Home made diseqc positioner

[dreambox1959]

CAPTAIN JACK ask me for a special feature on my positioner :

he have a CM dish where C-band-lnb is above Ku-lnb , and the polar mount have a elevation actuator , so i detect diseqc 1.0 (input A to D) to drive elevation actuator with an offset from actual position .

as he explain to me we can have many settings (lnb band polar cir/lin) on one satelite position with an enigma2 receiver , i make a new way of sorting satelite in my positioner : one position per orbital place and choose band by diseqc 1.0 and 1.1 .
my positioner take the place of 3 device (2 vbox + switch)

 

[Captain Jack]

It has arrived! What a nice piece of kit. Much better than anything currently on the market...

I won't have time to play with it for the next week or so but will keep you posted on the progress.

 

[dreambox1959]

sorry for the screw ! we can have a better front panel with hidden screw but it takes more time ..( and more money)
you can put countersunk screw .

front and rear panels like that cost about 120euros 100 pounds.

 

[dreambox1959]

during time i build the captain's positioner , i build a second one !
, does someone need one ?

 

[zorrin]

during time i build the captain's positioner , i build a second one !
, does someone need one ?

I hope to build mine after this summer.
Too much work in my new house...
I should have asked you to build it for me.
Finally it's a good chalange for me

 

[dreambox1959]

I am working on some details with the help of Captain Jack: during its installation the motor was running too fast and the impulses were lost.
it is also necessary to filter the interference directly on the engine.
I used a 2x18v AC transformer, which gives almost 50v DC when empty, at home and at CARDIFF no problem, but at CAPTAIN JACK yes. on actuators it is not always indicated whether they are 24V or 36V.
in the different VBOX that I had there is a 2x16V AC transformer, you should opt for a 2x15V 80VA transformer for my "JPCBOX".
I can also limit the voltage to a maximum of 36V by the PWM.

 

[butchyboy]

is there a option for connecting the 2 motor wires and 2 sensor wires to this postioner of yours ??.

 

[dreambox1959]

of course : I created and built it to manage two actuators (azimuth and elevation) + mechanical polar + lnb revolver.
commands from remote control ,keyboard , diseqc .

 

[suedschwede]

Hello Dreambox1959,

I am looking for a reasonable positioner for my Laminas AS2700, are you currently still building some or do you provide kits? Currently I control the dish with 4 V-boxes, one for azimuth, one for elevation, one for LNB changer and one for KU-Band LNB-Skew. You can contact me, there is interest on my part.

Greetings
Südschwede

 

[dreambox1959]

hello
i build this positionner (hardware + software) for two axis dish (polarmount but AZ EL can works too)
there is four relays for AZ and EL , an board to control a diseqc 1.2 motor like model used in LNB changer, mechanical polarotor is drive by 14/18V from receiver (like ASC1 does)
positionner is control by keyboard , remote and diseqc from receiver .
it can replace your four VBOX !!!
ask to CARDIFF and CAPTAIN.
I can sell you either a printed card or a complete device, I am only an amateur not a manufacturer I sell at cost price.
firmware is different for cardiff and captain jack , i can do more or less what we want .

 

[dreambox1959]

About the problems encountered by captain (and cardiff earlier) there were counting errors and in both cases the link cable was involved, by changing the pulse cable everything works.
you must have a cable in good condition and separate from the power cable.
I nevertheless created an additional card to better filter the pulses.
I used a 2x36v-AC transformer which provides about 42V-DC, on my actuators no problem but it can be too much, it is better to choose 2x15v-AC for more safety

 

[suedschwede]

Hello,

With my dish, AZ is controlled with Qarl 3636 (with limit switch and counting pulses for V-Box) , EL is controlled with Harl2418 (with limit switch and counting pulses for V-Box) , LNB changer is controlled with modified Technirotor (with limit switch and counting pulses for V-Box) and the Skew is controlled with a small gear motor (with limit switch and counting pulses for V-Box). Is the board already populated and what is the price? What would a complete device cost? How is the equipment, does the device have a web interface, can you make a backup of all settings, how many satellite positions can be saved, .... ??? And yes, I am an electronics technician and can solder, measure, ...
I have currently laid the motor power cables and counting pulse cables as separate cables and connected them to the V-boxes. Gigabit LAN and an FTP cable are also right up to the dish

Greetings
Südschwede

 

[dreambox1959]

for your skew control , i dont really understand what is it ! post some pictures please.
for the boards everything is possible . populated or not ...
price : for a full builded positioner i need 250euros for printed board only (4) it s about 40 euros.
for external interface i use a rs232 to usb adapter , i made a windows program to read /prog /save/edit the internal datas of the eeprom 24c65
for the main program (in 89s52) you need an uspasp (very cheap)

 

[suedschwede]

For the final price of 250 € I would want to buy the complete device from you. More details, we will then make out via PN or email. From the LNB changer and the SkewControl I have attached pictures. Unfortunately, I have hardly any pictures made of the SkewControl because it is my first ptototype and this is still in the test. The sleeve is rotated by a miniature gear motor in which I installed a magnet which provides me when turning a reed contact with pulses I can also store the SKEW position in the V-Box for all KU-Band Satellite.

 

[dreambox1959]

I manage the skew in the manner of a chaparal corotor: a pulse which varies from 0.5ms to 1.5ms in 5v. I understand that your system is based on the same principle as the jacks (pulses in return). I have not designed my system for that but I will think about it. your jacks are either 36V or 24V, my system uses PWM mode which allows you to start and stop slowly. This also limits the maximum voltage. there is a menu dedicated to the "lnb revolver".

 

[dreambox1959]

hi südschwede
I thought about your installation: my "jpc posi" can directly control the azimuth and the elevation, you can keep a v-box on the "lnb-changer" output (between "jpc-posi" and your personal changer), for the skew I do not know yet but I do not understand where you insert it. the changer plate supports the LNBs but where is the skew adjustment inserted?

 

[dreambox1959]

i dont know how you connect diseqc to four v-box (cascading )?
in sf8008 (maybe others too) you can get diseqc signal before it comes into tuner .
no loss !! receiver directly connected to lnb switch!

 

[suedschwede]

Hi,
I have sketched my current plant circuit diagram as I have built everything. Connected at the DISH are currently 4 Enigma2 devices, buttered to turn it should always be a device!

 

[Captain Jack]

That's an impressive setup!

 

[dreambox1959]

Connected at the DISH are currently 4 Enigma2 devices, buttered to turn it should always be a device!

hello
i m french as you know , i dont understand "buttered" ?
you have to turn off 3 receivers when you play with your dish ?
do you need to use more
initialy i only need 2 actuators and a polarotor , for CARDIFF i add a special add-on for lnb-changer (built with a diseqc 1.2 rotor).
for your case you can keep one v-box for lnb-changer but command will comes from my "jpcposi".