[pskmail] Aw: Server's antenna turning function

  • From: "Rein Couperus" <rein@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: pskmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2012 09:43:01 +0200 (CEST)

Hi Robert, great idea, although I doubt that may servers will be able to use it...

Generally speaking, I think a server needs to hear 360 degrees, but I also see 
the advantage of pointing the antenna to a discrete direction when you want 
to serve a station e.g. sailing in the south atlantic.

I would try to make a switchable antenna; I have developed one for contesting 
which switches 3 directions with 120 degrees sectors...
The main advantage of a directional antenna is to silence QRM from certain directions.
Disadvantage of a rotating antenna is the time necessary for pointing it into the right direction.

Anyway, I like your idea, and I can easily implement it into the client and server.

What do others think of this?

Rein PA0R

.


Hi
I wrote a subroutine in Perl to turn antenna towards calling client. My 20 meters antenna is down and I am fixing it. I also purchased kit to adapt my A3S to 30 meters, so it will be directional in both bands that is why I started working on this idea.
 I used Basic Stamp 2 with compass module - that is a part that is installed on mast, everything is connected to my server's computer, I hacked my Yeasu rotator G-800S, used UK1104 - 4-Port USB Relay Controller to control rotator and wrote software, which I attached to this email. Anybody interested in copying this please feel free, any help needed, just send me an email.

Now, subroutine receive position in Lat Lon form  , and does turn antenna  towards client.
 
I need help with implementing this into the server.
Which way will be the best to do it ?

The way I see this:
1/  Station trying to connect to the server should send a message to server with call sign of the server, client's callsign as well as client's position,
2/  Server after receiving that position send a confirmation and start antennaTurning subroutine,
3/  After server   finished turning antenna send another message that turning is completed and is ready to connect .
4/ Now client can connect into the server

I think that initial message from client should look something like this:

<SOH>00uKB2PNM>>SQ2ZAC 37N,44E ABCD<EOT>
 It should be transmitted in some rebust mode, and answer from server needs to be in similar mode.

It would be great to have a function implemented into client software utilizing this function, however I understand that not too many servers will have that ability.  I used already the function that I created in my experimental server ~TURNANT, but client have to connect first to be able to do this.

Please let me know what you think about that idea.
As I mentioned, my antenna is down (A3S, server is running on 30 meters only now), I will try to fix it this week end, the only thing that can stop me from doing that can be a need to order some extra parts, that will delay the process for at least a week.

73
Robert
KB2PNM

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