Two Axis Control System for a Receiving Antenna (BSS) Over a Moving Platform

Abstract

With the increasing popularity of Television satellite reception systems there has been a tendency to apply the available technology in connection with recreational vehicles. Such vehicles also have achieved considerable popularity and accordingly, a need has developed for practical, inexpensive and readily adaptable systems for dish antenna installation on recreational vehicles so that the vacationer/ traveler can enjoy satellite-transmitted television programs. Satellite television is a miracle of modern technology, delivering clear, crisp picture and sound from satellites thousands of miles away, captured by a relatively small satellite dish. Over the past decade, TVRO antennas have grown substantially in popularity and are typically found in geographical areas where cable or broadcast television is not prevalent. The advent of such commercially available programming from these satellites has found growing popularity among recreational vehicle (RV) users who would like to tap into this programming during their trips around the country in recreational vehicles. Initial satellite TVRO systems for recreational vehicles were simply comprised of a small TVRO dish antenna placed on the ground near the RV which was then manually adjusted with great care and time to locate and tune into an individual satellite. The tuning process would be repeated for tuning into another satellite. This approach was somewhat effective but resulted in considerable set-up time by the consumer and usually resulted in low quality signals in the television set. We have designed a two-axis control system for a receiving antenna (BSS) over a moving platform. We have used two microcontrollers (ATmega328P). To one microcontroller, magnetometer (HMC5883) is attached which provides us the azimuthal angle. To the second microcontroller, gyroscope (MPU6050) is attached which gives us the angle of elevation. So, we are using separate controllers for getting azimuthal and elevation angles. To the first microcontroller, GPS is also attached. The controller takes points from GPS and calculate the desired azimuthal and elevation angles. The ATmega328p will compare these angles with current angles of the dish antenna, taken using HMC5883 and MPU6050 placed along the dish antenna. If the angles are not v | P a g e aligned, then the controller will adjust current position of our dish antenna by moving it through stepper motors connected. Once the respective angles provided by user are in accordance with dish angles, we will receive proper output from our dish receiver. In this way, our dish antenna will automatically adjust to provide dish channels on our moving vehicles.