Revision history for FodTrack
=============================


Version 1.0:  First release. October '94.


Version 1.1:  November '94.

  - Dropped support for serial ports (anyway nobody has enough of them...)
  - Cured slight instability in the output
  - Added support for nonstandard parallel ports at any address
  - Increased output resolution to full 8 bits
  - Minor changes in appearance
  - Added some error handling
  - Added rotator calibration command


Version 1.2:  March '95.

  - Fixed bug with rotator stopping position at north
  - Added parameter to disable flipping, for stations without elevation rotator
  - Fixed bug in command file reading
  - Small updates in the DOC file


Version 1.3: April '95.

  - Added Doppler tracking and rig control for the FT736
  - Minor bug fixes
  - Schematic diagram for the rotator interface is now provided in PCX format

  Note:  WRONG schematic was distributed with version 1.3!!!  If you got that,
         delete file FODTRACK.PCX and replace by FODTRK11.PCX.


Version 1.3 beta: May '95

  - Added support for IC970 and TS790 in beta status
  - Version 2.0 of the rotator interface is now included
  - Schematics for RS232 adapters for Kenwood and Yaesu are included


Version 1.4: July '95

  - Icom radio support has been tested by IK0XBQ, and Kenwood by IK3NWV
  - Added parameter to configure address of different Icom radios
  - Added delay for Yaesu CAT OFF command, necessary for fast computers


Version 1.5: August '95

  Again a note: I just found out that ALL Fodtrack Rotator controller 
                schematics distributed with previous versions contain a 
                silly error: The window comparator reference inputs are
                interchanged. This will cause the rotator to oscillate around
                the target position. Please DESTROY files FODTRK11.PCX and 
                FODTRK20.PCX. The former is no longer used (D/A chip costs 
                too much), and the latter is replaced by FODTRK21.PCX, 
                included in this release.
 
  - Fixed bug that in some cases caused wrong flipping decision.
  - Dropped display of Keps, replaced this by telling how old the Keps are.
  - Added display of AOS, LOS and maximum elevation.
  - Modified the command help window to make clear that some commands are 
    only available in manual mode.
  - Fixed small bug that caused overwriting on the PPM display.
  - Added configuration parameter for minimum elevation at which to track.
  - Time is now displayed with leading zeroes. That was a lot of work!!!
  - Added step tracking: The program will now update the rotator position
    only when the position error exceeds a configurable amount.
  - Added antenna parking.


Version 1.6: December '95

  The usual note...: Yes, still another bug in the schematic! The power 
                     supply leads to one of the opamp chips in FODTRK21.PCX
                     are reversed. FODTRK22.PCX fixes this error. By now 
                     several people have built their interfaces according to
                     FODTRK22.PCX, so I'm quite confident that now there is
                     no other bug in it...!

  - Added support for two separate Icom radios for RX and TX.
  - Added a second way for automatization: FodTrack will now read a satellite's
    name from the command line, and will exit after a pass, if the proper 
    parameter is set in the CFG file. The traditional way for automatization
    is still supported and recommended.
  - The colors are now configurable, making the program usable on some strange
    graphics cards which couldn't make it readable before. Also useful for 
    realizing your very own aesthetic feeling on the screen!


Version 1.7: April '96

  - When a satellite passed EXACTLY overhead, the azimuth calculation routine
    produced a division by zero, stopping the program with an "unexpected 
    error 11". There IS NO AZIMUTH at this moment!!! The chance for this to 
    happen is much less than once a year. Now FodTrack takes into account this
    very special situation.
  - Initialization of Yaesu radio is now much faster.
  - Added frequency and mode parking for Icom and Kenwood radios (Yaesu radios
    don't need this, they return to the previous frequency when CAT is switched
    off).
  - Improved Icom radio control (testing done by TG9IKE)
 

Version 1.8: May '96

  - Increased frequency resolution.
  - Added manual incremental tuning, useful both for fine tuning on the Pacsats
    and for linear transponder operation.
  

Version 1.9: September '96

  - Improved tracking accuracy by using more accurate constants.
  - Added support for the GS-232 rotator interface, as an alternative to the 
    FodTrack rotator interface. This was suggested and tested by UA0SC and 
    UA0SNV.
  - Eliminated redundant commands to the rotator interface (perhaps this may
    cure the rotator jumps experienced at some stations).
  - Improved Kenwood radio control. Input from Kenwood users is needed. There 
    still seem to be problems in certain setups.


Version 2.0: September '96

  - Fixed a bug which affected radio parking.
  - Synchronized main loop execution to realtime clock.
  - Added a long delay to the parallel port driver, to avoid trouble with the 
    elevation overwriting the azimuth if a fast CPU is used with a slow 
    parallel port. I hope this will definitely solve the problems with the
    azimuth! 
  - Added configurable frequency stepsize, to reduce RX dropouts on the TS790.  
  - Added instruction to mute the beep on the TS790.


Version 2.1: April '97

  - Improved geodesic model, reducing range (and Doppler) errors to less than
    one third of previous values.
  - All calculations now use real radius of earth at each latitude.
  - Fixed clock display for year 2000. Now displays full 4 digits...
  - Added capability to run with very outdated keps (but of course the accuracy
    will be miserable!).
  - Added support for the RC-2800 rotator controller. Requested by WA4SIR.
  - Added GPS support (NMEA GLL sentences) for time and position setting.


Version 2.2: June '97

  - Fixed BUG that messed up groundstation coordinates for everyone who lives
    at longitudes below -90 or above 90 degrees! This bug was introduced in
    the new geodesic model in version 2.1. Bug reported by VK4KTP.
  - Previous versions when sent to track a geostationary sat stayed forever
    calculating AOS and LOS! Fixed by disabling AOS-LOS calculation for 
    geosynchronous and near geosynchronous sats. This bug was reported by 
    VK6BHT.
  - Replaced ground distance display by range rate, and renamed "straight 
    distance" to "range". Suggested by WA4SIR.
  - Added passband selection for Icom radios. Suggested by WA4SIR.
  - Added support for FMW mode for the Icom and FMN for the Yaesu radios.
  - Improved the flexibility of the GPS routine. It will now accept more 
    types of GPS receivers.
  - Added a parameter to the CFG file to set the amounts of seconds to be added 
    to the GPS position fix time (to compensate for time delay between position
    fix and datagram processing).
  - Added voltages to rotator interface schematic, in order to ease 
    troubleshooting. The new file is ROTORINT.PCX and it replaces FODTRK22.PCX.
  - Now the printed circuit board design for the rotator interface is provided!
 

Version 2.21: July '97

  - Fixed bug that caused error 6 at the end of a pass in certain setups.


Version 2.3: September '97

  - Improved GPS compatibility by adding support for GGA and RMC datagrams.
  - User interface is no longer case sensitive (requested by MANY users!).
  - Fixed error 11 after entering wrong sat and then blank string (bug was 
    reported by VK4KTP).
  - Implemented method for automatic band changing on the FT-736.
  - Added the possibility to configure several frequency setups for each sat.
  - Added support for converters, up to 24 GHz, asked for by several users.


Version 2.4: September '97

  - Added the possibility to track TX and RX frequencies inside the same band,
    for the FT-736. Necessary for the MIR UHF experiment.


Version 2.5: September '98

  - Added support for the FT-847 transceiver. Tested by PD0SBC and PA0AER.
  - Added support for the AR-5000 scanner. Tested by PD0SBC.
  - Added support for external radio drivers, via a disk file.
  - Fixed error that happened after exiting a pass with a Kenwood or Icom 
    radio and not having PARK data in the FRC file (found it by chance, nobody
    reported it!).


Version 2.6: April 2001

  - Fixed error 5 that could happen when a sat was tracked through the nadir.
  - Added support for 450-degree rotators, requested by several users.
  - Improved Doppler tracking resolution (required for PSK reception on S-band).
    Requested by KA0YOS.


Version 2.7: August 2003
   
  - Parking routine would not go over 90 degrees elevation. Fixed.
  - Added subtone setting for the FT-736 equipped with the FTS-8 tone unit.
    Requested and tested by VE7WFG for use on SO-50.

   
Version 2.8: September 2004

  - Added subtone setting for the FT-847. Requested and tested by VE7BQY.
  - FodTrack now remembers the flipping status even when shutting it down.


Version 2.9: October 2005

  - Fixed bug that prevented the calibration from working in the serial 
    interface modes. Bug found by G8BKE.
 