Tomáš, OK1XOE, posted on Github XOE ArcoRotorController project – a desktop application that allows you to control the antenna Rotátor prostredníctvom radiča microHAM ARCO via a local network. The practical impetus for its creation was concrete: Tomáš and his father-in-law OK2FI operate two separate hamshacks in one house, with the Yaesu G-1000 rotator controlled by ARCO. Although ARCO has a built-in VNC server for remote access, it is unnecessarily cumbersome for ordinary antenna rotation. XOE ArcoRotorController solves exactly this problem – two operators, two workplaces, one rotator.
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Technical architecture
The application communicates with ARCO directly via TCP socket using Yaesu GS-232 protocol. It does not require any REST API, USB-serial bridge or running backend server on the controller side. The only condition is that ARCO is available in the local network and has the enabled Control Protocol parameter set to Yaesu GS-232. After entering the IP address and TCP port of the controller, the application connects and starts displaying the current Azimuth.
The project is written in Java (97% of the code base), requires Java version 26 and above, and is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The installation scripts allow you to create a native installer for each platform - MSI or EXE for Windows, DMG or PKG for macOS, DEB or RPM for Linux.
Functions and controls
The application displays the current azimuth with a refresh interval of 150 ms - the reading is practically in real time. The target azimuth can be entered in three ways. The first is by clicking on the compass rose, the second is by entering an absolute value in the range of 0–360 degrees, the third is by entering a relative change in the format +10 or -45. Relative values that would lead outside the allowed range are rejected with an error message. Input validation is part of the application core.
The application communicates with ARCO via TCP socket using the Yaesu GS-232 protocol. It does not require any REST API, USB-serial bridge or running backend server.
Current version and license
The current release v1.0.1 was released on July 6, 2026. The project is distributed under the GNU GPL v3.0 license, the source code is fully open and modifications are allowed under the condition of maintaining the same license.
Download
The source code and installation scripts are available on GitHub: