[amsat-bb] Re: LVB Tracker / 5500 rotor / USB-Serial Port coversion

[Dave-K7DAA]

Knut:

When you say you've tried the FTDI drivers without success, what  
exactly do you mean?  I guess we'd all need a bit more info from you  
as to exactly where your problem is:  what software you are using,  
like SatPC32 or whatever, what FTDI driver version, what version of  
Windows you are running, etc.  And then explain more about the "no  
success" part.  What does that mean?

I'll take a quick, general stab at where I'm guessing you might be  
hung up, but it's only a guess w/o more info:

When you install the driver and plug in the LVB Tracker box, you  
should be able to see it appear as a virtual serial port after the  
Windows "found new hardware" wizard has its way with you.  In Windows  
XP, you will need to go through several menus to see what virtual  
serial port (Com Port) it assigned.

I'm doing this from memory, but I think you first select Control  
Panel, then click on System, then select the Harware tab, then open  
the Ports by clicking on the little "minus" icon to have a look at all  
of your ports.  You should see a Com port that looks like the FTDI  
driver (I forget exactly what it ends up being called, but it won't  
say "LVB Tracker" or anything quite that easy.

You might want to do this before you plug in the LVB Tracker just to  
see what Com ports are already assigned in your "normal" computer  
config, write them down, and then look again after you've plugged in  
the Tracker to see what new Com port popped up.

Anyway, you would then use this new Com port, for example, Com3, in  
whatever software you are using to command the LVB tracker to turn  
your rotator (such as SatPC32).

Or...buy a Mac and  use MacDoppler--that's what I do and life is  
easy.  I've used my LVB tracker and 5500 rotator with several PC's and  
Macs over the years, and never had a significant problem.  It's a bit  
tough to get this stuff set up when you're hobbled by Windows, but  
once you do, I think you'll really enjoy it.  I do.

73,

Dave - K7DAA

On Sep 13, 2010, at 10:28 PM, Knut wrote:

> I am struggling trying to establish a proper USB - Serial port  
> conversion on my laptop. Can someone tell me which software is best  
> for this conversion and what are the pitfalls. I have tried the FTDI  
> Drivers as described in the LVB Tracker Box Manual without success.  
> With so many LVB Trackers in use I am sure there is a way, but I  
> have not found it yet. I may be doing something wrong during the  
> installation of this software and I can not figure it out. Any  
> suggestion will really be appreciated and tried.
>
> Newbe Knut / N6BNP
> SoCAL
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