Setting Up a Single FT-817ND for Satpc32 CAT Control

Setting Up a Single FT-817ND for Satpc32 CAT Control

Prerequisites

  • Paid Satpc32 Registration and Installed Software (see AMSAT Store)
  • DTECH FTDI USB to Serial RS232 Cable 
  • Installed drivers for Dtech Cable (must do this before connecting cable to Windows 10 - Mac OS X will auto install drivers if using this cable with WSJTX). Available on the DTECH Electronics website in the Support Section or with the installation CD that comes with the cable
  • Yaesu CT-62 CAT Interface Cable
Assumptions: You have either Rear or Front Antenna set on your radio to the appropriate antenna connection for your use case. 

Foreword

Satpc32 is a pretty nifty piece of software however it has some usability issues from a human factors point of view. Not knocking the software - it's great! However it is not as intuitive at first blush and I'd hate for someone else to get frustrated. I could not find an article like this anywhere after figuring things out one rainy afternoon, I figured I would write my steps down as they were fresh in my mind and to help others in the future. Satpc32 also will not save settings by default as you would expect to see from software. Make sure you click Store. It also has multiple config 'tables' and for basic CAT control it is probably safe to stay on Config 1. If you happen to get lost somewhere and wonder where your settings went then it might be that you accidentally set the wrong config table. Any storing requires a restart of the software. This does not apply to kepler updates.

Setup Steps
  1. On the FT-817ND, hold down the F button and set the CAT Rate in Menu #14 to 38400
  2. In Satpc32, go to Setup > Radio Setup
    1. Set Radio 1 to Yaesu
    2. Select the Model Drop Down (it should be already set to Model) and the drop down underneath set to FT-817
    3. Select the Model Drop Down and Select Baudrate (FT-817 will change to 9600)
    4. Change 9600 to 38400
      1. Note: I leave this as 38400 as this is also the Baudrate used with the Z817 Tuner so you do not need to change this if you happen to also use the FT-817 with the Z817 Tuner like me
    5. Set the COM Port to the COM Port in Windows Device Management
      1. Hit Windows Key + R on your keyboard
      2. Type in devmgmt.msc and Click OK
      3. Under Ports (COM and LPT), you should see USB Serial Port (COM#). Take the # and put it into the COM Port setting under Radio Setup. In my case, it says COM7 so I put the number 7 into the COM Port Setting
    6. Set CAT Delay. I have mine set to 10. Default is 70. This is the interval or threshold by which the frequency on your radio will update. These are tiny fractions of kHz so try out different settings to see what works best for you. For now, I have it set to 10
    7. Make sure Radio 2 says None
    8. Click Store
  3. In Satpc32, go to Setup > Mode
    1. Set 'Doppler Correction at:' to 'Downlink Only'. In my case, I am trying to track RS-44 on UHF downlink because my other radio is a VHF SSB radio. Therefore, I can only CAT control my UHF receive which UHF is always affected most by doppler. If you are trying to CAT control VHF then the benefit of two radios from what I have read is the software will compensate for VFO corrections ('transparent VFO') automatically on the downlink to keep in you in step with the inverting characteristics of most of these SSB satellites. Don't change this to 'Downlink Only' if you are wanting to control two radios. 
  4. In Setup > Options, I set the checkbox for CAT Control to True or Checked. This is so I don't forget to start CAT Control. Click Store.
  5. Click the ? mark at top of Satpc32 menu and select Auxillary Files > DivOptions.sqf. 
    1. Notepad will open. On Line 3, change this to a - (minus sign) and Line 4 change this to a + (plus sign). This means that the software will send the true uplink and downlink frequencies and only doppler correct Downlink. Default is to do both. If you are tracking RS-44 or a SSB satellite with UHF DOWN  and have a single radio then track Downlink only. Radio will do weird things like momentarily pause the RX audio if you don't change this with a single radio. So go ahead and change it then save the file.
  6. Close Satpc32. Plug in your CT-62 cable to the ACCY port on your Radio then connect the CT-62 to the USB to Serial adapter. Finally, connect the USB cable to your laptop or PC.
  7. Start Satpc32. 
Success is if you were already tracking a satellite and the VFO display on your radio is refreshed and updates periodically in concert with the Satpc32 doppler correction.

Possible issues
  • Forgot to set the UHF DOWN satellite as Active Satellite in Satellite menu
  • Did not plug in cable to radio or radio is off
  • Baud rate is incorrect in Satpc32 or Radio
  • Drivers not installed for cable (you should not have a yellow icon next to the port in Windows 10)

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