[amsat-bb] Az-El Rotors

[Norm n3ykf]

Check out K3NG's rotator. Direct replacement for the LVB tracker, or
build the control box around it, as well. So far I've built 5. One is
a G-5400 portable with GPS and the other (s) drive the G-5500. One
version took 2.5 hours. Did take a shortcut there. Cut the tail off
the LVB tracker. No cable to build! Two sit on the bench. Plug either
one into a control box and satpc32, then track the birds!!


Building the actual rotators is a pain. Very doable, though. Have one
in the corner. Bought Geckodrives because all others are fodder for
the dumpster. Anything real needs (moderately) big gear reduction
drives. Alibaba is yor friend.

LVB tracker replacement=35$ or less + enclosure. See Youtube.

On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 9:12 AM, Steven Kalmar <pista01 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Satnogs has a pretty good AZ/EL rotator design -
> https://satnogs.org/documentation/hardware/
>
> I'm not sure how well it holds up in a permanent installation.  I started
> building it but ended up making my own design.
>
>
> Steve
> KD8QWT
>
> On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 8:57 AM, JoAnne Maenpaa <k9jkm at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi Fred,
>>
>> > ... starting with a small single antenna with both 2m and 70cm on
>> > it (i.e. Arrow or other) ...
>>
>> I've found that an azimuth-only rotor with a fixed elevation of 20° or so
>> works well enough for most of what I do with LEO satellites. I got my rotor
>> from ebay for $20. It is a primitive setup - manual tracking. Much of the
>> time I prefer using an Arrow antenna.
>>
>> If you are looking for rotor projects there have been two designs
>> published over the past year or so in the AMSAT Journal. Here is some
>> information you can use to find out more about these:
>>
>> The AMSAT store has the printed circuit board for WA8SME's WRAPS
>> inexpensive, portable az-el rotor system. See http://store.amsat.org and
>> look for the "WRAPS Tracker Circuit Board". There is also a link to the
>> article by Mark, WA8SME.
>>
>> Bob, KI4SBL, wrote an article about his homebrew az-el rotor system,
>> "CNCTRK – A LinuxCNC Based Satellite Tracking System", for the AMSAT
>> Journal. Bob has details of this project and the parts he sells along with
>> a PDF of the article posted on his web site:
>> http://ki4sbl.dodropin.org/CNCTRK/
>>
>> --
>> 73 de JoAnne K9JKM
>> k9jkm at amsat.org
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes an act of
> rebellion."
> --George Orwell
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at 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!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb