SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

K7ONY
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby K7ONY » Thu Aug 11, 2022 6:17 am

I had thought the band data came from the open collector port on the Anan.


It can come from there, but only if you laboriously program the OC Control pins properly in Thetis setup and build a much more complex cable. Why go to all that trouble?


Newbee question here.... I was going to try to run my new 7000 remotely on occasion. Wouldn't I need to have the radio port work directly with the amp under that circumstance? I have started out with PowerSDR instead of Thetis as it was referenced in the op manual. How hard is it to program this functionality? Where would one look into to do this?

Thanks, 73
Tony . N7ZS
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:12 am

Tony,

All the smarts and most of the DSP reside in the software, either PowerSDR or Thetis. It's the software that runs the amp, not the box. The box you call a "radio" by itself is no such thing. It's merely the "RF unit" part of the radio. The only interface on the box that you could use to run the amp are the OC outputs.

When you say "remotely" do you mean in the house on the same LAN, hardwired, not Wi-Fi, or do you mean over the internet? If you mean in the house then no problem. Search on "serial device server" on Amazon or eBay. Attach that to the amp. Put the drivers on the PC. Bam! You've got a serial port on your PC that runs over the network.
K7ONY
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby K7ONY » Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:27 am

I would be trying to run it remotely over the internet from somewhere else.

My radios are set up to send a cat signal to my SPE Expert amp whether I use it at my bench or remotely from where ever. The amp turns on with the radio. It also selects to proper antenna based on the band/frequency of the radio and follows the radio frequency where ever I tune the radio to.
The built in SPE amp tuner automagically remembers the tune setting for the part of the band being used with whichever antenna it was set to use. If one uses a steppIR then the amp can also send a cat signal to the antenna controller to have it tune to the proper band/frequency. I only need to remote into the radio, generally a little Icom 7100.

For the sake of super easy, I use RemoteHams.com, RCForbes server and client software on the Icom 7100. It is easy to remote in and talk on HP any band or freq.

Anyway, this is the CAT control functionality(local or remote), I was hoping to replicate with the ANAN. I was told it was easy to set up as a remote... like a flex.... I really haven't looked into that aspect.... just working on the amp interface right now.
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:24 pm

K7ONY wrote:I would be trying to run it remotely over the internet from somewhere else.
This is not a problem. Since you must provision a PC running Thetis local to the ANAN the SPE interface will simply be the serial port arrangement on the Thetis PC already discussed above in this topic.

My radios are set up to send a cat signal to my SPE Expert amp whether I use it at my bench or remotely from where ever. The amp turns on with the radio. It also selects to proper antenna based on the band/frequency of the radio and follows the radio frequency where ever I tune the radio to.
The built in SPE amp tuner automagically remembers the tune setting for the part of the band being used with whichever antenna it was set to use. If one uses a steppIR then the amp can also send a cat signal to the antenna controller to have it tune to the proper band/frequency. I only need to remote into the radio, generally a little Icom 7100.
And this is exactly how it will work using the serial port connection to the Thetis PC as described above in this thread.

For the sake of super easy, I use RemoteHams.com, RCForbes server and client software on the Icom 7100. It is easy to remote in and talk on HP any band or freq.
You will probably wind up using RCForb to remotely control Thetis as well, perhaps with an ancillary screen sharing app like TeamViewer to look at the Thetis UI. Because remember that Thetis is essentially the radio, not the box with Apache Labs written on the side. The box is merely some of the RF hardware. And the PC running Thetis must be local to the ANAN. You cannot run Thetis over the internet.

Anyway, this is the CAT control functionality(local or remote), I was hoping to replicate with the ANAN. I was told it was easy to set up as a remote... like a flex.... I really haven't looked into that aspect.... just working on the amp interface right now.
While the amp interface is simple, again as described above in this very thread, remotely operating Thetis is not anywhere near as easy as with a Flex. Flex is the king of remote op's. Anything you do with Thetis will be a lash up of some sort.
K7ONY
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby K7ONY » Tue Aug 16, 2022 7:48 pm

Very nice info..... took a second to beat it into my little pee brain, but I think I have it... at least for the local setup. Now I have to figure out how to set up cat control out of the computer. I think I'm going to have to use a USB to serial adapter. Great learning opportunity.

Since I am not using Thetis , instead I followed the manual and loaded OpenHPSDR PowerSDR mRX. Also at the risk of getting off topic, Does Thetis have any different functionality over the OpenHPSDR? Is there another software tool to use instead of these two or a third party to use in addition?

I do use Team viewer as one of my remote tools for any maintenance work... i/e rebooting the server, making sure the remote client is working correctly, swinging the beam, changing power on the amp... a few more. The radio is not directly controlled by the teamviewer at all.
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:05 pm

K7ONY wrote:Very nice info..... took a second to beat it into my little pee brain, but I think I have it... at least for the local setup. Now I have to figure out how to set up cat control out of the computer. I think I'm going to have to use a USB to serial adapter. Great learning opportunity.

Since I am not using Thetis , instead I followed the manual and loaded OpenHPSDR PowerSDR mRX. Also at the risk of getting off topic, Does Thetis have any different functionality over the OpenHPSDR? Is there another software tool to use instead of these two or a third party to use in addition?

Yes, way off topic ;)

I suggest you start a new topic asking about the differences between Thetis and PowerSDR mRX in the Thetis sub-forum: viewforum.php?f=9

And another topic, if you have more questions about remote operation, in the remote operation sub-forum: viewforum.php?f=24
SM3PZG
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby SM3PZG » Thu Aug 25, 2022 2:15 pm

Hi guys,

I am trying to connect Andromeda to SPE EXPERT 1.3K-FA. I followed the instructions in previous post and made a cable with:
DE9:DA15
5 4 Ground
2 1 Rx
3 9 Tx

Have installed a USB to RS232 adapter. It shows up in device manger as COM8. I have verified functionality by connecting to another rig. Have set Thetis to Id: as TS-2000. CAT2 is set to COM8 9600 N81. Expert is set to Kenwood 9600. Connecting the cable I made to the RS232 adapter nothing happens. Just feels like Thetis is not communicating with COM8

Just had the Andromeda a few days and a lot to learn. Would appreciate any suggestions on how to get the RS232 port running.

73/Sam SM3PZG
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Aug 25, 2022 3:07 pm

Sam,

It seems some people are buying USB or other cables that end up with a DCE pinout instead of the traditional DTE pinout associated with PCs.

If this doesn't work:

DE9 DB15
Pin 5 Pin 4 Ground
Pin 2 Pin 1 TX 232
Pin 3 Pin 9 RX 232

Then simply try this:

DE9 DB15
Pin 5 Pin 4 Ground
Pin 2 Pin 9 TX 232
Pin 3 Pin 1 RX 232

One of those two should work.

73,

Scott
SM3PZG
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby SM3PZG » Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:01 pm

Thanks for the quick reply Scott,

I missed Andrews post with
PC DE9 : SPE DA15
GND 5 : 4 GND
RX 2 : 9 TX
TX 3 : 1 RX
7&8 looped RTS/CTS

I tried that and it worked!

73/Sam
N4XD
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby N4XD » Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:24 pm

I just acquired a spe amp. Even after reading the string for this topic I am confused.

The spe amp only listens. Doesn't transmit any data back to the radio. So should only need to monitor the RS232 TX line. So the pinout, I think, should be.

I installed a pcie card with real rs232 ports.

PC DB9 Amp DB15
pin 3 (rs232 tx) pin 1
pin 5 (ground) pin 4

Wonder if someone with this same set up can confirm for me that this is what they are using? I of course see the set up Sam is using but again, the amp is just a listener so I'm confused why the other wires are needed.

Thanks
Ron
N4XD
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:43 am

Most equipment, and software, polls for info. I believe this is also true for SPE amps.
N4XD
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby N4XD » Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:14 am

I made up the cable as outlined in the spe manual for the Kenwood or Elecraft radios.

Then, on a whim, decided to see if DX Labs Commander might communicate with the amp. Indeed, it did! At least now know the cable is good.

Now with Thetis. Still no joy.

Turns out that Thetis requires a lower comm port number. I had defined mine as comm 23. Renumbered to comm 11, rebooted computer, turned on comm 11 in Thetis ( setup/ serial/ network ... tab). I defined cat2 control as comm11. Now the amp follows band changes in Thetis.

I can't understand why Thetis won't work with higher comm port numbers. I thought this problem was something from the early 2000s. Obviously not.

Hope this helps someone avoid the frustration I've had. I bet, had I started with comm 11 I'd have had this going first try.

Thanks
Ron N4XD
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Dec 08, 2022 11:49 am

N4XD wrote:Turns out that Thetis requires a lower comm port number. I had defined mine as comm 23. Renumbered to comm 11, rebooted computer, turned on comm 11 in Thetis ( setup/ serial/ network ... tab). I defined cat2 control as comm11. Now the amp follows band changes in Thetis.

I can't understand why Thetis won't work with higher comm port numbers. I thought this problem was something from the early 2000s. Obviously not.

You need to qualify that statement. Thetis won't work with higher comm port numbers on your system. Thetis works absolutely fine here with port numbers in the twenties and thirties.

I do not believe this is a Thetis problem.

At any rate, most people number their real hardware ports in the single digit range. It's normally the virtual serial ports that exhibit this problem. It's not a problem for VSPE and Thetis on my system. Nor is it a problem for Thetis and Moxa device server ports on my system.
N4XD
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby N4XD » Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:24 pm

OK, I qualify my statement. AND for this specific application. Of course difficult to know it works on other's systems since, well, I have only this one :)

Ron
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SPE Expert Amp Interfacing

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Dec 08, 2022 6:37 pm

:)

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