MoonSked X for Macintosh User Guide

MoonSked for Linux User Guide

Download MoonSked
Please download the correct version for your operating system

Windows

Windows “Installer Package”
[Latest version 2012-02-13]

MoonSked Windows 1.6.4
for Windows 7, 2000, XP and Vista and Windows 10

Macintosh OS X

MoonSked X 1.6.4 Universal [Latest version 2012-02-13]
for Macintosh OS X, Intel or PPC

Please note MoonSked X will install and run on OS X up to 10.11 (“El Capitan”).

MoonSked X won’t install directly with macOS 10.12 “Sierra” or “High Sierra” because of security changes Apple have made. However if you have previously installed MoonSked X on a pre Sierra OS and then upgrade to Sierra MoonSked X will continue to work just fine.

I now have a work around to allow users to install MoonSked X on a macOS 10.12 Sierra system.

Details here.

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Now includes Topocentric GHA LHA and DEC in Moon Tracking window.

Includes minimum elevation sliders for home and dx station.
Note All slider values (Min and Max) are preserved when quitting.
GHA (geocentric) is shown in Sked Maker Window.

Linux Requirements
x86-based Linux distributions with GTK+ 2.8 (or higher)
glibc-2.4
CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System)
libstdc++.so.6

Officially Supported Distributions
Ubuntu 6.10 or later
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

MoonSked Support

Please note that I no longer am able to provide any support at all going forward in 2018. MoonSked software is now only available on an “as supplied basis”.

If you have problems with MoonSked:

1) If a fresh download of MoonSked does not run, try searching for and deleting the “MoonSked Preferences” file, which for Windows users is usually inside the Application Data folder in your User area. Note the directory in which the preferences are stored may be hidden by default.
You will need to re-enter your registration number, so please have that to hand.

2) In versions up to MoonSked 1.5.1, there is nothing ‘installed’, it is one .exe file and the call3.txt file in the same folder. The only other associated part is the “MoonSked Preferences” file. (From version 1.5.2 there is a Windows installer for the Windows platform.)

3) If you find that the Sked Maker window is not giving any results when you press Calculate, then probably the window is just not tall enough! Drag the size of the window a little more taller and the results will appear at the bottom of the window.

4) If you are using Windows 7/8 you may find that the trackfile azel.dat will not be written unless you run MoonSked as Administrator.
The problem happens only when you have MoonSked Preferences:Tracking: AZEL.DAT ticked.

What is happening when you have AZEL.DAT ticked, is that MoonSked is trying to write the track file AZEL.DAT and Windows 7 or Windows 8 does not allow this, it thinks it is a security problem.

If however you DO need AZEL.DAT file for some other use, then there is still a way around this:

You must run MoonSked as an ADMINISTRATOR.

If you RIGHT CLICK on MoonSked.exe then select PROPERTIES in the list.

Now Click on Compatibility and tick Run this program as administrator:

Apply and OK.

Now when you start MoonSked you may get this message: (Windows 8)

As you can trust MoonSked.exe, you should click YES.

And then MoonSked should run as normal, even if AZEL.DAT file is needed.

LOST YOUR REGISTRATION CODE? – Go to the MoonSked Registration page.

Support files
MoonSked uses CALL3.TXT for the callsign and locator database.
MoonSked looks for this call3.txt file by default in the MoonSked Folder, though this can be changed so that for example you can use the same file that is used by WSJT.

This is the same data as used in K1JT’s WSJT software and is updated regularly and is available from several sources including:

DL8EBW has also kindly agreed to help with managing the updates to CALL3.TXT – http://www.mmmonvhf.de/dbase.php
You may have to join the Make More Miles on VHF Website first to download the file.

Please note GM4JJJ does not maintain or update CALL3.TXT

OLD ARCHIVED VERSIONS

Windows
MoonSked for Windows 1.5.1 – Old version – does not use a Windows installer.
For Windows 2000 XP and Vista – this old version will not be updated again.

Windows 98 version
MoonSked 1.4.7 for Windows 98 and XP – this old version will not be updated again.

MoonSked Release Notes

MoonSked supported Antenna Rotators (Macintosh and Windows)

Please note – MoonSked Rotator Drivers are no longer being supported, written or modified.
The drivers were previously only available by request to registered users. They are now available freely to all.

I recommend that Windows users consider using PSTRotator by YO3DMU as their driver for tracking, however I have provided links to some of the old rotator drivers that I have previously written.

MoonSked can automatically control antenna tracking.

Rotator Systems supported are:PstRotator (YO3DMU), F1TE tracker, Creative Design RAC-825, TAPR TrakBox, EA4TX ARSWIN, EA4TX ARS-USB, C.A.T.S DPU-1100-D, W2DRZ controller, W0LMD Sat Tracker (Easycomm 1),Hy-gain DCU-1, Green Heron RT-20,Yaesu GS-232, G6LVB,SPID ROT1 ROT2 MD-0X HR, M2, DL7AOT(EasyComm1), BigBoy ProSisTel, Fox Delta FD-ST2.

PstRotator Shareware by YO3DMU (license purchase required)
This Windows Utility handles many rotators and MoonSked can communicate with it.
Uses AZEL.DAT trackfile that can be written by MoonSked optionally.

The following additional rotator drivers by GM4JJJ are available.

A support note, some of the drivers consist of an installer that will put the files in the appropriate place for you, but some more recent ones are not installers, and consist of the driver program and a Library folder which contains some necessary library files associated with the driver.
The general rule is to Unzip and run the .exe file within the folder, keeping the Libs folder where it is too.

MoonSked Rotator Driver Download links – more coming, under construction!

Fox Delta FD-ST2
Try the GS232B mode – however other protocols are supported.

Download Yaesu GS232B for Windows.

Download Yaesu GS232B for Macintosh OSX.

F1TE Tracker
Uses GS232B 9600 Baud

Download driver for F1TE 9600 Baud version for LINUX
Download driver for F1TE 4800 baud version for LINUX

Creative Design – RAC 805 and RAC-825 – using Host Mode

Download Installer version Creative Design RAC825 driver for Windows

TAPR TrakBox – (Using Host Mode)

Download the driver for TAPR TrakBox for Windows

EA4TX’s ARSWIN Interface. (This is now superseded by the new EA4TX RCI-USB interface)
Pablo’s ARSWIN tracker board which “supports any rotator” is compatible. Remote operation via Telnet is possible with this unit.

Download EA4TX ARSWIN driver version 1.0.6 for Windows