8.5 Program Tracking

Program tracking is a tracking method which lets the antenna follow a path which usually has been calculated by an extern software. This software produces a list of time stamp / antenna pointing records. The list is copied to the ACU and the ACU is switched to PROGRAM track mode. The ACU now moves the antenna following the path described in the file. This way of tracking has a couple of advantages:

• There is no beacon receiver needed.
• Even very low elevation satellites may be tracked.
• Also objects which are not in a geostationary orbit may be tracked for a couple of hours, provided that the object of interest does not move to fast.

The main disadvantage of program tracking is that prediction calculations for stationary satellites always are only valid for a couple of days, then a new file must be calculated and loaded to the ACU.