[amsat-bb] Re: a cheap LEO tracker for single op

[Andy Kellner]

FT 847 no computer assisted doppler ? Why ?

My FT 847 happily gets its doppler correction from SatPC32 - all you need is a cable.

Add a cheap tv rotor and a bit of homebrew software and you are all set ! ( http://evolution2enterprises.com/sat/sat.html )

This system works well for me for about 2 years now. Have since upgraded to higher gain antennas, though.

Cheers,

Andreas - VK4TH




________________________________
 From: Bill (W1PA) <w1pa at hotmail.com>
To: amsat-bb at amsat.org 
Sent: Wednesday, 29 May 2013 12:54 AM
Subject: [amsat-bb] a cheap LEO tracker for single op
 

Again, thinking to FD...

- My FT-847 predates bi-directional CAT  i.e. no computer assisted Doppler
- I may be the only one at the station i.e. no helper to man the antenna (Arrow), so I may need to do everything.
- assume the transponder LEO birds

Has anyone tried this?:

1) mount a standard TV antenna horizontal
2) align the horizontal rotor axis 90 deg to the orbit 
   tilt (inclination?) of the intended bird (so if the 
bird went directly overhead, a beam mounted on the mast would track)
3) but, mount the antenna on the horizontal mast such that it can be set tilted off the mast 
   0 to 90 degs to the mast axis (from horizon to zenith, and in practice set it to the maximum elevation of the intended pass)
4) operation: set the rotator (in 2) and aim the beam to the AOS 
  point of the pass (in 3), pan the orbit remotely from the operator position.
5) the rotator axis and angle of the beam to mast would have to be set for each pass.

Do-able?

Bill W1PA 

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