This is just bizarre

In the process of installing a remote controller on the 6m antenna rotator.

Hardware: Yaesu G-5500 and EA4TX USB controller box.

Software: ARSVCOM by EA4TX.

Essentially, the setup is fairly straight forward: the two controllers are physically cabled, and the EA4TX box is then connected via USB port to computer.

The virtual port is created and assigned in ARSVCOM software, and from then on, the rotor can be controlled with a mouse click. Easy.

Actually, I have an identical setup already running at home, so setting it up at a remote location should have been a matter of minutes. I decided to do the install just after midnight. By 2AM I was pulling my hair out. While all seems to be as it should, the antenna could be only controlled manually.

Today, with a clear head, I gave it another go. Obvious suspect: the driver for the virtual port. Install, re-install, no luck. It was time to consult the manual. Funnily enough, the manual specifically states that Win 10 requires no special drivers, and the driver provided by manufacturer should not be installed. Fair enough – I let Bill Gates install whatever driver he thinks *may work*. Still no luck.

I really don’t know how and why I’ve ended up on the ARSVCOM Properties/Compatibility tab, but I did. And there it was: Compatibility mode box – ticked.

“‘Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 95!” Bloody hell.

The second the box was unchecked, the rotor controller sprang to life.

That was close.

And while we are on the subject of Yaesu G-5500: if your rotator is a Japanese 120V model (you’ve bought it on Yahoo Japan) then worry not: to rewire it to 240V, simply change the tap on the transformer’s primary. Voltage is not marked, but it is easy to figure out the correct tap. The question is: should you also replace the fuse? I leave this one to the experts.