CONTROLLER RT1

 

 

Metropwr RT1 is a professional remote rotor controller designed for Yaesu antenna rotors from the G1000 series and higher. It is also compatible with 12 V and 24 V rotors equipped with a linear position potentiometer.

RT1 allows accurate local and remote antenna rotation control through its graphical touch display, rotary encoder, USB connection, and LAN interface. Thanks to its built-in calibration system and real-time azimuth feedback, the antenna position can be controlled precisely from the front panel, from a computer, or remotely over the network.

• “Rotate Anywhere, Control Everywhere.”
• “Your Antenna. Anywhere. Anytime.”
• “Remote Rotor Control, Simplified.”
• “Precise Rotor Control for Modern Stations.”
• “Global Antenna Control at Your Fingertips.”

RT1 can be used locally from the integrated touch display, physical CW/CCW buttons, and rotary encoder, or remotely through USB and LAN. The controller continuously sends real-time azimuth data to the connected software, allowing external applications to monitor and control the rotor position.

Users of PSTrotator can connect the controller either via USB-C or LAN, enabling remote control of the Yaesu rotor controller over the Internet.

The system measures the rotor position using the rotor’s internal linear potentiometer and a high-resolution ADS1115 ADC. The physical rotation range can be calibrated up to 450°, with automatic overlap management and standard azimuth display from 0° to 359°.

The controller includes assisted calibration functions directly from the display. FULL CCW 0° and FULL CW 450° points can be stored, allowing the system to accurately map the rotor movement and provide precise position feedback.

RT1 supports automatic rotation to a selected target, manual CW/CCW control, programmable direction presets, Park position, adjustable antenna offset, and selectable Swing functions. Motor speed can be managed manually or automatically through PWM control.

Remote Control and Software Compatibility

RT1 can be connected to a PC via USB-C or to the network through the LAN port. It is suitable for remote rotor control applications and can be used with compatible rotor control software, including PSTrotator and supported Metropwr software for Windows and macOS.

Up to four clients can be connected simultaneously, even on different platforms such as Windows 11 and macOS. All connected clients are updated in real time with the antenna’s azimuth position.

The accompanying software offers a variety of functions, including azimuth memory presets, theme customization, and a user-friendly interface for entering network parameters.

SmartSDR for FlexRadio macOS compatibility

How METROPWR RT1 Works

• The rotor position is read through the rotor’s internal linear potentiometer.
• The analog position signal is converted by a high-resolution ADS1115 ADC.
• The controller maps the calibrated analog range into azimuth degrees.
• The antenna position is displayed in real time from 0° to 359°.
• The physical rotor travel can be managed up to 450° with overlap control.
• The user can select a target azimuth from the touch display, rotary encoder, USB, or LAN.
• The controller automatically selects CW or CCW rotation toward the selected target.
• PWM motor control allows smooth manual or automatic speed management.
• The system stops the motor when the target position is reached.
• Safety timeout protection stops the rotation if the movement takes too long.
• Real-time azimuth data is sent continuously to connected software.
• The LAN serial connection includes a watchdog function with automatic restart.

Main Operating Functions

• Automatic rotation to a selected azimuth target.
• Manual CW and CCW rotation from physical buttons.
• Manual CW and CCW rotation from the display interface.
• Target selection from the rotary encoder.
• Target selection from the touch display.
• Target selection from USB or LAN commands.
• Immediate motor stop from display, push button, USB, LAN, or serial command.
• Real-time azimuth display.
• Real-time target display.
• Automatic encoder synchronization when the rotor is idle.
• Motor direction indication.
• PWM speed indication on display.
• Automatic PWM speed control according to distance from target.
• Manual PWM speed setting.
• Rotation timeout protection.
• Overlap detection and management.
• 450° rotor travel support.
• 0° to 359° standard azimuth display.
• Antenna offset correction.
• Preset direction memory.
• Park position memory.
• Swing function with selectable range.
• Display-assisted calibration.
• EEPROM format from display.
• Factory default restore from display.
• Display sleep and wake-up function.
• Display brightness control.
• Touch beep ON/OFF.
• USB or USB+LAN operating mode.
• Continuous fast and slow status transmission for external software.
• Watchdog for LAN communication stability.

Calibration Functions

• FULL CCW 0° calibration.
• FULL CW 450° calibration.
• Display-assisted auto-calibration procedure.
• ADC median reading for stable calibration.
• Position smoothing for stable azimuth display.
• Configurable antenna offset up to ±180°.
• Calibration and settings stored in external EEPROM memory.
• EEPROM format function with progress indication.
• Default parameter restore function.

Preset, Park and Swing Functions

• 7 programmable direction presets.
• Dedicated Park position.
• Preset values stored in non-volatile memory.
• Quick preset recall from the display.
• Selectable Swing function: ±20°, ±45°, ±90°.
• Swing sequence with automatic return to the starting position.
• 2-second pause during swing sequence.
• Swing timeout protection.

USB / LAN Remote Control

• USB-C serial connection for PC control.
• LAN connection for network and remote operation.
• USB or USB+LAN operating mode.
• Real-time azimuth feedback to connected software.
• Fast status transmission approximately every 300 ms.
• Complete status transmission approximately every 1000 ms.
• LAN watchdog with automatic Serial1 restart in case of inactivity.
• Compatible with Yaesu GS-232B style commands.
• Suitable for PSTrotator and compatible rotor control software.

Supported Serial Commands

• C – report current azimuth.
• Mxxx – rotate to selected azimuth.
• S – stop rotation.
• a – save FULL CCW calibration point.
• f – save FULL CW overlap calibration point.
• x – read current EEPROM parameters.
• i – format EEPROM.
• y – restore factory default values.
• h – show help menu.
• p – calibration procedure.
• n – antenna offset setting.
• s – rotation speed setting.

FAQ

Which rotors are supported?
RT1 is designed for Yaesu rotors from the G1000 series and higher. It is also compatible with 12 V and 24 V rotors equipped with a linear position potentiometer.

Can I control the rotor remotely?
Yes, RT1 can be controlled locally, via USB, or via LAN for remote operation over the network.

Is it compatible with PSTrotator?
Yes, RT1 is compatible with PSTrotator in both USB and LAN mode.

Does RT1 support calibration?
Yes, RT1 includes calibration for FULL CCW 0° and FULL CW 450°, with display-assisted calibration functions.

Can I store preset directions?
Yes, RT1 supports 7 programmable direction presets and a Park function.

Can I adjust the antenna offset?
Yes, the antenna offset can be adjusted up to ±180°.

Does RT1 support swing movement?
Yes, RT1 includes selectable Swing modes: ±20°, ±45°, and ±90°.

Can I connect via LAN as well as USB?
Yes, the controller can be connected via USB or USB+LAN mode.

Does the display have power saving?
Yes, the display sleep time can be configured to 1, 5, 30, 60, 180 minutes, or always on.

Where can I find the manual?
The complete manual for the Metropwr RT1 rotor controller is available at the following link:

👉 Manual RT1 PDF

Technical Features – METROPWR RT1 Rotor Controller

• Remote controller for Yaesu rotors from the G1000 series and higher.
• Compatible with Yaesu G1000, G2800 and higher-series rotors.
• Compatible with 12 V and 24 V rotors equipped with a linear position potentiometer.
• Supports physical rotation up to 450° with overlap management.
• Azimuth display from 0° to 359°.
• Position reading through high-resolution ADS1115 ADC.
• ADC median filtering and position smoothing.
• FULL CCW 0° and FULL CW 450° calibration.
• Display-assisted auto-calibration.
• CW/CCW motor control with PWM.
• 1 kHz PWM motor control.
• 8-bit PWM resolution.
• Manual or automatic speed control.
• Automatic speed reduction near the target position.
• Immediate stop from display, push button, USB, LAN, or serial command.
• DWIN touch display with graphical interface.
• Rotary encoder for quick target selection.
• Physical CW and CCW buttons.
• Local, USB, and LAN control.
• USB or USB+LAN operating mode.
• USB-C serial interface.
• LAN interface for network remote control.
• Continuous data transmission for external software.
• LAN port watchdog with automatic restart.
• Compatible with Yaesu GS-232B protocol.
• Up to four simultaneous clients.
• 7 programmable direction presets.
• Park function.
• Adjustable antenna offset ±180°.
• Selectable Swing function: ±20°, ±45°, ±90°.
• Configurable display sleep: 1, 5, 30, 60, 180 minutes, or always on.
• Adjustable display brightness.
• Touch beep ON/OFF.
• External AT24C256 EEPROM memory for saving configurations and calibrations.
• Default restore and EEPROM format from display.
• 60-second rotation timeout protection.
• ESP32 internal watchdog protection.
• Real-time motor direction indication.
• Real-time target and azimuth indication.
• Power-saving display OFF / wake-up function.

Hardware Features

• ESP32 32-bit microcontroller.
• DWIN DGUS HMI touch display interface.
• Serial display communication at 115200 baud.
• USB serial communication at 9600 baud.
• LAN serial bridge communication at 9600 baud.
• ADS1115 high-resolution ADC for rotor position reading.
• External AT24C256 EEPROM memory.
• CW and CCW PWM outputs for motor control.
• Physical CW and CCW input buttons.
• Rotary encoder input with push button.
• Digital outputs for auxiliary switch control.
• Watchdog timer for system safety.