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Current commercial az/el antenna rotators are really expensive(easily over 1500€ with controllers), and moreover technically most are from 90s (analog potentiometer sensors/control, no network, |
Current commercial az/el antenna rotators are really expensive(easily over 1500€ with controllers), and moreover technically most are from 90s (analog potentiometer sensors/control, no network, |
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I tried to take little bit different approach.. | I tried to take little bit different approach.. |
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* Cheap common hardware (wormgears, nema steppers, rasberrypi, etc) * Intelligence on mast (controlbox includes rasberrypi, this enables many things, like SDR on mast) * All digital (digital rotary sensors, steppers, tcp/ip, etc) * network (only IO is network, controlling thru different apis(REST, legacy RS emulation api)) * backward compatibility to legacy software, via software RS (ham radio deluxe, pstrotator, etc) * project is only for fun, and learning new stuff! |
* Cheap common hardware (wormgears, nema steppers, rasberrypi, etc) * Intelligence on mast (controlbox includes rasberrypi, this enables many things, like SDR on mast) * All digital (digital rotary sensors, steppers, tcp/ip, etc) * network (only IO is network, controlling thru different apis(REST, legacy RS emulation api)) * backward compatibility to legacy software, via software RS (ham radio deluxe, pstrotator, etc) * project is only for fun, and learning new stuff! |
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=== Hardware: === | === Hardware: === |
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Steppers: Common 4-lead NEMA 23 - one full step 1.8 degrees - cheap (from 10$/each) - easy to control Worm gears: 90 degree Gearbox WormGear Speed Reducer 1:60 ratio -most important is WormGear, because of that we do not need any brake system! -relatively sheap (about 50$ / each) -with 1:60 reduction we do not need that much power and precision is 1.8 (from step) / 60 -> 0.03angle /step Absolute rotary encoders: Cheapest used 10bit absolute rotary sensors what i could find (KOYO TRD-3A1024) -precision is more than enough (10bit -> 1024 -> 360/1024= 0.35 degrees) -price about 15€/each -10bit means on this case that there are 10pin for data + 2 power pins |
*Steppers: *Common 4-lead NEMA 23 *one full step 1.8 degrees *cheap (from 10$/each) *easy to control |
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Slip rings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slip_ring Capsule slip ring OD22MM 18Wires - stepper control cables and rotary sensors data cables to upper module go thru axle, with slip ring we dont have to worry about these cables and rotation. - about 15€ Stepper control: https://www.piborg.org/picoborgrev PicoBorg Reverse -easy, cheap, efficient, |
*Worm gears: *90 degree Gearbox WormGear Speed Reducer 1:60 ratio *most important is WormGear, because of that we do not need any brake system! *relatively sheap (about 50$ / each) *with 1:60 reduction we do not need that much power and precision is 1.8 (from step) / 60 -> 0.03angle /step |
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Controller: Raspberrypi 2 or B+ - full OS - enough gpio ports for encoders and stepper control - network port - could run as "SDR streamer" with rtl_tcp or similar - full python Connectors/box/cables/gears/belts/bolts/etc: |
*Absolute rotary encoders: *Cheapest used 10bit absolute rotary sensors what i could find (KOYO TRD-3A1024) *precision is more than enough (10bit -> 1024 -> 360/1024= 0.35 degrees) *price about 15€/each *10bit means on this case that there are 10pin for data + 2 power pins *Slip rings: *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slip_ring *Capsule slip ring OD22MM 18Wires *stepper control cables and rotary sensors data cables to upper module go thru axle, with slip ring we dont have to worry about these cables and rotation. *about 15€ *Stepper control: *https://www.piborg.org/picoborgrev *PicoBorg Reverse *easy, cheap, efficient, |
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=== Software: === | *Controller: *Raspberrypi 2 or B+ *full OS *enough gpio ports for encoders and stepper control *network port *could run as "SDR streamer" with rtl_tcp or similar *full python *Connectors/box/cables/gears/belts/bolts/etc: === Software: === |
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REST api for controlling (done) - you could control your rotator via simple http posts - enables many kind of solutions |
*REST api for controlling (done) *you could control your rotator via simple http posts *enables many kind of solutions |
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Legacy rotator emulation for legacy software via virtual RS (done) - emulates yeasu GS-232B protocol (only control and feedback commands implemented) - client OS sees SerialPort via virtual serial port software (eg. hw-groups HW virtual serial port -HW VSP3) - Tested with HRD rotator and PSTrotator |
*Legacy rotator emulation for legacy software via virtual RS (done) *emulates yeasu GS-232B protocol (only control and feedback commands implemented) *client OS sees SerialPort via virtual serial port software (eg. hw-groups HW virtual serial port -HW VSP3) *Tested with HRD rotator and PSTrotator |
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Simpple CLI UI (70%) - mainly for debugging purposes |
*Simpple CLI UI (70%) *mainly for debugging purposes |
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Multithreaded structure, and locks/aborts (90%) - could use all of those apis/interfaces at same time |
*Multithreaded structure, and locks/aborts (90%) *could use all of those apis/interfaces at same time |
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Neat WEB/JavaScript UI top of REST api (15%) - Graphical javascipt / angular UI |
*Neat WEB/JavaScript UI top of REST api (15%) *Graphical javascipt / angular UI === Pictures === [[attachment:pirotator1.jpg|{{attachment:pirotator1.jpg||width=200}}]] [[attachment:pirotator2.jpg|{{attachment:pirotator2.jpg||width=200}}]] [[attachment:slip_ring_encoder_gear.jpg|{{attachment:slip_ring_encoder_gear.jpg||width=200}}]] [[attachment:controlbox.jpg|{{attachment:controlbox.jpg||width=200}}]] [[attachment:controlbox2.jpg|{{attachment:controlbox2.jpg||width=200}}]] |
- hacker
PiRotator
RaspberryPi controlled antenna rotator
Summary:
Current commercial az/el antenna rotators are really expensive(easily over 1500€ with controllers), and moreover technically most are from 90s (analog potentiometer sensors/control, no network, rs/lpt controllable, no web, no rest api, etc).
I tried to take little bit different approach..
Goals:
- Cheap common hardware (wormgears, nema steppers, rasberrypi, etc)
- Intelligence on mast (controlbox includes rasberrypi, this enables many things, like SDR on mast)
- All digital (digital rotary sensors, steppers, tcp/ip, etc)
- network (only IO is network, controlling thru different apis(REST, legacy RS emulation api))
- backward compatibility to legacy software, via software RS (ham radio deluxe, pstrotator, etc)
- project is only for fun, and learning new stuff!
Hardware:
- Steppers:
- Common 4-lead NEMA 23
- one full step 1.8 degrees
- cheap (from 10$/each)
- easy to control
- Worm gears:
- Absolute rotary encoders:
- Cheapest used 10bit absolute rotary sensors what i could find (KOYO TRD-3A1024)
precision is more than enough (10bit -> 1024 -> 360/1024= 0.35 degrees)
- price about 15€/each
- 10bit means on this case that there are 10pin for data + 2 power pins
- Slip rings:
- Capsule slip ring OD22MM 18Wires
- stepper control cables and rotary sensors data cables to upper module go thru axle, with slip ring we dont have to worry about these cables and rotation.
- about 15€
- Stepper control:
?PicoBorg Reverse
- easy, cheap, efficient,
- Controller:
- Raspberrypi 2 or B+
- full OS
- enough gpio ports for encoders and stepper control
- network port
- could run as "SDR streamer" with rtl_tcp or similar
- full python
- Connectors/box/cables/gears/belts/bolts/etc:
Software:
Plan / specs for pirotator server:
- REST api for controlling (done)
- you could control your rotator via simple http posts
- enables many kind of solutions
- Legacy rotator emulation for legacy software via virtual RS (done)
- emulates yeasu GS-232B protocol (only control and feedback commands implemented)
client OS sees ?SerialPort via virtual serial port software (eg. hw-groups HW virtual serial port -HW VSP3)
- Tested with HRD rotator and PSTrotator
- Simpple CLI UI (70%)
- mainly for debugging purposes
- Multithreaded structure, and locks/aborts (90%)
- could use all of those apis/interfaces at same time
- Neat WEB/JavaScript UI top of REST api (15%)
- Graphical javascipt / angular UI