[amsat-bb] LVB Tracker oddness

[Burns Fisher]

It makes some sense that grounds were reversed or some such.  But what I
can't quite figure out is why it only affected startup.  If I start it up
and then plug in the serial line, all is well.  Not to mention it seemed to
start when I upgraded SatPC32.

Anyway, using a USB dongle rather than the serial port right on the
computer seems to have solved the problem if not the mystery.

Thanks!


On Tue, Feb 20, 2018 at 12:26 PM, Norm n3ykf <normanlizeth at gmail.com> wrote:

> Isolatiion shorted (OR OVERVOLTAGE) on COM port?
>
> Ask why a device would not deliberately turn on given a set of conditions.
>
> IF you'd like to spend the afternoon parts swapping, the line driver
> is a standard cross.
>
> OTOH, There are a spare line driver pair on the MAX233 chip, unused
> and terminated.
>
> This stuff is great fun,  entertaining just long enough to go
> "POOFTA". Then things get expensive.
>
> Norm n3ykf
>
> On Sun, Feb 18, 2018 at 8:15 PM, Burns Fisher <burns at fisher.cc> wrote:
> > Just had a weird thing happen with my LVB tracker (which has worked fine
> > for a couple years now).  I powered on the G5500 and the LVB screen did
> not
> > light up.  After a lot of fiddling, it turns out that if I disconnect the
> > RS232 when I turn it on, all is well.  Plug RS232 back in, and it
> controls
> > fine.  I just can't power it up with the computer serial connection
> hooked
> > up.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Burns WB1FJ
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