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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en-GB">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title>Radio & rotator — OscarWatch Help</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />
</head>
<body>
<div class="wrap">
<header>
<div class="brand">
<a href="index.html" class="brand-home" title="Home"><img src="oscarwatch-icon.png" alt="" class="brand-icon" width="56" height="56" /></a>
<div class="brand-text">
<h1>Radio & rotator</h1>
<p class="tagline">Connect your station — start here</p>
</div>
</div>
<nav aria-label="Help topics">
<ul>
<li><a href="quick-start.html">Quick start</a></li>
<li><a href="map-and-sidebar.html">Map & sidebar</a></li>
<li><a href="frequencies.html">Frequencies</a></li>
<li><a href="satellites.html">Satellites & TLEs</a></li>
<li><a href="passes.html">Pass planning</a></li>
<li><a href="radio-rotator.html" aria-current="page">Radio & rotator</a></li>
<li><a href="settings.html">Settings</a></li>
<li><a href="keyboard-shortcuts.html">Shortcuts</a></li>
<li><a href="troubleshooting.html">Problems?</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
</header>
<nav class="subnav" aria-label="Radio and rotator topics">
<a href="radio-rotator.html" aria-current="page">Overview</a> ·
<a href="radio-icom.html">ICOM</a> ·
<a href="radio-yaesu.html">Yaesu</a> ·
<a href="radio-kenwood.html">Kenwood</a> ·
<a href="radio-flex.html">FlexRadio</a> ·
<a href="radio-sdr-dual.html">SDR dual</a> ·
<a href="radio-offsets.html">RX/TX offsets</a> ·
<a href="radio-doppler-tuning.html">Doppler tuning</a> ·
<a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial</a> ·
<a href="rotators.html">Rotators</a>
</nav>
<main>
<p class="lead">
OscarWatch can steer your beam and keep your radio on frequency during a pass.
You do not need to understand every setting on day one — pick your radio below and read that page first.
</p>
<h2>Before you plug in</h2>
<ul>
<li>Use a <strong>USB serial</strong> lead (or proper interface) to the radio and rotator.</li>
<li>Prefer a genuine <strong>FTDI</strong> USB–serial adapter (or the radio’s own USB port). Cheap <strong>Prolific</strong> clones are a common cause of missed CAT and flaky reconnects — see <a href="troubleshooting.html#usb-serial">USB serial adapters</a>.</li>
<li>Radio and rotator need <strong>different serial ports</strong> — and a third port if you use GPS. On Linux, use a stable <code>by-id</code> or udev path so numbers do not swap after reboot — see <a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial ports</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Close other programs</strong> that might hold the port (HRD, WSJT-X rig control, Hamlib, etc.).</li>
<li>For normal <strong>cross-band</strong> satellites, your radio should be in <strong>satellite mode</strong> when tracking starts (OscarWatch usually sets this), except the <strong>Kenwood TS-2000</strong> — you must select SAT yourself first.</li>
<li>For <strong>receive-only</strong> modes (ISS SSTV, beacons — uplink <strong>0</strong> in the database), you do <strong>not</strong> need satellite mode; OscarWatch tunes the downlink only.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Which radio do you have?</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr><th>Your rig</th><th>Read this</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>ICOM IC-910, IC-9700, IC-9100, IC-821H</td><td><a href="radio-icom.html">ICOM radios</a> — one radio, Main/Sub satellite layout</td></tr>
<tr><td>ICOM IC-705, IC-905, or IC-706 series <em>as a second radio</em></td><td><a href="radio-icom.html#dual-radio">ICOM dual radio</a> (paired with another rig)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Yaesu FT-847</td><td><a href="radio-yaesu.html">Yaesu radios</a> — classic satellite CAT radio</td></tr>
<tr><td>FlexRadio (SmartSDR API)</td><td><a href="radio-flex.html">FlexRadio</a> — full duplex via LAN API to the radio</td></tr>
<tr><td>Yaesu FT-817, FT-818, FT-991, FTX-1 <em>as downlink or uplink leg</em></td><td><a href="radio-yaesu.html#dual-radio">Yaesu dual radio</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>Kenwood TS-2000</td><td><a href="radio-kenwood.html">Kenwood TS-2000</a> — manual steps before tracking</td></tr>
<tr><td>No hardware yet</td><td><strong>Dummy rig</strong> in Settings — test the map and frequencies only</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>
Everything is configured under <strong>Settings → Radio</strong>: rig type, serial port (COM port on Windows,
device path on Linux/macOS), and (for ICOM) CI-V address.
Use <strong>Pause CAT</strong> if you want to tune by hand without OscarWatch fighting the dial.
</p>
<h2>One radio or two?</h2>
<p>
<strong>Single radio</strong> — one physical rig handles both receive and transmit (ICOM satellite rigs, FT-847, TS-2000).
OscarWatch uses satellite mode or split as your rig requires.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Dual radio</strong> — downlink on one radio, uplink on another (common: FT-818 for RX + IC-706 for TX).
Enable <strong>Settings → Radio → Dual radio</strong> and set a COM port for each leg, or use an
<a href="radio-sdr-dual.html">SDR downlink (rigctl TCP)</a> with SDR++ or SDR Connect for receive.
See <a href="radio-yaesu.html#dual-radio">Yaesu dual</a>, <a href="radio-icom.html#dual-radio">ICOM dual</a>,
or <a href="radio-sdr-dual.html">SDR dual</a> for wiring and ports.
</p>
<h2>What happens during a pass</h2>
<p>When you track a satellite and CAT is enabled, OscarWatch:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sets the right modes and satellite layout at pass start (rig-dependent).</li>
<li>Updates <strong>receive and transmit frequencies</strong> as Doppler changes.</li>
<li>Applies your <strong>RX and TX offsets</strong> from the frequency panel.</li>
<li>Sends <strong>CTCSS</strong> when your radio and satellite mode support it.</li>
<li>Steers the <strong>rotator</strong> (if configured) while the satellite is above your track-start elevation.</li>
</ul>
<p>
<strong>Standby</strong> in the sidebar parks the rotator and pauses CAT — use it while browsing the map.
Press <strong>Resume</strong> when you are ready to operate.
</p>
<h2>Tuning — offsets and Doppler</h2>
<p>Two ideas that confuse newcomers:</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr><th>Topic</th><th>Plain English</th><th>Read more</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>RX / TX offsets</strong></td>
<td>Nudge listen and transmit frequencies to find a clear spot in the passband — stored per satellite.</td>
<td><a href="radio-offsets.html">When to use offsets</a> · <a href="frequencies.html">Frequency panel</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Doppler tuning</strong></td>
<td>How often OscarWatch updates the radio, and optional extras (lead, adaptive) for sharp passes.</td>
<td><a href="radio-doppler-tuning.html">Doppler tuning guide</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Passband trim</strong></td>
<td>On linear SSB, spin the <strong>receive</strong> dial to hunt the signal; OscarWatch learns your offset.</td>
<td><a href="radio-doppler-tuning.html#passband-knob">Spinning the dial</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 id="beacon-receive-only">Receive-only modes (SSTV, beacons)</h2>
<p>
When uplink is <strong>0</strong> in the database (e.g. ISS SSTV), the frequency panel shows uplink as a dash.
OscarWatch only corrects the <strong>downlink</strong>.
</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ICOM IC-910 / IC-9700 / IC-9100 / IC-821H</strong> — turns satellite mode off, puts the downlink band on <strong>Main</strong>, applies Doppler there only.</li>
<li><strong>Kenwood TS-2000</strong> — keeps SATL and Doppler-tracks the downlink on <code>FA</code> only (see <a href="radio-kenwood.html">Kenwood help</a>).</li>
<li><strong>Other rigs</strong> — receive frequency only; layout depends on the driver.</li>
</ul>
<p>After a voice satellite pass, switching to ISS SSTV is enough — OscarWatch reconfigures at the next track start.</p>
<h2>Linear CW note</h2>
<p>
On linear SSB transponders, the <strong>Voice</strong> / <strong>CW</strong> buttons in the frequency panel choose how CAT sets modes.
With <strong>Linear CW: keep receive in USB/LSB</strong> checked in Settings (usual), transmit goes to CW and receive stays in sideband.
See <a href="frequencies.html">Frequencies</a> and <a href="keyboard-shortcuts.html">Shortcuts</a> (<strong>Ctrl+W</strong>).
</p>
<h2>Rotators</h2>
<p>
If you use a computer-controlled rotator, OscarWatch can <strong>point your antenna during a pass</strong>
while the satellite is above your track-start elevation. You need a <strong>separate COM port</strong> from the radio.
</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr><th>Topic</th><th>Plain English</th><th>Read more</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Setup</strong></td>
<td>Pick your controller type (GS-232, SPID, EasyComm II, SAEBRTrack, or OZ9AAR URC TCP), then a COM port or TCP host/port (including TCP serial / ser2net for serial protocols), park position, and az/el limits.</td>
<td><a href="rotators.html">Rotator setup</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Park & Standby</strong></td>
<td>Beam goes to park when a pass ends or you press <strong>Standby</strong>; <strong>Resume</strong> starts tracking again.</td>
<td><a href="rotators.html">Park and tracking</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Manual pointing</strong></td>
<td>In Standby, menu <strong>Rotator…</strong> lets you aim the beam for a quick contact without resuming pass tracking.</td>
<td><a href="rotators.html#manual-rotator">Manual rotator</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Keyhole avoidance</strong></td>
<td>Optional for over-the-top mounts (0–180° elevation) on very high passes where the rotator can struggle near zenith.</td>
<td><a href="rotators.html#keyhole-avoidance">Keyhole avoidance</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Configure under <strong>Settings → Rotator</strong>.</p>
<div class="tip">
<strong>Stuck?</strong> See <a href="troubleshooting.html">Problems?</a> for serial ports, dual radio, and CAT not updating.
On Linux, see <a href="linux-serial.html">Linux serial ports</a> when <code>ttyUSB</code> names change after reboot.
</div>
</main>
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</div>
</body>
</html>