[amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue

[kb2mjeff at att.net]

Someone just emailed me a reset procedure for a ROT1, does anyone happen to 
have the procedure for a ROT2 ? Thanks...

73 Jeff kb2m

-----Original Message----- 
From: kb2mjeff at att.net
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:08 AM
To: Amsat
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue

After going over the schematic (Thanks Dimitry) I see nothing wrong with the 
hardware, in fact I wonder if there was ever a hardware issue. I used the EL 
cable to move the antennas CCW about 1.5 turns. When I fired it up after 
replacing the relays it was stuck in CW on. I had to do this in an odd way , 
by resetting the el down 20 degrees at a time to bring the antennas back to 
north. Now I get no tactile(relay click on CCW AND EL up with the cables 
disconnected. All 4 relays seem good, this to me appears to be in the ROT2 
firmware. Jerking around with the buttons in the setup routines in a meaning 
less way will get all for relays to click, but when I go to operational mode 
I’m back to CCW and EL only. Monday I’m going to try and contact someone who 
represents this company in the US. Anyone have a contact for AlfaSpid in the 
US? It seems there are lots of issues with this controller...

73 Jeff kb2m


I had similar problems to this over the last 18 months with the SPID ROT2 
controller.

It was replaced 3 times and showed the same issue as you have intermittently 
over this time. I am using MacDoppler and my supplier and the manufacturer 
were convinced it was software.
On returning to the manufacturer and taking the trouble to get my concerns 
and issues translated into Polish. I track numerous satellites, some one 
after another and listed all of this. So I returned the controller and rotor 
to Poland (at their expense) but they only tracked the ISS over a couple of 
days and found nothing wrong. Not wanting to continue with the ROT2 as I was 
convinced this was the issue I upgraded to their MD02 controller. Although 
this has its own quirks I have not suffered from the same relay related 
issue since.

There are also several YouTube videos of the problem that yours is 
exhibiting https://youtu.be/GWbhez5vadM

Sorry I haven’t got the cure.

Best 73
Pete G0ABI



On 20 Oct 2018, at 23:37, kb2mjeff at att.net wrote:


  Here I go answering my own questions. I think I found part  of my problem. 
The buttons don't
  line up in the case very well and caused the rotor to hung up turning in 
one direction. That was problem number two, I fixed problem number one the 
bad relay that started all of this.To fix this temporality  I have the board 
out of the case to test and what is now  happening is that I still can't 
turn CCW. All buttons work ok except for the CCW  button. I tried a reset 
thinking that I'm over some set location in the firmware that I cant go CCW, 
but the reset doesn't work. I replaced all 4 relays. With the rotor 
completely disconnected I can get a relay click for every rotational control 
button except CCW, it has to be a glitch in the firmware I can't clear, as I 
replaced all four relays.  And no I really don't want to spend the $900 for 
the green heron controller. Any other ideas?
  Thanks for your help...

  73 Jeff kb2m

  -----Original Message----- From: kb2mjeff at att.net
  Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2018 3:37 PM
  To: Amsat
  Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid issue

  I’m back at my winter home in Florida and decided today, to work on my 
AlfaSpid rotor control box issue. I replaced two relays to fix the Elevation 
issue but in testing it before I replaced the other two relays I’m now 
having a problem with the azimuth that’s been working 100% until this point. 
When I turn on the rotor control the elevation now seems to work ok, but now 
the azimuth immediately goes into a clockwise rotation. No matter what I do 
to the controller, upon startup it starts turning CW, only way to stop is to 
power it down The azimuth was working fine this morning when a worked a 
couple of sat passes. Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know where I can 
send this to have it fixed? I have no schematic, or even simple instructions 
on how to reset, etc.

  73


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