User Manual

9.574 ResearchConcepts-RC2000

This page describes the device driver and the device window for the Research Concepts RC2000 two axis antenna control unit.

The drivers was tested with model 2KCA (elevation over azimuth mounts) with Polarization adjustment via rotating feed and does not include support for tracking, AGC and AutoPol features and you cannot use the included satellite positions (targets). Please use the sat-nms Antenna Pointing logical device to store and recall satellite positions.

Device window pages

The following table shows which device window pages are available with this individual device type. Tool-bar functions not mentioned here are described at the general description of device windows .

--- The main parameter page displays/controls the antenna pointing. Actual readings and set points are shown in separate fields, so you can see where the antenna is going to while it is moving.
--- The faults page.
--- The device info page.
--- The maintenance page. The configuration parameters described below are set at this page.

Configuration parameters

parameter	description
address	This is the only parameter that must be set. Factory default for the serial remote control port is 50.
jogduration	You can configure the jog duration of the antenna controller. This allows you to define, how long the antenna is moving if you press one of the arrow-buttons on the main pointing page.
azA,azB,azC	Parameters of the polynomial to convert the ticks from an actuator for azimuth to degrees (see description above)
elA,elB,elC	Parameters of the polynomial to convert the ticks from an actuator for elevation to degrees (see description above)
plFactor	Converts the ticks from an actuator for polarization to degrees (see description above)
plOffset	Converts the ticks from an actuator for polarization to degrees (see description above)
plRevOffset	Converts the ticks from an actuator for polarization to degrees (see description above)
Serial	Remember to set the line parameters for the serial interface connected to the up-converter. It is recommended to operate the device at 9600,7,E,1 .

Calculating degrees for Azimuth and Elevation

To calculate the degrees from the ticks the driver uses the following formula:

azimuthInDegrees = azC + azB* azimuthInTicks + azA * azimuthInTick^2

These values depends on the actuators and the your antenna.

Steps to determine the factors and offsets

You need to approximate the following formula:

y=a*x^2+b*x+c

With the support of an spread sheet application this is not so difficult:

Point (and optimize) your antenna to (all) satellite positions you want to use and write down the "ticks" from the antenna controller for azimuth, elevation and polarization
Calculate the theoretical values for azimuth and elevation with the help of the satellite orbit position and you geo-location.
Create diagrams (one for azimuth, one for elevation and one for polarization which have the "ticks" on the x-axis and the calculated degrees on the y-axis.
Create a trend line with the spreadsheet application - type polynomial, Level: 2 - and select the option "show formula inside the diagram". For polarization use type: linear
Take the values for a (azA|elA), b (azB|elB)and c (azC|elC) from the formula and insert it into the device setup of the antenna controller device. For polarization you need only b (plFactor) and c (plOffset) and calculate plRevOffset = plOffset / plFactor
Check if you can point to all your satellite position.

Calculating degrees for Polarization

To calculate the degrees from the ticks the driver uses the following formula:

azimuthInDegrees = (config.azFactor * azimuthInTicks) + config.azOffset

These values depends on the actuators and the your antenna.

Variables defined by this device driver

name	type	flags	range
info.driver	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
lowLevel.cmd	TEXT		StringRange
lowLevel.reply	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
faults.99	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Communication)
faults.commstat	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
info.type	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
info.port	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
info.frame	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
info.version	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
internal.az	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.el	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.pl	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.pl2	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.state.az	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
internal.state.el	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
internal.state.pl	TEXT	R/O	StringRange R/O
internal.state.pl2	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.f1	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.f2	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
internal.rpn	INTEGER	R/O	IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0)
config.azLoLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.azHiLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.elLoLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.elHiLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.plLoLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.plHiLimit	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
config.jogduration	TEXT	SAVE SETUP	StringRange
config.azA	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.azB	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.azC	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.elA	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.elB	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.elC	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.0000000E+00 .. 0.0000000E+00)
config.plFactor	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.000000 .. 0.000000)
config.plOffset	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.000000 .. 0.000000)
config.plRevOffset	FLOAT	SAVE SETUP	DoubleRange (0.000000 .. 0.000000)
azimuth	FLOAT		DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
elevation	FLOAT		DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
polarization	FLOAT		DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0)
step	TEXT	NOPRESET	StringRange
target.name	TEXT		StringRange
state.az	FLOAT	R/O	DoubleRange R/O (0.0 .. 0.0)
state.el	FLOAT	R/O	DoubleRange R/O (0.0 .. 0.0)
state.pl	FLOAT	R/O	DoubleRange R/O (0.0 .. 0.0)
state.moving	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.az.cw	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.el.up	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.pl.cw	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.az.ccw	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.el.down	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.limit.pl.ccw	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.moving.az	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.moving.el	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
state.moving.pl	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
reset	TEXT	NOPRESET	StringRange
updateDest	TEXT	NOPRESET	StringRange
internal.polRequested	BOOLEAN	R/O	BooleanRange R/O (true false)
faults.01	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az runaway)
faults.02	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az jammed)
faults.03	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az limit)
faults.04	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az drive)
faults.05	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El runaway)
faults.06	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El jammed)
faults.07	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El limit)
faults.08	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El drive)
faults.09	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Low batterie)
faults.10	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az alarm)
faults.11	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El alarm)
faults.12	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az count)
faults.13	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El count)
faults.14	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az limit corrupt)
faults.15	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El limit corrupt)
faults.16	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Simultaneous Az/El)
faults.17	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az slow speed)
faults.18	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (El slow speed)
faults.19	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Com port data)
faults.20	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Time or Date)
faults.21	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az/El ang display)
faults.22	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Pol options)
faults.23	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Pol alarm)
faults.24	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Az/El options)
faults.25	ALARM	R/O	AlarmFlagRange R/O (Pol limit)