LVB Tracker firmware with multiple calibration points?
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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Indeed that is the problem.
73, --Alex KR1ST
On Mar 19, 2021, 1:00 PM, at 1:00 PM, Eric Garner garnere@gmail.com wrote:
Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more
calibration
points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this
rotator
but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems
that
the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I
took a
quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to
add
calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90
degrees
would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact
if
the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum
available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views
of
AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
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-- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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that's unfortunate.
I don't know if there's any FW hacks that allow multi-point calibration for the LVB tracker FW, but the K3NG controller software supports a lookup table for this purpose: https://github.com/k3ng/k3ng_rotator_controller/wiki/500-Heading-Calibration...
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 10:26 AM Alex alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Indeed that is the problem.
73, --Alex KR1ST
On Mar 19, 2021, at 1:00 PM, Eric Garner garnere@gmail.com wrote:
Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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-- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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I just ordered a few 16F876 chips and a programmer, so maybe I can play with the firmware a bit and add this.
I will check out the K3NG software as well. Thanks for pointing me to this.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
On 2021-03-19 13:54, Eric Garner wrote:
that's unfortunate.
I don't know if there's any FW hacks that allow multi-point calibration for the LVB tracker FW, but the K3NG controller software supports a lookup table for this purpose: https://github.com/k3ng/k3ng_rotator_controller/wiki/500-Heading-Calibration...
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 10:26 AM Alex alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Indeed that is the problem.
73, --Alex KR1ST
On Mar 19, 2021, at 1:00 PM, Eric Garner garnere@gmail.com wrote: Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org [1]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org [1] Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org -- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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-- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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You mentioned “old”, maybe you need to clean the pot inside of the rotator with some DeoxIT.
73, Mike Diehl W8LID/VE6LID
On Mar 19, 2021, at 13:27, Alex alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Indeed that is the problem.
73, --Alex KR1ST
On Mar 19, 2021, at 1:00 PM, Eric Garner garnere@gmail.com wrote: Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote: Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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-- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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Thanks for the suggestion.
I actually don't use the signal coming from the pot inside the rotator, but from the pot inside the controller because it's the only signal that is showing about 1.6-4.5V against ground. I think the non-linearity is not caused by a dirty pot, but rather by the design of the controller circuit, but who knows. It probably is a bit dirty too. When I was given this rotator it had a insect nest inside the motor (not in the housing, in the actual motor). You wouldn't think they would go in there or that there would be sufficient space, but it was full of mud. The pot was fine when I rebuilt the rotator. The pot in the rotator is not configured/used as your typical voltage divider but is part of a bridge circuit.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
On 2021-03-19 14:13, Mike Diehl wrote:
You mentioned "old", maybe you need to clean the pot inside of the rotator with some DeoxIT.
73, Mike Diehl W8LID/VE6LID
On Mar 19, 2021, at 13:27, Alex alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Indeed that is the problem.
73, --Alex KR1ST
On Mar 19, 2021, at 1:00 PM, Eric Garner garnere@gmail.com wrote: Does error caused by the non-linearity exceed the beamwidth of your antenna?
Eric KI7LTT
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 8:50 AM alex@kr1st.com wrote:
Hi there,
Has anyone modified the LVB Tracker software to allow for more calibration points? If so, would you be willing to share this?
The reason I ask is that I'm using an old Yaesu G-450XL to rotate my satellite beams. I was hoping to use a FoxDelta ST2 to control this rotator but found that the feedback voltage is anything but linear. It seems that the FoxDelta controller uses the LVB Tracker version 0.7 firmware. I took a quick peek at the source code and it doesn't look to be too hard to add calibration points for say every 30 degrees. Perhaps one every 90 degrees would be sufficient. Of course that depends also a little on the fact if the modified code will fit in the 16F876.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org [1]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org [1] Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org -- --Eric _________________________________________ Eric Garner
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participants (4)
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Alex -
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Eric Garner -
Mike Diehl