Hamlib rotator support by df7cb · Pull Request #455 · Tlf/tlf

df7cb · 2025-01-12T20:37:03Z

This adds Hamlib rotator support to tlf. When a call or prefix is entered, pressing Ctrl-D rotates the antenna to the calculated bearing.

df7cb · 2025-01-12T20:40:07Z

It works for me, but there's a few open ends:

hitting ESC should probably stop the rotator as well
so far, Ctrl-D works in the call input field only, but at least the exchange input should be covered as well
is Ctrl-D ("direction") the best key? Ctrl-R ("rotate") and Ctrl-Q (QTC) are already taken

Comments, feedback?

zcsahok · 2025-01-12T21:01:27Z

+
+	if (pfx_index != my.countrynr && 0 == get_qrb(&range, &bearing)) {
+
+	    pthread_mutex_lock(&tlf_rot_mutex);


do we need a mutex for rot?
rig controls are called from both threads (main + background), but rot looks to be called from main only.

another question: does rot_set_position() just send a message to the rotator and doesn't wait for it to actually reach to requested position?

We probably don't need the mutex now, but I would think it's safer to include it. New code might violate the assumption.

set_position just starts the rotation. You wouldn't want the rest of the program to halt for a minute while the antenna is turning...

Thanks for the review, will fix the variable init later.

Do hamlib guarantee that you can call functions for rig control and rotator control at the same time?
Otherwise (as set_position comes back immediately) why not use tlf_rig_mutex for both?

rig control and rotator control are talking to different devices, so calling functions at the same time is not a problem.

We could use the same mutex, but... this feels wrong.

Fwiw the next step would be to read out the bearing and show it in the UI (I get reminded about this every time I'm using the station from remote), there the mutex might already be required.

dl1jbe · 2025-01-13T14:37:26Z

+
+	if (pfx_index != my.countrynr && 0 == get_qrb(&range, &bearing)) {
+
+	    pthread_mutex_lock(&tlf_rot_mutex);


Do hamlib guarantee that you can call functions for rig control and rotator control at the same time?
Otherwise (as set_position comes back immediately) why not use tlf_rig_mutex for both?

dl1jbe · 2025-04-28T07:11:24Z

Can you please check, where the delete of test/test_rules.c comes from?

df7cb · 2025-04-28T07:59:37Z

Sorry, I should have pushed this to a different branch...

df7cb · 2025-04-28T08:07:48Z

I think this is good to go - these are the changes I've been using over the past weeks.

If people agree, I'll do the final polishing and push a rebased version.

dl1jbe · 2025-04-29T15:39:43Z

I think this is good to go - these are the changes I've been using over the past weeks.

If people agree, I'll do the final polishing and push a rebased version.

Looks mostly good. But can you please have a look at the failing tests? Thanks

df7cb · 2025-08-29T20:02:30Z

Sorry that it took so long, I always pick this up shortly before a contest, and after a weekend on the air, time is running out to actually submit it. Now I started a bit earlier...

I added the ability to rotate to the long-path direction. Since I was never really happy with Ctrl-D, keys are ^ (short-path) and & (long-path).

Since tests were not happy with hamlib code being in qrb.c, I moved the rotator interface to where the rig interface is living. sendqrg.c doesn't really fit (did it ever fit the rig interface?), but now similar code is in a similar place.

Tests are passing now. I think I addressed all concerns, IMHO the code is good to go now.

df7cb · 2025-09-23T20:27:21Z

Fwiw, I've been using this version of the rotator support in the last contests and for some casual operation. The ^ and & operations (short/long path) worked flawlessly.

dl1jbe · 2025-09-26T07:51:03Z

Sorry, for late comment - was afk for some time.

df7cb · 2025-11-02T22:37:40Z

I finally found the time to do the updates. Sorry for being so slow...

dl1jbe · 2025-11-07T21:11:25Z

Time is sparse atm. Hope to find time to look into it in coming week. Sorry.

zcsahok · 2025-11-07T22:12:50Z


 /*-------------------------------------rigctl-------------------------------*/
+char rotconf[80];
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBHAMLIB


Hamlib is mandatory, please drop both checks. It just hasn't been cleaned up.

zcsahok · 2025-11-07T22:19:17Z

 #endif

    {"RIGPORT",         CFG_STRING_NOCHOMP(rigportname)},
+    {"ROTPORT",         CFG_STRING_NOCHOMP(rotportname)},


CFG_STRING_NOCHOMP is used for RIGPORT due to some backwards compatibility (I'll revisit this, see below). Please use plain (chomping) CFG_STRING.

parse_logcfg.h:

// FIXME: remove NOCHOMPs

Changed, and updated the test file for the new (better) value.

zcsahok · 2025-11-07T22:20:24Z

    {"import",      'i', 0, 0,  "Import Cabrillo file to Tlf format"},
    {"no-cluster",  'n', 0, 0,  "Start without cluster hookup" },
    {"no-rig",      'r', 0, 0,  "Start without radio control" },
+    {"no-rotator",  'R', 0, 0,  "Start without radio control" },


Oops, yes. Fixed.

dl1jbe · 2025-11-10T19:23:52Z

At the moment I see only one point to think about:

if (pfx->dxcc_ctynr == my.countrynr)
        return; /* rotating to own country does not make much sense */

It may make sense for large countries, but how to find the correct direction by program?
The operator may know the correct direction - are there always manual controls or do we need to provide some solution from TLFs side?

df7cb · 2025-11-10T23:05:43Z

I just pushed a new version addressing @zcsahok's comments, thanks for the review!

It may make sense for large countries, but how to find the correct direction by program? The operator may know the correct direction - are there always manual controls or do we need to provide some solution from TLFs side?

My next idea was to add "rotate 30° left/right buttons" (for example on [ and ] or < and >), but TBH I'd want the current patch committed first because it's kind of the minimum version of the feature we can then build on.

Other future ideas might be:

show current heading (near the TRX frequency)
~~check if MYQRA is already used to compute the beam heading and if not, fix that~~ MYQRA is already used
rotate to locator from exchange field

dl1jbe · 2025-11-11T11:24:31Z

My next idea was to add "rotate 30° left/right buttons" (for example on [ and ] or < and >), but TBH I'd want the current patch committed first because it's kind of the minimum version of the feature we can then build on.

The sounds reasonable.

As a side note: I fear that it will be difficult to find a lot of unused single key codes for additional rotator commands. As it probably will not be used very often a two key combination with a common first key may be appropriate (like '.' for filtering the multi infos).

Other future ideas might be:
* show current heading (near the TRX frequency)
* check if MYQRA is already used to compute the beam heading and if not, fix that
* rotate to locator from exchange field

At least the first point will be very useful.

This adds rotator support. Configuration is done exactly like rig support with ROTATOR_CONTROL, ROTMODEL, ROTSPEED and ROTPORT. Two new keybindings are introduced: ^ (think "arrow") rotates towards the country of the current call, and & (the key right of ^ on US keyboards) rotates to the long-path direction. If the current call is from the own country, no rotation is done.

df7cb · 2025-11-11T21:29:40Z

Rebased.

dl1jbe · 2025-11-17T12:53:11Z

Thanks for the work Christoph

df7cb · 2025-11-17T13:06:11Z

Thanks for the reviews!

This adds rotator support. Configuration is done exactly like rig support with ROTATOR_CONTROL, ROTMODEL, ROTSPEED and ROTPORT. Two new keybindings are introduced: ^ (think "arrow") rotates towards the country of the current call, and & (the key right of ^ on US keyboards) rotates to the long-path direction. If the current call is from the own country, no rotation is done.

zcsahok reviewed Jan 12, 2025

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zcsahok reviewed Jan 12, 2025

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dl1jbe reviewed Jan 13, 2025

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dl1jbe reviewed Jan 13, 2025

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df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from abfd19b to 06a0b4c Compare April 26, 2025 16:58

df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from 06a0b4c to f7f850e Compare April 28, 2025 08:03

df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch 3 times, most recently from 8408dfa to 46afb1a Compare August 29, 2025 19:52

df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from 46afb1a to 6c8e2ae Compare August 29, 2025 20:08

df7cb marked this pull request as ready for review August 29, 2025 20:57

dl1jbe requested changes Sep 26, 2025

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df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from 6c8e2ae to eff3f60 Compare November 2, 2025 22:37

zcsahok reviewed Nov 7, 2025

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df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from eff3f60 to 7fa2a63 Compare November 10, 2025 22:59

dl1jbe approved these changes Nov 11, 2025

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df7cb force-pushed the rotator branch from 7fa2a63 to bc0de8c Compare November 11, 2025 21:29

dl1jbe merged commit e3b7cb8 into Tlf:master Nov 17, 2025
2 checks passed

df7cb deleted the rotator branch November 17, 2025 21:20


		if (pfx_index != my.countrynr && 0 == get_qrb(&range, &bearing)) {

		pthread_mutex_lock(&tlf_rot_mutex);

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