jkania7 / spid-rak

Python3 Spid Rotator controller

spid-rak

Python3 Spid Rotator controller

In early 2015 I received a SPID RAK Rotator with the Computer Control module. After installing I then set around to try and control it from the Linux/Mac software I use - but I could not find anything specific - instead of putting the controller into emulation mode (it can pretend to be a Yaesu as well as other types I believe) - I looked for the programming manual for this controller and set to work in Python.

#Python 2.x

If you are running this version of Python - and most Linux Distro's have this as their base version then there is already a good set of utils you can use Utils for Controlling.

However, if you develop in Python3 - then this will not work.

#Python 3.x

As I develop in a multi-language enviroment I always use UTF-8 based development tools, however the "low-down" data data transfer mechanism is often still byte oriented - so you end up putting countless encode, decode method into your code.

I therefore took the base Python2.x code set - and gave it a slight update. Nothing too major, overriding some of the default serial method to auto encode/decode plus update the docstrings.

#How do I use it ?

Download and there should a tester.py file -

python tester.py <Device Name in Full> <TestNumber>

##Device Name

In Linux/Mac it will appear in /dev

ls /dev | grep -i USB

Will give you a list of the possible device names.

Test Number

There are 2 simple tests.

• 1
  • Get your heading move +10 Degress, and Move Back
• 2
  • Get your heading move +90 degress, but STOP and then return to original

#What next ?

Up to you - it is about 2 minutes work to add a command line option so you can control your spid from a terminal window.