured devices. Good luck, Mike va3mw

iz7auh

Dear Mike,

TCP Port ???

Mike-VA3MW

This is designed for a Local LAN connection so no port is required.

John K3MA

What is the use case for having a Flex Radio talking with Rotor Control software?

KD0RC

Hi John, PstRotator has the ability to drive multiple rotators based on frequency range. It will even do the proper 90 degree offset if you have a rotatable dipole or other antenna mounted 90 degrees to your main antenna.

Curiosity about this product got me to download it last night. VERY impressive!! I liked it so much that I spent the 30 euros and registered a copy for myself. While I don't use a lot of the features, I find some to be invaluable.

My antenna mast moved 15 degrees in the rotator housing due to high winds one day last year. PstRotator has an antenna offset feature so now I can use published or calculated beam headings without adding the **** 15 degrees all the time.

It has a "tracking mode" such that when I enter a callsign into my logging program (N3FJP), it coincidentally populates the call sign field in PstRotator. Click the QRZ icon and it populates the grid square. Click GO or GO to Locator and the antenna heads right there. In the future, if the same call comes up, it will post the location and beam heading without the extra step of looking it up on QRZ.

There is also a version of the program that does AZ and EL for satellite work at no extra cost.

You can download a fully functioning demo version to try before you buy. It times out and has to be restarted every 10 minutes, but it gives you a very good look at the functionality and the compatibility with your equipment.

Here is a link to the website:

PstRotator - Software for Antenna Rotators

John K3MA

Thanks for the run-through on the capabilities. I am sure it will be valuable for someone who is not familiar.

In my case, I have been using the AZ version for 6 years or so and used the AZ/El version for a couple of years on Satelite and EME. All the great features for controlling the rotor aside I have always wondered why someone would want it to integrate with a Flex radio. With all the other control/integration software that is dependent on frequency/band/mode information, I have not been able to think of a reason to use the Flex integration offered in PSTRotator. Hence the reason for my question.

KD0RC

Hi John, it is so that you don't run the rotator when you are on a band that is not covered by your rotatable antenna. In this case, if it gets a frequency between 1.75 and 3.45 MHz from the Flex, it won't rotate the antenna. If it gets a frequency between 13.7 and 18 MHz, it will.

Of course, you can set it up so that it does not automatically rotate as soon as a call is typed in or comes in from a logger. This makes the above feature only necessary for those who allow fully automatic rotation.

If you have multiple towers, you can use frequency to determine which tower to rotate.

John K3MA

TU, Len. I appreciate the information. Those capabilities could be useful for someone.

Log4OM has become the main conduit for my HF operations and control. PSTRotator Az has become the way to manually turn the rotor if needed from time to time.

I think I will go back and spend some time investigating the features available on PSTRotator to see if there might be something to enhance the operation of the station.