Posts by OM3BD

Quote from DD4YR

Bill,

I think there is absolutely no relationship between the SWR shown on the FT-817 and the SWR from the 2,4 GHz PA output.

Your problem seems to be between the FT-817 and the transverter input.

Cable connection flooded or something.

The dummy instead of the 2.4 GHz antenna must of course be suitable for the frequency and power.

But, as you write this, you have to look for the error between the FT-817 and the transverter anyway.

You can also connect a dummy instead of the transverter and watch the VSWR when it is wet.

73 de Robert

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Thanks, Robert. Any suggestion where to buy or how to build a 2.4 ghz dummy load?

Makes sense that the problem was between the FT-817 and the transverter input, but all is working fine now. The cable connection between the FT-817 and the transverter is indoors and has not changed. The only thing that has changed is the weather -- sunny today, rain yesterday. If I can get a dummy load and it happens again, I'll do more testing and checking.

Quote from DD4YR

What SWR warning?

Really measured SWR with what equpipment?

Try same procedure on a dummy load instead the antenna to find the real reason.

The FT-817ND gives a high SWR warning on the main screen. Yes, I know this is only the SWR to the upconverter input, not the SWR to the antenna, but they seem to be related.

Can we use a regular dummy load at 2.4 ghz or is something special needed?

73, Bill

Sunny today and all is back to normal, guess the problem was weather related. Any ideas for better weatherproofing of the feed?

Quote from HB9SKA

Is water in the plastic bag ? I'm not sure if a plastic bag is a good solution.

There does not appear to be any water inside the bag, but there is water on the outside of the bag. It is also foggy and damp. If water is the issue, what accounts for the few seconds of low SWR at the start of each transmission?

Hello,

Today I noticed that, after transmitting for a few seconds, the high SWR warning would come on and my signal would drop off the transponder. It has been raining all day. I have the TX feed to the dish covered with a plastic bag. I did have a high SWR issue in the past but the bag cured it, at least until today. What seemed odd was that the SWR was low and my signal on the downlink strong for the first few seconds, then the SWR spike. I hope it is just rain that is causing the spike, but why would there be a few seconds of low SWR at the start of a transmission? Any ideas?

Setup: FT-817ND, SG Lab upconverter and 20w amp, BamaTech feed, 80cm dish

73, Bill OM3BD

Quote from DL3DCW

TX and red means that the FT-817 is in transmit mode. Otherwise there ist a green RX icon. The PTT state is detected by PTT GND signal from FT-817.

Low state of CTS or DSR or DCD or RI from TTL/USB-Converter will be indicated as TX.

Partial success today. I tried a third TTL/USB converter and finally the FT817 tx frequency changes when I change the rx frequency on the raspi!

The only issue now is that the icon does not turn red on transmit. I tried connecting TX GND to CTS, DSR, and DCD, none made any difference, icon stays green on TX. I even tried directly grounding CTR, DSR, and DCD, still no red icon. But this issue does not seem very important. The only thing that changes when the raspi detects that the FT817 is transmitting is that the speaker is muted or the volume is lowered, correct? I can live without that.

Odd that the icon always stayed red with one converter and now always stays green with the other.

Working perfectly now, used a different CT-62B cable. Thanks for replies.

Quote from DL3DCW

TX red = PTT active = FT-817 in TX mode

TX green = PTT not active = FT-817 in RX mode

If you press PTT on FT-817 color of TX icon changes from green to red.

OK, I was confused because in your post #1 the icon was green RX (see attached), but I see you changed it to green TX in later versions.

Guess I will have to try another cable. In the meantime, I'll have to use my laptop and SDR Console, which has better audio and spots from DX cluster on the waterfall, but I'd prefer to keep my laptop free for work purposes.

73, Bill

Quote from DL3DCW

TX and red means that the FT-817 is in transmit mode. Otherwise there ist a green RX icon. The PTT state is detected by PTT GND signal from FT-817.

Low state of CTS or DSR or DCD or RI from TTL/USB-Converter will be indicated as TX.

So if it should be green RX during receive and red TX during transmit, what does green TX mean? I'm now seeing 432mhz in the IF QRG field (changes when RX frequency is changed) and a green TX icon.

Quote from dm4im

Try to desolder the wire TX GND and see what happens.

Good idea, but unfortunately the connectors on the CT-62B cable are made of non-removable molded plastic. I can't get inside to desolder anything. Anyway, Frank says there is no TX GND internal connection on this cable.

Quote from DL3DCW

During TX (if the TX icon is red) there will be no frequency updates.

That makes sense. Is there a way to stop the TX icon from going red? Maybe the pin that needs to be connected to TX GND is somehow permanently grounded, which would cause the raspi to think the FT817 is transmitting.

Quote from DL3DCW

You use the Yaesu CT-62 USB CAT cable? In this case the PTT detection will not work because the TX GND signal is not connected internal.

So you have to use USB/TTL-converter with TX GND connected as described.

Yes, I changed to a Yaesu CT-62 USB CAT cable. It just does not work with PTT? It should work to control the TX frequency on the FT817? It is not doing any control at all.

Previously, I used the USB/TTL converter in post #192, which also did not work.

Quote from dm4im

Hi,

in Post #200 , your converter is a silicon labs 2102, in post #206 it's a prolific. Are you sure you have checked the prolific with sdr-console or did you only verify that the silicon labs is working? Try the silicon labs under linux as well as the prolific under windows just to be sure.

The converter in post #200 did not work with either the raspi or SDR Console on windows laptop. I changed cables, and the converter in post #206 works fine with SDR console but is not working with the raspi. There is apparently some type of communication, because I'm seeing 432mhz in the IF QRG field and a red TX icon. But the raspi is not changing the frequency on the FT817 and, even though the red TX icon means the FT817 is in transmit mode, it actually is in receive mode.

Quote from DL3DCW

"?" in the IF QRG field means that there is no communication to FT-817.

Yes, that was my error, I had changed the baud rate. When I set it back to 4800 the 432mhz reappeared in the IF QRG field, and the icon changed back to red TX. But the FT817 was not actually in transmit mode.

Quote from dm4im

Hi,

will it work if you tune the raspberry or the yaesu to the transponder frequency range (.489.500 - 490.000) ? Your photo shows both outside while uplink and downlink qrg do match. Maybe Frank inhibits TX if frequency is out of range? 73, Martin

Good idea, thank you, but it is not working even in the transponder range.

Working fine with SDR Console, maybe the CT-62 CAT cable is not Linux compatible?

73, Bill

Quote from DL3DCW

TX and red means that the FT-817 is in transmit mode. Otherwise there ist a green RX icon. The PTT state is detected by PTT GND signal from FT-817.

Low state of CTS or DSR or DCD or RI from TTL/USB-Converter will be indicated as TX.

Thank you for the reply, Frank.

The FT817 was not in transmit mode when the photo was taken.

I just turned everything on, no changes from last night, but now the display is different. There is a green TX icon and the IF QRG box just has a "?", it no longer shows 432mhz. I clicked on Auto Tracking, no change.

What could be wrong?

73, Bill

Quote from DL3DCW

Yes, at FT-817 only the CAT rate of 4800 is important.

Frank, I think I am close but I still need some help.

It looks like my original problem was the CT-62 cable. I tried a different one and it is working to control the FT817 with my laptop and SDR Console. However, I am still not able to control the FT817 with the Raspberry and your program. I assume I must have some incorrect setting, as we know the cable and FT817 are OK, since control is working with the laptop.

In the attached pictures, I see a red TX icon on the controller. On your screenshots, this icon is green and it says RX. Does that tell us anything? Otherwise, I think everything is set the way you instructed.

What am I doing wrong?

Thank you very much and 73,

Bill

Anyone have any thoughts?

Attached is the log file, does the "Guard timeout" message mean anything?

73, Bill

Hello,

I'm trying to set up my FT-817 for CAT control with SDR Console. I've followed the setup instructions at https://www.f5uii.net/en/contr…atellite-qo100-eshail2/9/

The screen says the FT-817 is "online" and when I change the rx frequency a new tx frequency appears in the External Radio box, but the frequency on the FT-817 does not change at all.

Any idea what may be wrong?

Thanks and 73, Bill

Quote from DL3DCW

Also after restarting the program?

Yes, I did restart, several times.

I think it must be a problem with the cable or the USB/TTL converter or the FT-817, not the software. I tried using SDR Console and the result was the same: FT-817 "not responding". I have checked the cable with an ohm meter several times, all seems correct. The converter has a red LED that stays on non-stop, is that normal? And on the FT-817, the ONLY thing that needs to be done is to set the CAT rate on menu 14, correct?

Thank you again, Frank, and 73,

Bill