Contents - Index


Tracker Support

Tracker options are controlled through the Tracker, Options... menu.  You can also direct your antenna towards a specific object (e.g. for checking sun noise) through the Tracker, Test... menu option.

Supported Trackers

A number of hardware antenna trackers are currently supported.  If you can use the WiSPDDE software, that is my preference as it includes control of radio frequency as well as antenna steering.  The trackers include:
  • AMSAT LVB tracker (as GS232) - more information 
  • COM1..COM8 RTS line as rx-enable-only "tracker" 
  • Combi-Track - (under test) assumes azimuth is on unit A, elevation on unit B, only G (goto) commands are issued
  • CX6DD serial GS-232 interface on COM1..COM8 - more information 
  • EA4TX ARS Antenna Rotator System (V1.5k and above) - more information 
  • EASYCOMM I on COM1..COM8 - more information
  • FODTRACK Satellite Tracking System on LPT1 or LPT2 - more information
  • IF-100 parallel-port tracker
  • Kansas City Tracker (KCT) support (through 32-bit RR.DLL) - more information
  • KCT tracker with ON1CIM's KctTracker.exe server software for Windows NT/2000/XP.  on1cim@easynet.be
  • KVH antennas - more information
  • R2FX receiver - more information
  • SeaTel tracker support on COM1..COM8
  • SPID tracker
  • SSB/Orbit parallel-port tracker (partially tested)
  • ServerLabjack - more information
  • TRX-Manager (through WiSPDDE interface) - more information
  • UNI_TRAC (through WiSPDDE interface) - more information
  • WinROTOR - more information
  • WiSPDDE software interface - more information

    Please note that SatSignal software is not responsible for the content of external links, and that link locations can and do change.

    Trackers for which some work has been done, but which are not yet fully supported, these may not work properly:
  • Combi-Track
  • M2 RC2800
  • EGIS COM port

    Please contact your tracker manufacturer not me for tracker support!  Tracking will start at the wakeup time you have selected before the start of a pass.

    With the Bob Barnes CX6DD variant, you can override or add the channel prefix.  Please see Tracker.ini for details.

    If you are using Windows XP (or 2000 or NT) the parallel port is a protected system device, and you may need a small extra driver to allow a user-mode program such as WXtrack to control it.  

    Erich Eichmann writes about ServerLabjack (slightly edited):
    I had to copy 2 SatPC32 aux. files into the WXtrack program folder,  otherwise ServerLabjack sends a "File not found" message.  These files are:  SatIni.SQF and Flip.SQF.  Users of WXtrack who want to use ServerLabjack therefore need copies of these files in their WXTrack program folder.
       1. SatIni.SQF saves user specific settings used by SatPC32. Therefore the file is contained in the SatPC32 root folder.  ServerLabjack evaluates only the rotor endpoint setting S or N. This setting is contained in line #9 of the file.  A sample file is in the archive WXtrack.zip, a file that I have modified so that all other entries are dummies and  only the entry used by ServerLabjack on line #9 is S or N.  My rotor's endpoint is S. For testing I changed the setting from S to N and - as expected - the azimuth rotor was positioned into the opposite direction.
       2. Flip.SQF  This little file contains only 2 parameters which are either a + or a - sign.  SatPC32 supports optionally the 180-degrees elevation mode (Flip mode).  If the first entry is +  ServerLabjack allows 180 degs. elevation.  If the second entry is +  SatPC32 utilizes the 450-degrees range of some rotors, but only instead of flip mode, not both together.  I have set both entries to - (minus).  With these settings ServerLabjack steers 90 degs elevation and 360 degrees azimuth.  I did not test which influence changes would have when ServerLabjack is used with WXtrack.
  • The server file name is ServerLabjack.exe
  • Use Options, Tracker, Tracker-specific to locate server
  • The server does not need to be located in the WXtrack folder
  • WXtrack will close down the server program when it exits
  • You will need SatIni.SQF and Flip.SQF in your WXtrack folder
  • Please start ServerLabjack before WXtrack


    Tracker Options

    Depending on the tracker you have, there are a number of options available.  These are presented on a tabbed dialog box.

    General:
  • you can work in flipped mode when required if your tracker has an azimuth stop at north or south.
  • you can compensate for errors in azimuth or elevation.
  • you can point the tracker some seconds ahead of the actual satellite position.
  • you can compensate if the tracker works on magnetic north rather than true north.
  • you can allow a 180 degrees elevation range.
  • you can a 180 degrees azimuth offset.
  • you can set DDE to always be available
  • you can set the DDE strings to be in UPPER CASE
  • you can choose to write the file IT9SJL.txt in the Results directory.  The file contains Sun, Moon and primary satelite az & el, file is updated every 30 seconds (at most), but as a test - the file is updated every cycle.
  • large text - by checking this box, the main display of WXtrack is overlaid with the azimuth and elevation headings of the primary satellite.  This is intended for manual tracking of a satellite when you must be some distance from the computer and therefore have difficulty reading the screen.  In the registered version of the program, you can right-click the text to customise its screen location, font, and transparency.
  • you can set XY mode instead of azimuth and elevation mode.  The pointing commands will be converted from azimuth and elevation into XY commands, with (90, 90) being the vertically up position.  For the EasyComm tracker, the values are prefixed with X and Y instead of AZ and EL.

    At pass start:
  • Wake up the tracker between one and three minutes early.
  • Run a command.  You can substitute satellite name, catalog number and frequency in the command string.

    At pass end:
  • you can run a command

    Parking:
  • you can park the antenna at the end of a pass.
  • you can park the antenna when an auto-switch occurs.
  • you can park the antenna when you exit WXtrack.
  • you can specify where to park the antenna.
  • you can allow a specified time for parking to complete.

    Port setup:
  • allows you to choose which port to use.
  • only appropriate port options are enabled for the selected tracker.
  • allows you freedom to set non-standard serial baud rates for your tracker, so check carefully!
  • you can ask that only the first copy of WXtrack started has exclusive access to the tracker.

    Tracker-specific options:
  • you can set a half-elevation mode for Orbit/SSB trackers.
  • you can send a channel prefix to CX6DD trackers (for HRPT receiver control).
  • you can send a "rest channel" prefix after tracking is complete.
  • you can send a channel prefix text string to a CX6DD tracker, and substitute parameters (as listed in the box's pop-up hint).
  • you can send a channel suffix string to a CX6DD tracker at the end of tracking.  Please note that this string may be sent twice.
  • you can allow for an offset when a Yaesu/Kenpro tracker is "on its back".
  • you can set the threshold at which this offset is applied.
  • you can set azimuth and elevation gains for the KCT/RR.dll tracker.
  • you can set number of decimal digits sent to the EasyComm I tracker.

    Radio
  • you can select the frequency and mode for the uplink and downlink of a radio
  • you can use a file Radio.ini to make your own preset selections
  • the file Radio.ini must live in the same directory as the Kepler data
  • you can determine which modes should be used for which MA segments
  • radio control is achieved through TRX-manager or WiSPDDE or DDEtracker for SDR#
  • control of centre frequency for the SpectraVue software is under development