Nice idea Gregg. We do a few near space balloons each year and I have been bugging some other folks ( because I don't write code ) to consider 2 projects:
1 - rotator control in a moving vehicle to keep a small yagi such as an Arrow pointed at the APRS signal. 2 - antenna parking based on data from a home WX station such as those commonly beaconing on APRS systems. I will copy the 3 of you, Marc, Andrew and Gregg off list with more details. > -----Original Message----- > From: Gregg Wonderly [mailto:w5...@cox.net] > Sent: October 13, 2009 11:33 AM > To: Alan VE4YZ > Cc: 'Marc Vermeersch'; 'Andrew Rich'; amsat-bb@amsat.org > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: PIC rotator control > > I'd like to suggest that such systems should have a compass > input from a GPS too so that as I'm driving mobile, I can > have such a rotator strapped in the back of my truck, and be > able to have it track the pass so I can hear it, and grab the > mic and talk if I need to. I'd also use this for mobile ATV > work to keep a beam pointed at our ATV repeater. > > Gregg Wonderly > W5GGW > > Alan VE4YZ wrote: > > Marc, Andrew and the group... > > > > It has always struck me as being odd that we use a PC to > run a PC(PIC > > based tracker box), to run a rotator control box, to run a > rotator. > > Sure it works but the absurdity of this really hits home when you > > disassemble your shack to take it all out for Field Day or > an EmComm > > exercise. I don't! I leave the PC and LVBtracker at home > and take my > > good old 1990's preprogrammed PIC based TrakBox that does > the radio and rotators. > > > > http://www.tapr.org/kits_trakbox.html > > > > http://picasaweb.google.com/ve4yz.alan/TrakboxRebuild2004# > > > > As I read you comments you are both querying the rotator > controller, > > not the rotators, to find out where the AL and EL are. > > > > With the power of today's inexpensive netbooks or the OLPC is there > > not a solution where the "embedded system is the netbook"? > Then, all > > that would be required between the PC and the rotator is a > black box > > with relays to power the rotators and a small A/D interface to take > > the data from the pots and pass it onto the PC? A black box easily > > assembled by most hams. If open source, then others can do > whatever > > is necessary create mods for various rotator systems such as pulse > > counting for stepper motors instead of A/D etc > > > > My 2 cents.... Alan > > > > > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org > >> [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Marc Vermeersch > >> Sent: October 13, 2009 6:45 AM > >> To: 'Andrew Rich'; amsat-bb@amsat.org > >> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: PIC rotator control > >> > >> Hi Andrew, > >> > >> I have a PIC based solution currently in the prototype stage. > >> It uses a > >> PIC18F4455 and drives a Yeasu AZ/EL rotor without the > Yeasy control > >> box. > >> > >> The PC sends information to the PIC > (RequestedAZ,RequestedEL) and the > >> PIC sends back status information to the PC > >> (RequestedAZ,RequestedEL,CurrentAZ,CurrentEL,Status). > >> > >> Everything is done by the PIC: > >> - Control of the rotor motors based on either > move-every-n-seconds or > >> move-when-error-angle-is-greater-than-n > >> - Measurement of the actual AZ/EL with 10-bit resolution > >> - Parking when no signal has been coming from the PC in x seconds > >> -or- an explicit park command is received > >> - Stall protection > >> - Some horizon protection: EL cannot go below x when AZ is > y to avoid > >> pointing into my neighbors' bedroom. > >> - Over the top rotor control (under development) > >> - ... > >> > >> I'm using a PIC18F4455 and it is very well capable of > doing all that > >> and more. I have chosen this path for several reasons: > >> - Eventually I want to run a tracking algorithm in the PIC too > >> - To make the control loop shorter > >> - To avoid dependence on the PC part specifically on > safety related > >> aspects like stall control and horizon protection. > >> - To explore the capabilities of the PIC18 > >> - (Because it's my job to do embedded HW/SW) > >> > >> BR, > >> -- > >> /\/\arc > >> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org > >> [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] > >>> On Behalf Of Andrew Rich > >>> Sent: dinsdag 13 oktober 2009 12:22 > >>> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org > >>> Subject: [amsat-bb] PIC rotator control > >>> > >>> Hello > >>> > >>> I am re-visting a rotator controller. > >>> > >>> I am curious, should I push the processing of the "compare > >> and make a > >>> decision" onto the PIC, or pull that function back into the PC ? > >>> > >>> PC is LINUX > >>> > >>> I/O is serial > >>> > >>> PIC is 16F877 > >>> > >>> Andrew VK4TEC > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the > >>> author. > >>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite > >>> program! > >>> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the > >> author. > >> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite > >> program! > >> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those > of the author. > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur > satellite program! > > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > _______________________________________________ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! 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