Steppir control

[W3LI]

Gentleman, I currently control my Orion ll with the Log4OM program, love it. I am thinking about putting up a 3 el Steppir antenna. How do I marry all of this together so that when I click on a station on the cluster the Orion does it's thing and the Steppir does it's thing and tunes the elements. Not sure if this can be done. The Orion ll only has 1 serial port so where would the SDA 100 controller get its information to tune the antenna?
All help appreciated.
Andy, W3LI

[G4POP]

Andy,
We support PSTRotator and PSTRotator can also control the Stepir antennas

Have a look at their website, halfway down the page:

http://www.qsl.net/yo3dmu/index_Page346.htm

[W3LI]

OK, Terry will take a look. Will not try the rotor control as a new control box is way too expensive.
Thank you for the help.
Andy,W3LI

[IW3HMH]

Can we provide frequency in some way to SteppIR software?

[W3LI]

Terry et al, I went to the link u sent me and found a small bit about SteppIR. No information on how to use it . They mention a cable run from the Controller to a serial connector on my computer which I do not have. I only have USB ports. Am I suppose to download something???? No mention of that.
I called SteppIR and they were no help, in fact they never heard of LOG4OM or PST. I will use the controller in the manual mode for now. Sooner or later I will find someone who has done this and is willing to help.
Just have no idea what u are telling me, my ignorance and not your problem.
Tnx till next issue.
Andy, W3LI

[G4POP]

Andy,
A normal USB to serial converter cable will do the job.

I think that if you check your Stepir controller there is a computer connection socket for the cable to connect to

I believe that PSTRotator will send the commands to the Stepir controller using I for from Log4om

[W3LI]

Terry, so are you telling me to download PST.exe????
Andy

[G4POP]

Yes there is a free trial period

[W3LI]

Terry, according to the 4OM user guide there should be some information on PST rotor control on page 142. Found nothing from page 130 to page 150. Also I looked on these pages and found your comment about working with external software, but no help.
Went to the PST web page and decided that the information there on control of a SteppIR antenna was too scary for me to even try. Will run the SteppIR manually.
This is not fun anymore. A well written manual would help.
Andy

[G4POP]

Terry, according to the 4OM user guide there should be some information on PST rotor control on page 142. Found nothing from page 130 to page 150. Also I looked on these pages and found your comment about working with external software, but no help.

You are probably referring to either a very old user guide or you have a faulty download of the guide.

I have just downloaded the guide from http://www.pisto.it/LogOm/Log4OM_enu.pdf and it clearly states in the index "Rotator control" and "PSTRotator Set up" ----- page 160 - And sure enough on Page 160 there is the information and graphics for the setup of PSTRotator!

I also tried using the help in Log4om by going to Help/Help/English/Force manual update to ensure that it worked and the resulting download shows exactly the same index information and descriptive text and graphics on Page 160!

Went to the PST web page and decided that the information there on control of a SteppIR antenna was too scary for me to even try. Will run the SteppIR manually.

As I am not fortunate enough or rich enough to own a Stepir and neither do I have the have the space for a tower to fit it to I am unable to write instructions for it in the user guide - My apologies!

This is not fun anymore. A well written manual would help.

If you are referring to the Log4OM user guide? then yes perhaps it is badly written but I am just a Cockney guy with very limited education so my efforts are not very good, unfortunately there are no university lecturers queuing up to volunteer to take over the task.

Please shout if we can be of further assistance.