Barry,
Understand your standpoint now, but that is the opposite of what you
wrote below. You said that you wanted to be able to run the KAT-500
utility remotely, which prompted me to let you know about the serial
servers that would be the solution. The Apple part of course makes that
somewhat more complicated.
Hopefully someone on the list will now know about these devices which
are wonderful to use for remoting.
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
--
Mitch Wolfson K7DX / DJ0QN
10285 Boca Cir, Naples, FL 34109
Skype: mitchwo
USA: Home:+1-239-221-9600 - Mobile:+1-424-288-9171
Germany: Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile/WhatsApp:+49 172 8374436
On 28.02.2019 14:52, Barry Baines wrote:
Mitch:
On Feb 28, 2019, at 11:27 AM, Mitch Wolfson DJ0QN / K7DX <[email protected]> wrote:
Barry,
I have been using serial to ethernet servers for over 10 years to control
rotors, amplifiers and other serial devices. You set these up once and can
forget about them. You install a virtual serial port on the control PC for
which you can use any kind of client software to control that device, but there
is of course no web interface. No local PC on the radio side needs to be
running. I use these devices instead of the (expensive) dedicated RC-1216H
devices that only provide a web interface. My favorite ones are the Lantronix
UDS2100, which I have bought over Ebay.
I’m currently using the Lantronics EDS4100 serial-to-ethernet which works well.
As you note, one creates a virtual com port on the controlling PC running
Windows. This device can manage up to four serial ports at the remote site.
Thus, I have the virtual com configuration installed on Win-7Pro machine in the
shack as well as on a Win10Pro virtual machine running on my MacBook Pro
running Parallels that’s with me.
However, that’s the problem… I want to use web-based devices because I have no
desire to run a Windows in the shack or where I am. A web-based device such as
the RC-1216H is much more convenient, doesn’t require a PC to access and avoids
having to specially configure the controlling computer such as is required to
manage a Lantronics device that is only compatible with Windows OS. I can’t
tell you how many times I’ve used my iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, etc. to
remotely manage my station to turn on/off devices (through West Mountain
Radio’s 4005i) or even reboot computers (through Digital Loggers Pro Switch).
Note that the WebSwitch 1216H (not the RC-1216H) allows rotor control and also
has a serial port server to provide a virtual serial port. This port can
however only be used for the rotor, plus the web interface and virtual serial
port can not be used at the same time.
To further clarify:
The RC-1216H can be configured to manage the KPA-500, the SteppIR, ACOM-200A,
Expert 1K-FA, and specific rotators. According to the RC-1216H manual, “At the
moment it support Prositel rotators with the D-type control box, AlfaSpid
rotators, rotators controlled by Green Heron control box and other rotators
with serial interfaces with the DCU-1 protocol.” In my case, the RC-1216H is
compatible with the Green Heron RT-21 control box. Along with managing the
rotor direction, jt can also power on/off the Green Heron controller through a
relay box (such as from West Mountain Radio) that allows 12 VDC to power
on/off a 120 VAC device. Keep the Green Heron power switch set to ‘on’ and I
have remote on/off capability for the Green Heron itself through the RC-1216H.
Thus, I have two RC-1216H devices: one to manage the KPA500 and the other
to manage my Green Heron/Orion rotor system.
The Webswitch 1216H is certainly an alternative for rotor control and people do
get confused with the two model designations. When I ordered the RC-1216H from
HRO, they sent me the webswitch 1216H in error. I like the RC-1216H because it
is a simple RS232 cable connection between the RC-1216H and Green Heron;
configure the RC-1216H to manage a rotor, and it basically works
out-of-the-box. There are eight predefined aziumth bearings that can be
labeled as well as the ability to direct the antenna to a specific bearing.
In summary, the trend is for more seamless web-based management of remote
devices both in the consumer market and amateur radio as it eliminates the need
for specific hardware/software to remotely manage devices. If I could replace
using KAT-500 Utility software with a web-based device such as the RC-1216H to
manage the tuner, I could stick with running Apple devices (and avoid running
Windows under Parallels on a MacBook Pro) and be able to fully control my K3
station from anywhere (in conjunction with the K3/0-Mini).
73,
Barry, WD4ASW
(Keller, TX)
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
--
Mitch Wolfson K7DX / DJ0QN
10285 Boca Cir, Naples, FL 34109
Skype: mitchwo
USA: Home:+1-239-221-9600 - Mobile:+1-424-288-9171
Germany: Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile/WhatsApp:+49 172 8374436
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