Com Problem

[ei6al]

For many months I have operated remote TS480 using Com 1 for amplifier (1K Amp) and Com 2 for Rotator control (Green Heron). Some time ago the amp failed and was removed for repair.  Once removed I lost rotator Control.  Tried changing the settings and switching the rotator to Com 1, still would not connect.  Once the amp was replaced, both com ports again worked perfectly and I had rotor control plus amp.  Now again the amp has failed and once again I have lost rotor control once the RS232 lead to com 1 was unpluged.  I cannot see why there should be any impact on one Comport when the other is not used.  Has anyone seen this before, or any ideas??
Dave EI6AL

[sm2o]

Hi

what firmware version are you using, I think there was some bug like that if you had activated RTS/CTS on com 1. But this was years ago.

73 de mike

[ei6al]

Thanks for the fast response Mike.  Firmware is version 2.66.  Com 1 rts/cts is enabled.

[sm2o]

Ok quite old firmware, update to latest. If it's not enough, disable RTS/CTS.

/mike

[ei6al]

Have updated to V2.77, no change.  disabled RTS/CTS, no change.  With PA connected to Com 1 rotator worked on Com 2 mode 5, 4800, 8/1 hex 3b.  Have also tried mode 3, 4800, 8/1 hex 00.  Have switched rotator control unit between com 1 and com 2, no difference.  Am using Vlinx ethernet/rs232 server for CAT control which works fine.  Tried changing com2 to same parameters as Vlinx and switced CAT to COM2 - doesnt work.  Looks like COM2 just will not work without amp connected to Com 1, which does not make sense!  Could be a while before I get the amp back so any help to get rotator working would be greatly appreciated.

[sm2o]

Most people use only COM2 for CAT control and it's no problem, and how many percent have a Expert PA connected to com1 ? For a rotator connected to com1  or com2 the best is to use mode 1 or 3. You can disable com1 totally when testing. If mode 1 or mode 3 is not working, that's it. But if mode5 works when PA is connected to com1 that's just luck based on how package are sent or something. In mode 1 or there is no EOM character, in mode 1 a package is sent for every character received. I have never heard that mode 1 is not working but it produce lot of load if much data is sent (not with a rotator). In mode 3 a package is sent when there is a brake in the incoming data stream.

73 de mike

[ei6al]

Have transferred rotor control to Vlinx ethernet/rs232 server and now works ok.  Have changed rrc1258 comports as follows: Com 1  Inactive  Com2 Mode 4  Kenwood  9600, 8-1 parity off, 00hex.  Cat was working (logger32) using Vlinx,  does not work via Com 2.  Can you confirm pin connections on cable Com2 to PC?
73 Dave

[sm2o]

Using com2 for CAT control is how everyone do. The RS232 cable to the PC from com2 is straight, the connectors are described in the manual.

73 de mike

[ei6al]

Cable is fine.  CAT works fine if use via Vlinx external unit, rotator works fine if use via Vlinx unit.  Neither will work through either com 1 or com2 on RRC1258.  Not much more I can do except wait for return of 1K amp.  I know from when this happened before that when I use amp on com1 and rotator on com2 with CAT on Vlinx then everything will work again.  Without amp on com1 neither comports work.  Very strange but have run out of ideas.  Maybe some internal problem in RC1258 that is causing this interaction between the two comports?
73  Dave

[sm2o]

No, What I can think of is if you have no connection to pin5-GND, then it works when you get GND trough the AMP cable

/mike

[ei6al]

I will replace the CAT cable from the TS480 to the RC1258 with the cable that I had used for the amp.  I suspect that is not the problem as it was a different cable that I had used from the Rotator control unit to the RC1258 so they would both have to be missing the pin5 gnd connection, but at this stage I will try anything!
73  Dave

[ei6al]

Cables replaced, all units rebooted.  Still no success.  However, note that "PC" appears on TS480 screen and clicking on logger 32 clicking on cluster spot changes transceiver fx to cluster fx, so data is going out through com2, however no fx indication or band/mode info returned to logger 32 so traffic appears to be one way. None of this makes a lot of sense!!  At this stage will wait for return of amp when I know all will be well.
Thanks for assistance Mike.
EI6AL

[ei6al]

Amp repaired and installed today.  Immediately Com1, Com2 and CAT all now working perfectly.  Would have liked to have found why this is the case, but happy that all is working. 
73 Dave