[amsat-bb] request detailed system diagram for remoting a satellite station

[Curt Laumann]

Hi Dave,

We have a similar situation at the University of Arizona: we are also
moving towards remote control.  Even before the campus virus shutdown
elevated the priority of  remote operation, I concluded that a directional
satellite system is not optimal for K7UAZ -- given the consistent scarcity
of volunteer labor available to maintain a directional antenna system.
This fall K7UAZ will be migrating to a set of omni, circularly polarized
antennas with preamplifiers.  Not that controlling az/el rotors is overly
complicated, but this change does help make remote operation even easier.

Regards,

Curt / K7ZOO
K7UAZ Station Manager

On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 12:09 PM David J. Schmocker via AMSAT-BB <
amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Does anyone have a detailed system diagram (or interconnect drawing)
> showing how they have remoted a satellite station please?   Specifically
> which parts of the system require IP-addressable power on/off, etc.
>
>
> I am in the process of constructing a new satellite station for U/V
> linear use at Milwaukee Area Technical College (where I teach).   Our
> Data Communication and Networking class introduces satellite technology
> which I plan to demonstrate live.
>
> Because the hours of access to the building are limited, and because we
> teach Data Communication and Networking from two campuses (but have
> Satellite station at only one), remoting this station would be desirable.
>
> I have an APC IP-addressable power strip (117vac) and some power relays
> if we need 220vac switched, an IC-9700, two high-power switchable LNAs
> (2m and 70cm), antennas (20 element RHCP for 2m and 16 Turn G3RUH Helix
> for 70cm), and a Yaesu 5500 rotor with Green Heron Az/El controller
> (I'll bring Heliax from home to get to the rooftop).   Hopefully our
> city campus location is not overly noisy.      I plan to construct the
> HEO-ready station as soon as I can be back on campus to do this.
>
> One specific area of concern: how to pass audio over internet. I've
> heard Skype and some other vehicles have problematic latency but I have
> yet to remote any station to use 'near real-time audio' for CW or SSB
> QSOs so I lack experience with this.  The satellite computer
> (controlling antennas and managing Doppler) is a Mac mini running
> MacLoggerDX and MacDoppler software.
>
> If helpful, I have two surplus new Raspberry Pi 3s (new and unused) that
> could be repurposed for part of this if helpful.
>
> You'll be happy to know I've been reading the mail and I know to first
> listen and test so we Tx with minimum power.  But as a satellite newby,
> I'm sure I'll need abundant guidance when we get QRV.
>
> Any detailed system diagrams (could be off-list directly to me) showing
> how you built and configured such a remote station satellite system
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
> very 73,
>
> Dave KJ9I
> KD9BOG (at work)
>
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