[amsat-bb] Thoughts on AZ/EL rotors

[Daniel Holmes]

Cool. My other scope mounts are equatorials, so I’d rather not go through a meridian flip. It’s the guts of an old DS Meade, runs on 12V, and tracks I think well enough for radio. Next up is an Arduino wireless based unit to be able to rotate the Arrow circularly. But that shouldn’t be too hard-I’m having more trouble figuring out Fusion 360 to design the brackets. 

Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep everyone posted with my progress. 
Dan N7NKR

Sent from my iPad. Fewer misspellings, more errors.

> On Aug 29, 2018, at 8:27 PM, Richard Tejera <Saguaroastro at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> Dan, it should work, I bought a used one (not ready to cannibalize my good one) on eBay. I've got to fix the AZ bearing as it is stuck and doesn't rotate without getting an error.
> 
> I've tracked the ISS visually with it and it does track well.
> 
> Adding or updating the elements is pretty easy using the hand paddle. Essentially like adding a comet. 
> 
> Please keep me posted on your progress, I'd be interested in comparing notes.
> 
> Rick Tejera K7TEJ
> Saguaro Astronomy Club
> www.SaguaroAstro.org
> Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club
> www.w7tbc.org
> 
> On August 29, 2018, at 18:17, Daniel Holmes <danielh at holmesonics.com> wrote:
> 
> I’ve got an old cheap Meade auto star telescope system. I’m planning on attaching my Arrow to it with some 3d printed brackets (no dovetail). I can control it via computer, and I’ve verified it can track fast enough. It doesn’t look like it’ll handle anything heavier than the standard Arrow though—I’d have to beef up the motor gearboxes. 
> 
> Has anyone tried adapting an AZ/EL telescope drive system?
> 
> Dan
> 
> Sent from my iPad. Fewer misspellings, more errors.
> 
>> On Aug 1, 2018, at 7:40 PM, Mike Sprenger <mikesprenger at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Keith 
>> 
>> I’ve built several of the arduinos and loaded the K3NG code (excellent stuff) to drive 2nd hand Yaesu 5400s which all works great w/SATPC32
>> 
>> Mail me direct if I can help.  
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Mike
>> W4UOO
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Aug 1, 2018, at 1:56 PM, Corey Shields <cshields at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> If you're comfortable with flashing an arduino and soldering a shield,
>>> there is an open design for a G-5500 controller at the url below. It
>>> works with the K3NG rotator controller arduino code (links are in that
>>> page). A LOT cheaper than the GS232A!
>>> 
>>> https://gitlab.com/librespacefoundation/satnogs/g5500-ardushield/tree/master
>>> 
>>> Cheers,
>>> -Corey KB9JHU
>>> 
>>> On Wed, Aug 1, 2018 at 1:47 PM, Keith E. Brandt, WD9GET
>>> <wd9get at amsat.org> wrote:
>>>> I've been using the sats with my Arrow and HT and am considering the jump
>>>> to a more robust station. I'm pretty well set with my TS-2000 and I can
>>>> figure out antennas, but the interwebs are a major tangle of articles about
>>>> tracking systems, and  I'm having problems sorting out the info overload.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm in south Texas and planning a permanent installation, so weather
>>>> hardiness is necessary. This seems to me to rule out SatNOGs and Portable
>>>> Rotation systems. The main alternative I'm seeing is the Yaesu G-5500 (Alfa
>>>> Spid is more than I'm wanting to spend). Where things get really murky is
>>>> the computer interface. The GS232A is a bit on the expensive side. There
>>>> are many alternatives, but many are no longer in production or are
>>>> technically outdated.
>>>> 
>>>> What I'm looking for from the group is recommendations for Az-El rotor
>>>> systems and computer interfaces (I'm using SATPC32 and HRD for the tracking
>>>> software).
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks & 73,
>>>> Keith WD9GET
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> 
>>>> * Keith E. Brandt, WD9GET wd9get at amsat.org <wd9get at amsat.org>*
>>>> 
>>>> 'Christianity and science are opposed…but only in the same sense as my
>>>> thumb and forefinger are opposed - and between them I can grasp
>>>> everything.' —Sir William Bragg (Nobel Prize for Physics- 1915)
>>>> 
>>>> *This message transmitted with 100% recycled electrons
>>>> 
>>>> *xb*
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Corey Shields
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
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>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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> 
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
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> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb