Has anyone tried testing a rtlsdr with SARCTRAC system instead of the Yaesu radio listed?
Given that it is:
A) Closed Source
B) Only supports the FT-817
I think you’re going to be out of luck. In particular I find this pretty ridiculous:
Our software is node-locked to the SARCTRAC micro SDHC card and to the first Raspberry Pi platform it is installed on. It will not work if copied to another card or if used on another platform
If you’re going to use a RTLSDR, I think you’d be better off building the rotator and controlling it from something like GPredict, instead of using their locked down software.
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That is also my opinion. My thoughts were to build the rotor, control it with a RPI and probably GPredict. Was wondering what is required to get GPredict to control the rotor? I know that the RPI will operate RTLDSR, but am not familiar with controlling the motors. I don’t want to write the entire code for the rotor control.
I believe the ‘original’ SARCNET rotator emulates some common rotator protocol.
See more here: https://www.sarcnet.org/projects/project_rotator.html
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They say it becomes locked to the first RPi it boots the SD card from. Sounds like some kind of Tivoization to me…
I have built this and it works perfectly. Both versions. The DC motor and the AC motor version using Rotator6 arduino Leonardo.
Start hamlib rotctld. Start Gpredict, select your satellite and engage.
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Works perfectly with DC or AC motor version and FT-817.
I also used it with my IC-9100 but Gpredict has issues with the IC-9100. It works I just don’t like the way it constantly swaps between the two VFOs to update the Doppler correction.
I’m building the sartrac version now with DC motors and FT-817. Still waiting for parts.
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