remoteRotator=RCI-USB-Ham-M Series 5 integration - relay chattering and failed fuse in Ham-M

[jimmymacdaddy]

I solved the earlier connectivity issues and now can display the rotor control from the web page.

I blew a fuse on the HAM-M when remoteRotator/RCI-USB continued to request CW movement when the motor was fully CW. This is a old Ham-M series 5that is North centered - 0 degrees. The rotor operates normally when used with the RCI-USB panel controls.

The rotor was set to 90 degrees on old controller and RCI-USB matched that heading. When I moved the pointer to about 45 degrees (CCW motion), the relays in the RCI-USB started chattering quickly and the meter lights on the HAM-M controller flashed quickly (see video). I interrupted the power to the RCI-USB to avoid blowing another fuse in the Ham_M

I suspect the problem is with the ars1.toml azimuth limits. The CCW limit on my controller is -180 degrees and CW limit is +180 degrees = centered N 0 or 360 degrees. (remoteRotator would not accept negative values so I set azimuth-min= 180 and azimuth=180.)

I've attached Pablos default ars1.toml configuration. I have 90MB MB compressed video showing the behavior and will send you a link when I can move it to a cloud location.

Thanks for you insight and expertise.

Jim

[ea4tx]

Hi Jim

The remoterotator is not the configuration file for the ARS-USB. As surely you know the ARS-USB is a standalone solution, the remoterotator is just only a simple program that will translate the ARS into a web control but if the ARS is incorrectly configured, the remoterotator will not solve it.

So, PSE don’t’ use the remoterotator until you have correctly configured the ARS-USB. When you could move the rotor via manually with the ARS-USB (F1 & F2 keys) or using the Presets buttons (F3 & F4), just then you could go to the next step and setup the remoterotator.

I know you are exciting to use all the solution, but if the ARS-USB is incorrectly configured, it will never work as you expect.

You must use the ARSConf program (yes it’s a windows program) but surely you can use any old windows XP or windows 7/10 computer for this task.

The ARSConf includes a Help file (press F1 key with the ARSConf in focus) and the help file will display you all parameters of the program. For instance all ARS-USB units are south centered (left limit = 000) meanwhile you need north centered (left limit = 180). This left limit is one of the options of the ARSConf.

Surely there is another way to calibrate the ARS-USB (via a terminal program) but I think that the ARSConf will help you.

So, PSE try to calibrate it, adjust the limits at both ends (CCW and CW) and later, when all is running OK, play with the RemoteRotator program.

73’s Pablo EA4TX

[jimmymacdaddy]

Pablo. thanks for the fast response. I'll reply below to your suggestions.

Pablo wrote- So, PSE don’t’ use the remoterotator until you have correctly configured the ARS-USB. When you could move the rotor via manually with the ARS-USB (F1 & F2 keys) or using the Presets buttons (F3 & F4), just then you could go to the next step and setup the remoteRotator.

Jim reply- The ARS-USB and Ham-M are tracking and working together satisfactorily. I can move the rotor with the ARS-USB and the ARS-USB displays the same compass heading as the Ham-M. There is NO relay chattering (and meter light flashing) when using only the ARS-USB panel buttons. I have completed two end-end rotations with the ARS-USB and it is working as it expected.

Pablo wrote - The ARSConf includes a Help file (press F1 key with the ARSConf in focus) and the help file will display you all parameters of the program. For instance all ARS-USB units are south centered (left limit = 000) meanwhile you need north centered (left limit = 180). This left limit is one of the options of the ARSConf.

Jim reply - I have used ARSConf program to configure ARS-USB. That is how I changed config to make it North centered

Jim question -
Should I use your original ARS1.toml as I downloaded it or do I need to change az-min and az-max to mirror my North centered meter?

I sent a link to my cloud account where you can watch a video I made on the unusual behavior of meter before the fuse fails.

Thanks fellas!

Jim

[dh1tw]

Hi Jim,

if your rotator supports the full 360°, then there is no need to set the values azimuth-max or azimuth-min. Both are optional and should only be used in case your rotator is either restricted in turning within a particular azimuth range or supports an overlap. In case of max-azimuth is crossing 0°/360°, you have to add 360 to azimuth-max. So in order to restrict for example the rotators movement from 280° to 90° you would have to set azimuth-min=280 and azimuth-max=450. But if I understand your comment correctly, you want to support the full 360°. So please comment out or remove the respective lines in the config file.

The parameter azimuth-stop indicates where your mechanical stop of the rotator is located. The sole purpose of this parameter is visualizing a red line on the indicated heading for the operator's convenience. No further logic is invoked. remoteRotator assumes that your rotator controller (e.g. ARS-USB) know where to and how to turn the rotator.

73 Tobias EA4/DH1TW

[dh1tw]

Sorry - accidentally closed this issue. Re-opening it.

[jimmymacdaddy]

Tobias and Pablo,

Per your instructions, I commented out the azimuth-min, -max and-stop values. The rotor, as controlled by the pi was better behaved but still ended up going into a relay chattering/meter-light flashing condition before I turned off the ARS-USB.

I think the 500ohm pot in the motor assembly may have corroded or tarnished windings that is resulting in momentary variations in voltage to the ADC in the ARS-USB. (I can see this in momentary meter deflections/changes [once or twice during full scale turns] when I use the lever on the Ham-M controller.)

Here is what I think is happening…When measured at the ADC, the device tries to respond instantly to these rapidly changing voltage values by sending a series of multiple commands of CCW or CW or braking to the HAM-M resulting in the relay chattering and the rapidly changing lights on the HAM-M meter lights. The ADC does not know what to do with the momentary variability. I suspect that the rapid variation in measured voltages send a sequence of variable commands to the relays/old controller/motor result in excessive current and finally the fuse blows.

The original HAM-M controller meanwhile continues in the direction specified by lever, recovering a moment later to display the correct compass heading. Holding down the direction button on the ARS-USB yields the same results and continues turning the rotor in the direction specified.

Is there a way for me to change the ADC voltage sample rate or dampen/smooth the voltages reported to the relays in the ARS-USB or interpreted by the remoteRotator software?

This happens only when I’m using the remoteRotator software. (I will try the ARSVCOM tonight to determine if it is similarly affected. ) This behavior does NOT happen when I press and hold a ARS-USB panel button.

I do not have the time or money this year for the difficult task of investigating of rotor fault that is momentary, which is why I want to determine if there is a user adjustable setting for the sampling rate.

In the meantime, I’ve purchased a 5m USB A cable to connect the ARS-USB/Ham-M controller in the cellar to the MacBook running MacLogger. MacLOgger purports to be able to control the ARS-USB. We will see. I’m also making an extension cable for the Ham-M/ARS-USB quick disconnect to extend the rotor control out of the cellar

Thanks Jim

[dh1tw]

Hi Jim,

remoteRotator has no access to any ADC values, nor does it control the relays of the ARS. It simply sends commands (like other applications, e.g. ArsVCom, Maclogger...etc) to the ARS via the Serial/USB connection. The protocol used for this is Yaesu GS232A/B.

As suggested before by Pablo, please make sure that your hardware setup Rotator + ARS works properly before using any additional software (e.g. Maclogger or remoteRotator).

73 Tobias EA4/DH1TW

[jimmymacdaddy]

See my comments inline below... I have posted this issue to stack exchange for any engineering ideas.  Considering RC circuit to dampen momentary V variations which is causing issues with ADC circuit and relays, which causes rotor to rapidly engage release brake resulting in high A and blown fuse.  Circuit will smooth V every .1 second.  If that does not work, I'll consider a kalman filter. I suspect that when the wiper passes on sections of the 500 ohm pot, there is potential tarnish/corrosion on the wire windings.  This causes the controller meter to jump momentarily, but does affect the RCI-USB is controlled by F1 and F2  buttons.  It only when the voltage sampling circuit is interpreted by remoteRotator, MacloggerDX or ARSView that the high current results. The software does not work in my landscape because it cannot accommodate momentary voltage spikes that result during the ADC sampling.  This results in relay chattering as the RCI-USB tries to respond to every V change. I'm assessing V damping/smoothing circuits.  Tower and rotor motor work will likely cost $700.  I want to see if a circuit on the ground can compensate. I'll keep you all posted.  For now, I've created a 3.5m extension cable between the Ham-M controller (cellar)  and RCI-USB so I can control the rotor from the main floor of my home.   73, Jim N9CYS

[dh1tw]

Hi Jim, sorry for insisting, but remoteRotator does NOT read out the ADC values. It only interprets the commands sent by the RCI-USB. All the ADC sampling happens within the RCI-USB. I agree, it looks like your potentiometer has suffered corrosion. Since this is a mechanical / electrical issue, I will close the issue here. Good luck!