[amsat-bb] Re: Stand alone real time tracker
On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 6:23 PM, w4upd wrote: > GO to the following FTP location at my site. I think you'll find what > you need there. If not let me know and I'll look to see if I have other > info related to the Trakbox. > > ftp://bristor-assoc.com/pub/Amateur/TrakBox/ > > Reid, W4UPD > > > > William Leijenaar wrote: >> Hi AMSATs, >> >> For some longer time I have been looking for a way to get a stand-alone >> real-time satellite tracking system, without the use of a dual-core, GHz >> speed power consuming computer :o) To my suprise I didn't found much, only >> one design called trakbox which can be found E.g at the following tapr >> website: >> http://www.tapr.org/kits_trakbox.html >> >> Unfortunatly it is not available anymore, and the mean reason I guess is the >> outdated components. >> I found out that the design originates from JAMSAT. Maybe someone has data >> (schematic, PCB layout, source code) of this design ? >> >> I wonder with todays highly integrated microcontrollers if there is some >> modern kind of real-time-tracker available ? >> I am looking for a system that works just seconds after switching on the >> power supply and not something that first has to boat 15min and needs a >> mouse to work. >> William -- It depends what you mean by tracker, since the word is a bit widely used in English. It could mean 1) a device that, in response to az/el values submitted on a serial line, controls antenna rotors to track a satellite, or 2) a device that calculates those az/el values (as well as downlink and uplink frequencies, e.g.), or 3) something that does both of these tasks. There are many commercial and one-off instances of #1. Trackbox above is an instance of #3, though I don't believe it is still being kitted. The LVBtracker is best known as an instance of #1 above, but in fact the latest version is an example of #3 above. It is available from AMSAT-UK as a kit, and from AMSAT-NA as a completed product. If you'd like to explore an extremely low-power and small footprint device that will do #2 above, you might want to consider the qrpTracker libraries and applications I've written and ported for the Arduino platform, available at http://code.google.com/p/qrptracker/ with a website at http://sites.google.com/site/qrptracker/ I think hobbiests might find this easy to work with because the various building blocks -- like Plan 13 tracking code, TLE-storage and -access routines and rig-control activies -- have been packaged into C++ classes. Moreover, the Arduino hardware is ubiquitous, standard and relatively cheap. My youtube video demoing how this code and hardware could be used onboard a satellite to save power made the rounds a couple of weeks ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSUK7Jq3LCY In a day or so I hope to post a video of the same device doppler-tuning my FT-817. The long-term terrestrial goal is to provide a satellite-selecting and doppler tuning 'dongle' for this and the TH-D7A. 73, Bruce http://ve9qrp.blogspot.com ___ 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
[amsat-bb] Re: Stand alone real time tracker
And here is the missing link... http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/LVBTracker2/index.htm 73, Andre PH7AT Andre PH7AT wrote: > Hi William, > > Check out the LVB tracker by Howard G6LVB. > You can "upgrade" the standard version to be a stand-alone tracker unit. > It uses a PIC 18F2620 microcontroller. > > 73, Andre PH7AT > > > William Leijenaar wrote: > >> Hi AMSATs, >> >> For some longer time I have been looking for a way to get a stand-alone >> real-time satellite tracking system, without the use of a dual-core, GHz >> speed power consuming computer :o) To my suprise I didn't found much, only >> one design called trakbox which can be found E.g at the following tapr >> website: >> http://www.tapr.org/kits_trakbox.html >> >> Unfortunatly it is not available anymore, and the mean reason I guess is the >> outdated components. >> I found out that the design originates from JAMSAT. Maybe someone has data >> (schematic, PCB layout, source code) of this design ? >> >> I wonder with todays highly integrated microcontrollers if there is some >> modern kind of real-time-tracker available ? >> I am looking for a system that works just seconds after switching on the >> power supply and not something that first has to boat 15min and needs a >> mouse to work. >> >> 73, PE1RAH >> William Leijenaar >> www.leijenaarelectronics.nl >> --- >> > ___ 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
[amsat-bb] Re: Stand alone real time tracker
Hi William, Check out the LVB tracker by Howard G6LVB. You can "upgrade" the standard version to be a stand-alone tracker unit. It uses a PIC 18F2620 microcontroller. 73, Andre PH7AT William Leijenaar wrote: > Hi AMSATs, > > For some longer time I have been looking for a way to get a stand-alone > real-time satellite tracking system, without the use of a dual-core, GHz > speed power consuming computer :o) To my suprise I didn't found much, only > one design called trakbox which can be found E.g at the following tapr > website: > http://www.tapr.org/kits_trakbox.html > > Unfortunatly it is not available anymore, and the mean reason I guess is the > outdated components. > I found out that the design originates from JAMSAT. Maybe someone has data > (schematic, PCB layout, source code) of this design ? > > I wonder with todays highly integrated microcontrollers if there is some > modern kind of real-time-tracker available ? > I am looking for a system that works just seconds after switching on the > power supply and not something that first has to boat 15min and needs a mouse > to work. > > 73, PE1RAH > William Leijenaar > www.leijenaarelectronics.nl > --- > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > ___ > 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
[amsat-bb] Re: Stand alone real time tracker
GO to the following FTP location at my site. I think you'll find what you need there. If not let me know and I'll look to see if I have other info related to the Trakbox. ftp://bristor-assoc.com/pub/Amateur/TrakBox/ Reid, W4UPD William Leijenaar wrote: > Hi AMSATs, > > For some longer time I have been looking for a way to get a stand-alone > real-time satellite tracking system, without the use of a dual-core, GHz > speed power consuming computer :o) To my suprise I didn't found much, only > one design called trakbox which can be found E.g at the following tapr > website: > http://www.tapr.org/kits_trakbox.html > > Unfortunatly it is not available anymore, and the mean reason I guess is the > outdated components. > I found out that the design originates from JAMSAT. Maybe someone has data > (schematic, PCB layout, source code) of this design ? > > I wonder with todays highly integrated microcontrollers if there is some > modern kind of real-time-tracker available ? > I am looking for a system that works just seconds after switching on the > power supply and not something that first has to boat 15min and needs a mouse > to work. > > 73, PE1RAH > William Leijenaar > www.leijenaarelectronics.nl > --- > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > ___ > 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 > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.709 / Virus Database: 270.14.87/2535 - Release Date: 11/29/09 > 14:31:00 > > ___ 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
