[amsat-bb] CAT Cable and Rotor Controller for FT-736R

[Jim Jerzycke]

IIRC, it's the Prolific chipset that is commonly faked.


The FTDI chips don't have that problem.....yet!


73, Jim  KQ6EA


On 12/19/2016 04:02 AM, Greg D wrote:
> Welcome back to the hobby!
>
> The main thing I would check is what USB->Serial chip the cable uses.
> There are a lot of cheap cables with counterfeit FTDI chips in them, and
> they're a nightmare to keep working.  The one you referenced seems to
> have the Prolific chip, so I don't see any issues, but I have no
> experience with it personally.
>
> No recommendations on rotors, as I built my own interface with a Basic
> Stamp and some relays, but with an antenna as light as the Arrow, nearly
> anything would be able to handle it.
>
> Greg  KO6TH
>
>
> Jeff Bollettino K4AMK wrote:
>> Hi all, I'm getting back into the hobby after a lengthy absence.  I
>> had to re-test for extra as my old license had lapsed and I've taken
>> care of that and shortened my call by one letter by getting an
>> available vanity call sign.  So now I want to get my old Yaesu FT-736R
>> operating the satellites and could use some help.  First up is
>> interfacing SATPC32 on a new windows 10 machine to the CAT interface.
>> I've read through all the AMSAT-BB threads I could find on the topic,
>> with one approach being to add an RS-232 interface to the PC and
>> building a TTL to RS-232 cable with some electronics.  If I can buy
>> rather than build I'd prefer to do that for time reasons.  I found a
>> cable on the UK site radioarena.co.uk that is a "Yaesu USB Programming
>> / CAT Cable for Radios with 6-pin DIN Connector" which sounds perfect
>> but one learns to be suspicious when it seems too easy.  Has anyone
>> tried this USB to Yaesu CAT cable with an FT-736R, or otherwise knows
>> why it would or would not work?  Here's the link:
>> https://radioarena.co.uk/programming-cables/yaesu/yaesu-usb-programming-/-cat-cable-for-radios-with-6-pin-din-connector.html
>>
>> Second, I'm planning to get an Arrow LEO antenna with a low noise
>> figure preamp and try a fixed elevation with just an azimuth rotator,
>> mounted in an attic.  Could I get some suggestions on the rotor
>> controllers that interface most easily/best with SATPC32?  I know
>> there's a list of all of them in the read me file but this program's
>> been around for awhile and I'm looking for what is easily available
>> and integrates without running into unnecessary snags.  I haven't
>> owned a rotator before, and so I'm not familiar with them.  I think
>> what I need with a small, attic antenna is probably at the small end
>> of the rotor scale.  I'll probably go through Norm's Rotor service,
>> but it would be great to have some experienced recommendations on what
>> to get.
>>
>> thanks for any guidance you can offer
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Jeff
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> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>