Hello Everyone,
I have uploaded a flow to control my ERC-4 Rotor Controller via a USB Serial output of my Raspberry Pi running Node-Red.
I haven't posted much on Groups.io, so I hope it shows up.? Hopefully it will be in the wb0smx Flows directory.? (Note** Moved to !1! Flows by Type/ROTORS/ERC Controller) This is the first Node-Red programming I have attempted.? While I have some experience with older structural languages, I am finding the Node-Red process intriguing.? I really like having the web interface.

ERC_Control.json
This flow is used to send commands to and receive responses from an ERC-4 Rotator Controller made by https://www.schmidt-alba.de/eshop/
The flow uses the Yeasu GS232B protocol to talk to the controller via a serial data connection.

This flow is an adaptation of one created by WO2X located in the [email protected] filesystem.? The original was in the wo2x Flows directory and named PSTRotator.json

Dave's original flow used network connections to talk to the PSTRotator program running on a Windows machine.

I took Dave's flow and modified it to talk directly with the ERC4 Rotator Controller via the serial USB port on my Raspberry PI 4. That way I didn't need a Windows machine in the picture.

There are two major functions involved in rotor control. ?
1.? You must send commands to and receive responses from the control box.
2.? You must interface with the human by accepting input and presenting output.

#1 is accomplished by a Serial Request Node that accepts inputs from a variety of buttons and input nodes that the human manipulates.? Commands are sent out the chosen USB port as a serial stream, and the program waits for a response from the controller.? There is a 2-second configurable timeout, in case no response is received.

One of the inputs to the Serial Request node is a periodic request for an Azimuth position from the controller.? I have this set at 1-second rate, and it runs all the time.

The other inputs are commands to Start Rotation CW or CCW, Stop Rotation, or Rotate to specific headings input or selected by the operator.? Once one of these commands are sent out, the flow continues polling for azimuth position data.

#2 is accomplished via a set of buttons dedicated to moving to specific azimuth headings, 1 for Europe, 1 for Russia, 1 for North Africa, etc...
There are other buttons for starting CW or CCW rotation without a target.
Anther button sends a STOP command to the rotator controller.
There are two input fields to manually enter a heading.? The top one is a numeric heading that may be stepped up or down one with arrow keys.? The other is a text input field that lets you freely type in a new heading. A tab or key will send the heading out.

The headings entered are all validated to insure that they are in the range of 0 - 360 degrees, and that only numbers were input.? If non-numeric data is encountered, or the heading is out of range, no command to move is generated.

Finally, response from the ERC-4 controller is parsed to extract only the numeric heading, and sent to a compass control for display.


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Randy WB0SMX

Randy?
thank you for the flow, did you add an Azimuthal map .
I was trying? to add a? map like? Dave did, but his flow required? PstrotatorAZ . any ideas ?
I works great ,?

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Nick
W7NIK

Hi Nick.? Yes I did add a map like Dave did.? I have uploaded my most recent versions of Rotator_20210806.json and Map_Interface_20210806.json to my wb0smx_Flows/ERC_AzMap directory (Note** Moved to !1! Flows by Type/ROTORS/ERC Controller/ERC_AzMap_wb0smx) in the files of this group.? The Rotator flow replaces the original ERC_Control flow that I posted earlier.? But you can change the name to whatever you like.
The two flows are designed to interface with each other through the link nodes.? I modified and simplified Dave's Map flow for my purposes.? It still shows the current beam heading and target heading (for 20 seconds after setting target), and allows for clicking on the map to set a target bearing.? The Rotator flow still has buttons for shortcuts to specified bearings, as well as free form input of bearings in text and numeric fields.
Good luck and enjoy...
73
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Randy WB0SMX

Randy, For once the planets aligned for me.? Just got done building and installing a ERC-4 in my Tailtwister control.?

I've been using NR for many years and thought, "I wonder if someone has made a flow"?

Just got your flow install on a RPi and the serial port got recognized without any issues.? So I'm up and running with clickable presets on a very affordable rotor control.

Tnx!!
Randy, WB0VHB

Hi Randy

I finally got this going. Took me a bit to work out that with my ERC-M set up to use GS-232B, I needed to change some nodes so that the trim and? parsing used + not AZ=

Anyway, working now and looks good. I also added a graphic centred on VK1 so all the directions had to be changed too.

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Anyone who needs a new azimuth map for their rotor flow, emIl me.?

I noticed the serial communications between my RPi and the ERC-4 had stopped. The serial node was just displaying "waiting".
Rebooting the ERC-4 and reconnecting the usb cable did not help.
However a re-Deploy brought things back to life and the serial port node once again cycled between OK and waiting.
How would I display the serial node status on the Dashboard?

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Hi Randy,

Randy

I will let Dave, WO2X, help you with the serial connection.

You asked about getting and displaying the serial connection status.

Add a "Status" node on the same "tab / editor page" as the serial node. ?In the Status Node, setup, select the Serial Node.

Add a debug node, set up for the entire message object on the output of the Status Node.

Now, take a look at all of the data available. ?Select the "msg.xxx.xxx", of interest, that you want to trigger a dashboard display.

Alan. WA9WUD

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Randy, did you ever find a solution to this? This is exactly what mine is doing. It will communicate no problem, but the second I command a direction the ERC quits communication with NR. I have to re-deploy to get it working again.?

I'm going to write a new topic because I have more info that makes this even more interesting.?