Introduction to rigctl

Most likely the first of the Hamlib utility programs that is used is rigctl(1). rigctl is a character based interactive program and a command line program able to set or query a radio's value with a single command. rigctl is invoked from a shell command prompt with various options and additional commands.

In its most simple use as a command line program, rigctl is used to set frequency and mode by typing commands after any rigctl options:

rigctl F 14205000
rigctl M USB 2400

and then query those values:

rigctl f
rigctl m

Entering interactive mode is a simple matter of not placing any commands after any rigctl options:

rigctl

Entering interactive mode allows successive commands to be entered without exiting rigctl. Recent additions to rigctl allow command editing and history recall through use of the Readline library.

Interactive mode is indicated by the spartan prompt:

Rig command:

Commands are given at the prompt and follow the general rule that upper case letters set a value and lower case letters query a value:

Rig command: M
Mode: USB
Passband: 2500
Rig command: m
Mode: USB
Passband: 2500
Rig command:

An additional prompt is printed when more information is required by the command. For M above, rigctl prompted for the Mode and Passband values. For m above, rigctl returned the Mode and Passband values without further prompts. The command prompt is returned after each command invocation.

The above examples invoked rigctl without specifying a radio model. This is a feature where the Hamlib internal radio model 1 dummy is used. The dummy radio provides a way to test Hamlib functions without the need for actual radio hardware. However, to develop the Hamlib backend capability for a given radio, having the actual radio connected to the computer is necessary for debugging.

For example, to quickly set frequency on an Elecraft K3:

rigctl -m 2029 -r /dev/rig F 3900000

and to query the frequency and then mode:

rigctl -m 2029 -r /dev/rig f
3900000
rigctl -m 2029 -r /dev/rig m
LSB
2000

Note: the returned values do not have the prompt strings associated with interactive mode as shown above.

The -m option takes a numeric value that corresponds to a given radio back end model. The -r option takes the path to the port device on POSIX and the device name on Microsoft Windows.

Note: A complete list of supported radio models may be seen by use of the -l option:

rigctl -l
 Rig #  Mfg              Model         Version    Status
     1  Hamlib           Dummy         0.5        Beta
     2  Hamlib           NET rigctl    0.3        Beta
  1001  Yaesu            FT-847        0.5        Beta
  1003  Yaesu            FT-1000D      0.0.6      Alpha
.
.
.
 27002  Rohde&Schwarz    EB200         0.1        Untested
 28001  Philips/Simoco   PRM8060       0.1        Alpha
 29001  ADAT www.adat.ch ADT-200A      1.36       Beta

The list is long so use Shift-PageUp/Shift-PageDown on Linux, ScrollLock then PageUp/PageDown on Free BSD, or use the scrollbar to the virtual terminal window (cmd window on Microsoft Windows) or the output can be piped to more(1) or less(1), e.g., “rigctl -l | more” to scroll back up the list. The list is sorted numerically by model number since Hamlib 1.2.15.1. Model numbers of a manufacturer/protocol family are grouped together.

rigctl reference

The complete reference for rigctl can be found in the rigctl(1) manual page.

Introduction to rotctl

rotctl(1) is a character based interactive program and a command line program able to set or query a rotator's value with a single command. rotctl is invoked from a shell command prompt with various options and additional commands.

In its most simple use as a command line program, rotctl is used to set azimuth position and (optionally) elevation by typing commands after any rotctl options:

rotctl P 145.0 23.0
rotctl M 8 25

and then query those values:

rotctl p

Entering interactive mode is a simple matter of not placing any commands after any rotctl options:

rotctl

Entering interactive mode allows successive commands to be entered without exiting rotctl. Interactive mode allows for command editing and history recall through the use of the Readline library.

Interactive mode is indicated by the spartan prompt:

Rotator command:

Commands are given at the prompt:

Rotator command: M
Direction: 16
Speed: 60
Rotator command: p
Azimuth: 11.352000
Elevation: 0.000000
Rotator command: p
Azimuth: 27.594000
Elevation: 0.000000
Rotator command:

An additional prompt is printed when more information is required by the command. For M above, rotctl prompted for the Direction and Speed values. For p above, rotctl returned the Azimuth and Elevation values without further prompts. The command prompt is returned after each command invocation.

The above examples invoked rotctl without specifying a rotator model. This is a feature where the Hamlib internal rotator model 1 dummy is used instead. The dummy rotator provides a way to test Hamlib functions without the need for actual rotator hardware. However, to develop back end capability for a given rotator, having the actual controller connected to the computer is necessary for debugging.

For example, to quickly set position for RotorEZ:

rotctl -m 401 -r /dev/rotor P 100.0 0.0

and to query the position:

rotctl -m 401 -r /dev/rotor p
100.000000
0.000000

The returned values do not have the prompt strings associated with interactive mode as shown above.

The -m option takes a numeric value that corresponds to a given rotator back end model. The -r option takes the path to the port device on POSIX or the device name on Microsoft Windows.

Note: A complete list of supported rotator models may be seen by use of the -l option:

rotctl -l
 Rot #  Mfg              Model         Version    Status
     1  Hamlib           Dummy         0.5        Beta
     2  Hamlib           NET rotctl    0.3        Beta
   201  Hamlib           EasycommI     0.3        Beta
   202  Hamlib           EasycommII    0.3        Beta
.
.
.
  1201  AMSAT            IF-100        0.1        Untested
  1301  LA7LKA           ts7400        0.1        Beta
  1401  Celestron        NexStar       0.1        Untested

The list is long so use Shift-PageUp/Shift-PageDown on Linux, ScrollLock then PageUp/PageDown on Free BSD, or use the scrollbar to the virtual terminal window (cmd window on Microsoft Windows) or the output can be piped to more(1) or less(1), e.g. “rotctl -l | more” to scroll back up the list. The list is sorted numerically by model number since Hamlib 1.2.15.1. Model numbers of a manufacturer/protocol family are grouped together.

rotctl reference

The complete reference for rotctl can be found in the rotctl(1) manual page.

Introduction to rigctld

rigctld(1) communicates to a client through a TCP network socket using text commands shared with rigctl(1). The protocol is simple; commands are sent to rigctld on one line and rigctld responds to get commands with the requested values, one per line, when successful, otherwise, it responds with one line RPRT x, where x is a negative number indicating the Hamlib error code. Commands that do not return values respond with the line RPRT x, where x is zero when successful, otherwise a negative number indicating the Hamlib error code. Each line is terminated with a newline, \n, character. This protocol is primarily for use by the NET rigctl (radio model 2) backend.

A separate Extended Response protocol extends the above behavior by echoing the received command string as a header, any returned values as a key: value pair, and the RPRT x string as the end of response marker which includes the Hamlib success or failure value. Consider using this protocol for clients that will interact with rigctld directly through a TCP network socket.

Multiple radios can be controlled on different TCP ports by use of multiple rigctld processes each listening on a unique TCP port. It is hoped that rigctld will be especially useful for client authors using languages such as Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby, TCL, and others.

rigctld reference

The complete reference for rigctld can be found in the rigctld(1) manual page.

Introduction to rotctld

rotctld(1) communicates to a client through a TCP network socket using text commands shared with rotctl(1). The protocol is simple, commands are sent to rotctld on one line and rotctld responds to get commands with the requested values, one per line, when successful, otherwise, it responds with one line RPRT x, where x is a negative number indicating the Hamlib error code. Commands that do not return values respond with the line RPRT x, where x is zero when successful, otherwise a negative number indicating the Hamlib error code. Each line is terminated with a newline, \n character. This protocol is primarily for use by the NET rotctl (rotator model 2) backend.

A separate Extended Response protocol extends the above behavior by echoing the received command string as a header, any returned values as a key: value pair, and the RPRT x string as the end of response marker which includes the Hamlib success or failure value. Consider using this protocol for clients that will interact with rotctld directly through a TCP network socket.

Multiple rotators can be controlled on different TCP ports by use of multiple rotctld processes each listening on a unique TCP port. It is hoped that rotctld will be especially useful for client authors using languages such as Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby, TCL, and others.

rotctld reference

The complete reference for rotctld can be found in the rotctld(1) manual page.

Introduction to rigmem

Backup and restore memory of radio transceivers and receivers. rigmem accepts commands from the command line only.

rigmem reference

The complete reference for rigmem can be found in the rigmem(1) manual page.

Introduction to rigsmtr

rigsmtr rotates the antenna from minimum azimuth to maximum azimuth. Every second, or time_step if specified in seconds, it retrieves the signal strength. Azimuth in degrees and the corresponding S-Meter level in dB relative to S9 are then printed on stdout.

To work correctly, rigsmtr needs a radio that could measure S-Meter and a Hamlib backend that is able to retrieve it, connected to a Hamlib supported rotator.

rigsmtr reference

The complete reference for rigsmtr can be found in the rigsmtr(1) manual page.

Introduction to rigswr

rigswr uses Hamlib to control a radio to measure VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) over a frequency range.

It scans frequencies from start_freq to stop_freq with an optional increment of freq_step (default step is 100 kHz). All values must be entered as an integer in Hertz (cycles per second).

Note: rigswr assumes that start_freq is less than or equal to stop_freq. If it is greater, rigswr will exit without doing anything.

For each frequency, rigswr transmits at 25% of total POWER during 0.5 second in CW mode and reads VSWR.

Frequency and the corresponding VSWR are then printed on stdout.

To work correctly, rigswr needs a radio that can measure VSWR and a Hamlib backend that supports reading VSWR from the radio.

rigswr reference

The complete reference for rigswr can be found in the rigswr(1) manual page.