ERC V4 USB rotorcontrol build into Kenpro KR600 controller

   This is one of the things I always had in mind. Especially when working remote I could not turn the antenna, so I was bound to one direction or had to go to the shack to change the direction of the antenna.

An ERC Version 4 USB rotorcontrol kit was kindly given to me as a gift by a friendly HAM who doesn't want his callsign on my blog. It was already assembled but due to change of rotors he didn't need it anymore.  The ERC kit can be bought as a kit with conventional components and as ready build in SMD. The SMD version doesn't need an extra power supply, the build kit does need an external 12V supply. So does this kit. 

The shack, not really a good workplace...

Since I didn't assemble the printboard myself I first checked all the solderpoints which made shorts here and there. It was quickly solved by soldering those points again. A quick check supplying 12V was without any problems. The manual tells to supply the printboard with an external 12V wall wart, there is a connector shipped with the kit. And even wires to connect the board to the rotor are there. Included is a CD with all information you need in English and German. The first thing I did was to search for the right diagram, at first I thought I needed the KR400 diagram but comparing the diagram from the KR600 manual it didn't look the same. In the end you should follow the KR600S diagram. Printed both the diagram and the connection points on paper. I then had to decide were to mount the board inside the rotorcontrol housing.

  I quickly found a good place at the side, I could use one existing screwhole. The second hole and the hole for the USB connector had to be drilled. Of course, stupid me, I drilled the largest hole on the wrong place and ended filing it till everything could be fit. Just before that moment I decided that the separate 12V supply could be easily fit into the control housing. So I modified an 12V wall wart and just fitted it on the transformer with double sided tape. The output went to a large ferrite because I wnt to be shure I will not have interference from this "thing". Before mounting the board into the housing I connected the needed wires and made shure I encoded the wires with the numbers on the connection points information diagram.

The wall wart above the transformer and the connection to the printboard

The connection points information with the warning not to use the rotor power supply.

The next thing I had to do was to find out were all the connections should be soldered to. You have to be shure because otherwise the printboard can be damaged or the rotor could be turning in the wrong direction. 

The diagram with the point were the wires should be soldered to.

I was most worried about the numbers 1 and 4. At first I though exchanging those would let the rotor turn into the wrong direction. But after all it is all AC voltage, so it doesn't really matter if you exchange connections. Actually everything was soldered without any problems really. All connections were reasonable reachable with the soldering iron.

Final placement and points nr. 1 & 4 connection

Note that points 1 wires are soldered before the diode to the LED  and points 4 wires to the printboard which is connected to the other side of the LED. The diode on the lightbulb is a previous modification to have DC voltage on a 24V green LED bulb (https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2017/12/kenpro-overhaul-2.html). The green LED is there to replace the original lightbulb.

When everything was in place it was time to check the whole installation. For that I made a video to show how it is done.

Well everything is working fine. I decided to use HRD rotator for daily control of the rotor since I use the HRD radiocontrol and logbook most of the time.

Looks like this on my screen...

I can now finally turn my antenna while not in the shack...