SatNOGS Arduino Uno/CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller - Revision history

Lu9cbl: I'm putting the information about micro stepping jumpers that is not mentioned in the procedure.

2020-03-24T22:23:08Z

I'm putting the information about micro stepping jumpers that is not mentioned in the procedure.

Jebba: categories

2020-01-19T23:36:17Z

G7kse1 at 18:06, 12 March 2019

2019-03-12T18:06:39Z

G7kse1: Added some images

2019-03-12T18:06:12Z

Added some images

Quartpound: /* Software */

2019-03-12T01:06:28Z

‎Software

Quartpound: Added link to Forked sofware repository. I've copied/pasted the files which I'm using that work (pinout, easycomm, and the main sketch). everything else should be the same

2019-03-12T01:06:00Z

Added link to Forked sofware repository. I've copied/pasted the files which I'm using that work (pinout, easycomm, and the main sketch). everything else should be the same

G7kse1: Update to testing

2019-03-11T13:09:22Z

Update to testing

G7kse1: Further updates to develop the wiki

2019-03-11T12:55:08Z

Further updates to develop the wiki

G7kse1: Edit to change language from post to wiki page.

2019-03-10T19:28:36Z

Edit to change language from post to wiki page.

Quartpound at 17:42, 10 March 2019

2019-03-10T17:42:37Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DISPLAYTITLE:SatNOGS Arduino Uno CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller}}
-=== Controlling the rotator as a stand alone system using GPredict ===
+===Controlling the rotator as a stand alone system using GPredict===
 The SatNOGS rotator is primarily designed to be used as a system component that is part of a SatNOGS ground station. There may be occasion when it is desirable to have a stand alone ground station that is removed from the SatNOGS network. This can be done using existing equipment but can also be simplified using off the shelf components.
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 We will need slightly different hardware and modified software to achieve this, the main changes will be to remove the RS485 and watchdog parts of the firmware. We will be using the following items:
-==== Hardware ====
+====Hardware====
 # SatNOGS Rotator V3.1 hardware
-# Arduino Uno R3
+#SatNOGS Rotator V3.1 hardware
-# CNC Shield V3 with A4988 drivers
+#Arduino Uno R3
-# NEMA 17 Stepper Motors
+#CNC Shield V3 with A4988 drivers
-# 2x microswitches
+#NEMA 17 Stepper Motors
-# Suitable 12v power supply (The shield will accept between 12v and 36v)
+#2x microswitches
-# Cables to connect the Arduino to the PC
+#Suitable 12v power supply (The shield will accept between 12v and 36v)
 [[File:Arduino CNC Shield.png|centre|Bare CNC Shield]]
@@ Line 21: / Line 22: @@
 [[File:A4988 Drivers.png|centre]]
-==== Software ====
+====Software====
 For the purposes of this article we will be using Windows software. The same result can be achieved with Linux or Mac OS but for clarity these options have been ignored for the time being. We will need:
-=== Method ===
+#A copy of the Arduino IDE (version 1.8.5 has been used as part of this tutorial)
-==== Hardware setup ====
+===Method===
 We will not be using the custom SatNOGS PCB. Instead this set up uses an Arduino Uno and CNC motor shield. There is very little assembly required but depending on how and where you buy from will depend on the amount of assembly is required. Typically the Arduino will need no assembly, The motor shield will need two A4988 drivers (these can come as part of the package). These are used in the X & Y headers as per the photograph below. The drivers fit into the female headers, note that there are jumper headers below these drivers that are used for stepping control. We will also be attaching the stepper motor cables to the male headers to the left of the driver boards.
 [[File:Assembled CNC Shield.png|centre]]
@@ Line 48: / Line 50: @@
 The setup is very basic but be careful not to bend pins as this can be easily done if too much pressure is put on the boards when things are no aligned. They aren't always perfect!
 In the end you should have:
-==== Software setup ====
+*Azimuth Stepper Driver/motor connected to Y port on CNC Board
-===== Code modifications =====
+====Software setup====
 For the time being there is no fork of the firmware in the repositories. This may change in the future but for the time being a small series of changes are required to achieve results. We will need to modify two elements of the firmware, easycomm.h and rotator_pins.h. These changes are necessary to stop their being conflicts with the communication between boards and PC as well as re-assigning pins to match the CNC shield. We'll modify the rotator_pins.h first. Note the use of comments (//) to remove lines of code. We have also changed pin designation to match the shield.
@@ Line 501: / Line 506: @@
      #endif /* LIBRARIES_EASYCOMM_H_ */
-===== Software to install =====
+=====Software to install=====
 Final pieces to the preparation work are to install a couple of pieces of software. firstly Hamlib. This will be used to communicate between GPredict and the Arduino. Secondly we will install the main prediction software, GPredict. We will not be going into detail about setup of GPredict but assume that you have followed the installation guide and had a play around with it so you can understand what it is and how it works.
@@ Line 522: / Line 527: @@
 That's it for setup. next we will test the system
-=== Testing ===
+===Testing===
 We will need to do a few things to get the system running.
-# Start the .bat file
+#Start the .bat file
-# In GPredict open up the Antenna module and click Engage
+#In GPredict open up the Antenna module and click Engage
-# You should see that in the batch file output a series of commands being sent to the Arduino
+#You should see that in the batch file output a series of commands being sent to the Arduino
-# Check that both the Az and Ele work correctly by manually driving the rotator
+#Check that both the Az and Ele work correctly by manually driving the rotator
 [[File:GPredict Antenna Control.png|centre]]
 Occasionally this might not work first time. A restart of both hamlib and Gpredict worked
-=== Tweaks ===
+===Tweaks===
 There is a huge variety in parts that can get bought, here are a few tweaks that may be necessary.
@@ Line 543: / Line 549: @@
   define DEFAULT_HOME_STATE LOW ///< Change to LOW according to Home sensor
-=== Operation ===
+===Operation===
 Operating is as simple as selecting a satellite from GPredict and then selecting track. The rotator will then follow that satellite or object.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:36, 19 January 2020
Line 548:		Line 548:

	{{DEFAULTSORT:SatNOGS Arduino Uno CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:SatNOGS Arduino Uno CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller}}
		+
		+	[[Category:Build]]
		+	[[Category:Hardware]]
		+
	__FORCETOC__		__FORCETOC__

@@ Line 545: / Line 545: @@
 === Operation ===
-Operating is as simple as selecting a satellite from GPredict and then selecting track. The rotator will then follow that satellite or object.f
+Operating is as simple as selecting a satellite from GPredict and then selecting track. The rotator will then follow that satellite or object.
 {{DEFAULTSORT:SatNOGS Arduino Uno CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller}}
 __FORCETOC__

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 # Suitable 12v power supply (The shield will accept between 12v and 36v)
 # Cables to connect the Arduino to the PC
 ==== Software ====
@@ Line 29: / Line 33: @@
 ==== Hardware setup ====
 We will not be using the custom SatNOGS PCB. Instead this set up uses an Arduino Uno and CNC motor shield. There is very little assembly required but depending on how and where you buy from will depend on the amount of assembly is required. Typically the Arduino will need no assembly, The motor shield will need two A4988 drivers (these can come as part of the package). These are used in the X & Y headers as per the photograph below. The drivers fit into the female headers, note that there are jumper headers below these drivers that are used for stepping control. We will also be attaching the stepper motor cables to the male headers to the left of the driver boards.
-Photo of board
+Pinout of the 4 headers is as follows starting from the top (4 vertical pins to the left of the A4988 motor driver board, marked X,Y & Z)
 Pin 1 - A
@@ Line 512: / Line 515: @@
 Download and install [https://sourceforge.net/projects/gpredict/ GPredict]. Next we will need to add a rotator. Go to Edit > Preferences > Interfaces > Rotators > Add New
 Give it a name. For example Arduino. The port is localhost 4533
@@ Line 524: / Line 529: @@
 # You should see that in the batch file output a series of commands being sent to the Arduino
 # Check that both the Az and Ele work correctly by manually driving the rotator
 Occasionally this might not work first time. A restart of both hamlib and Gpredict worked

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 # Hamlib
 # A text editor such as Notepad++ for a small script
-# [https://gitlab.com/Quartapound/satnogs-rotator-firmware You can find the edited skecth and libraries in the following Fork :  https://gitlab.com/Quartapound/satnogs-rotator-firmware]
+# [https://gitlab.com/Quartapound/satnogs-rotator-firmware You can find the edited sketch and libraries in the following Fork :  https://gitlab.com/Quartapound/satnogs-rotator-firmware]
 === Method ===

@@ Line 503: / Line 503: @@
 '''Install hamlib'''
-Download the software and follow the installation process. this may require you installing it with Administrator rights. using device manager find the port for the Arduino, for the purposes of this we will assume it is COM7
+Download the [https://sourceforge.net/projects/hamlib/ Hamblib] software and follow the installation process. this may require you installing it with Administrator rights. using device manager find the port for the Arduino, for the purposes of this we will assume it is COM7
-Install Hamlib:  https://sourceforge.net/projects/hamlib/
+Using a text editor, like Notepad++, to create a file with the code below in it. Note where COM7 is and amend with your own COM port. Save as a batch file (i.e. with th extension .bat file in the same folder as rotctld  (Usually found in C:\Program Files (x86)\hamlib-w64-3.2\bin )
-create a .bat file in the same folder as rotctld  (I found it in C:\Program Files (x86)\hamlib-w64-3.2\bin )
+'''Install GPredict'''
-Download Gpredict  https://sourceforge.net/projects/gpredict/
+Download and install [https://sourceforge.net/projects/gpredict/ GPredict]. Next we will need to add a rotator. Go to Edit > Preferences > Interfaces > Rotators > Add New
-Edit...Preferences...Interfaces...Rotators...Add New
+Give it a name. For example Arduino. The port is localhost 4533
-Start your .bat,   in the top right corner of Gpredict, click down arrow, then 'Antenna Control'
+That's it for setup. next we will test the system
-...Clicking 'Engage'  should get the Rotator to start working.
+=== Testing ===
-Once you have configured some satellites you can them select them and click 'Track'
+# Start the .bat file
-=== Testing ===
+Occasionally this might not work first time. A restart of both hamlib and Gpredict worked
 === Tweaks ===
@@ Line 536: / Line 537: @@
 === Operation ===
 {{DEFAULTSORT:SatNOGS Arduino Uno CNC Shield Based Rotator Controller}}
 __FORCETOC__

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 This is information regarding a modified version of the SatNOGS rotator controller, to use off the shelf components.
 The following information is to connect your Rotator controller DIRECTLY TO A PC. If you'd like to still use it with the Raspberry Pi then you must keep the RS485 protocol in place.
 This is using the following:
 SatNOGS Rotator V3.1 hardware
 Arduino Uno R3
 CNC Shield V3 with A4988 drivers
 NEMA 17 Stepper Motors
 x microswitches
 old Laptop power supply (this will be likely upgraded/replaced)
-Connected directly to windows PC, controlled by Gpredict
+Connected directly to windows PC
@@ Line 68: / Line 76: @@
      #endif /* ROTATOR_PINS_H_ */
@@ Line 508: / Line 514: @@
 just do a search for ‘wdt’ and add // before all the wdt lines and comment them out.