WinOrbit: Tracking and Control

Tracking and Control Software

• WinPrairie, by K8CG. Companion program to WinOrbit for partial ground-station automation (radio tuning and antenna tracking). Freeware. Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0 source code is included. Demonstrates full control from Windows, without DOS TSR's. Permits radio tuning, doppler correction via parallel port, Prairie Digital board, or Kenwood/Yaesu/Icom RS-232 serial line. Supports two different radios at the same time (e.g. RS-12 mode T: Kenwood TS-440 for uplink, Icom IC-245 w/ homebrew interface for downlink). Az/El control via the Prairie Digital board or a serial line, or audible announcement. Click here for progress report and latest version info. Also requires VBRUN300.DLL. This is primarily for those experimenters who want source code to jump-start their own project. If you want a ready-to-run package, try one of WB1BQE's programs (elsewhere on this page).
  
• PRRIEGEN by WB1BQE (Al Lawler). A diagnostic program to read all the ADC channels on the Prairie Digital board, and pass the info to a user's program using DDE.
  
• FT7361.EXE . WB1BQE's comprehensive Yaesu FT-736 program. Doppler and tuning control of this popular satellite radio, by Al Lawler. Works with WinOrbit for complete automation. Can also be used with WinPrairie for terrestrial repeater or point-to-point operation. Also requires VBRUN300.DLL.
  
• PRRIETRK V3.0 . Antenna control program, also by WB1BQE, Al Lawler. Works with WinOrbit for complete automation. Also requires VBRUN300.DLL.

Visual Tracking Aids

• WinOrbit Announcer 1.1 by K8CG (self-extracting file, 93930 bytes). Description. Companion to WinOrbit for visual observers. Azimuth and Elevation are announced via the PC's speakers (Windows sound card required, e.g. SoundBlaster), so you can keep your eyes on the sky during a pass. Announcements in English (If you make a set in another language, let me know and I'll post them here, too.) Freeware. Also requires VBRUN300.DLL.
  

• Additional English .WAV files for Announcer by KG9AE (David Norris) (224876 bytes). Possibly more understandable than my voice. He created them using the Centigram TrueVoice Speech synthesizer included with the Microsoft Speech SDK version 3.0.
  

• FUNKBOX WinRotor by DH0GMR (Reinhard Mayer): antenna control software and Interface. FUNKBOX Software works best with WinOrbit. Low priced SMD rotor interface can be used with almost any rotator system. Email inquiries.
  A "FUNKBOX" homepage with more information is under construction. Stay tuned.