RC2000 dual axis antenna controller

[John]

... just for info, mine boots up as an "X" variant circa 2006 but has "C" on the back label.

G .... i have a tracking number for you chap. Will pass it on shortly.

 

[moonbase]

... just for info, mine boots up as an "X" variant circa 2006 but has "C" on the back label.

G .... i have a tracking number for you chap. Will pass it on shortly.

X is good, the later in the alphabet the more highly specified the unit. If its big it must be good.....

 

[s-band]

The HPP option was not compiled after RC2000A vers 1.7x, so I think that any recently manufactured unit to be fitted with an HPP board has to have firmware rolled back to that version or previous?

Its not an option I would use so I will probably sell the RC2000 with it fitted as an RC2000A with HPP board.

Its the X or C unit I wanted so in the end I bought another one from Andrew, thats how I ended up with two units. The first one was with C on the rear plate but turned out to be this morphed unit with C on the rear plate but A firmware and the HPP board. I got Andrew to flash up the next one to make sure the firmware agreed with the rear panel plate model.

Curious. I tried mine and there are live outputs on the POL board connector one of which toggles when I tweak the polarisation. If I try to set polarisation, it thinks about it for a bit then gives an error (which it should as there's no pot feedback).

I tried the factory reset from the manual and it did what was expected.

Does Andrew have a library of firmware?

 

[moonbase]

...Does Andrew have a library of firmware?

I got the info about the firmware versions re the HPP board from Research Concepts via email. I have not asked Andres about a firmware library, however, I would doubt he has one, I think he just buys and sells used stock?

Rgds

 

[blademedia]

Powered mine up today

 

[Anonymous_1]

More details of my RC2K:

 

[s-band]

More details of my RC2K:

Thanks, looks like yours has the low current polariser board, do you use it? Does the pulse polariser output work at the same time? (My X has pulse disabled)

 

[moonbase]

More details of my RC2K...

FeedSat,

Is it a polariser board in your RC2000C? I just checked the picture of the HPP board in one of my RC2000 and its a different board


Rgds

 

[Anonymous_1]

yes;
full view:

 

[s-band]

FeedSat,

Is it a polariser board in your RC2000C? I just checked the picture of the HPP board in one of my RC2000 and its a different board


Rgds

Yours is the high power (3-4A) and Feedsat's is the low power ~1A. The manual has circuits of both

 

[moonbase]

Yours is the high power (3-4A) and Feedsat's is the low power ~1A. The manual has circuits of both

We seem to be covered in firmware options if the juice can be squeezed from the eproms?
Actually, are they eproms or eeproms in these RC2000?


Rgds

 

[s-band]

We seem to be covered in firmware options if the juice can be squeezed from the eproms?
Actually, are they eproms or eeproms in these RC2000?
Rgds

EPROMs not expensive http://eu.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=0virtualkey0virtualkeyAT27C512R-45PU
Probably OTP like the above (One time programmable)
Data http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/268/doc0015-1066078.pdf
How to change www.researchconcepts.com/Files/RC2000%20EPROM%20Upgrade.pdf

 

[s-band]

Farnell part numbers for DC connectors:
J1 11 pin 2315155
J2 6 pin 3705390
The above don't have the retaining screws but fit ok. Multicomp ones are cheaper but US stock.

 

[7mdish]

Hello, I reply to this very old but so interesting thread. I'm looking for one of this controllers and, in general, I'm searching for a good dealer in Europe to buy one and other professional-grade satellite devices (motors, feeds and so on). Could anyone suggest a good dealer/distributor in Europe? I found such dealers in the USA, but shipment to Europe would be very very expensive. Any advice? Thank you.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Hello, I reply to this very old but so interesting thread. I'm looking for one of this controllers and, in general, I'm searching for a good dealer in Europe to buy one and other professional-grade satellite devices (motors, feeds and so on). Could anyone suggest a good dealer/distributor in Europe? I found such dealers in the USA, but shipment to Europe would be very very expensive. Any advice? Thank you.

There were a number in, or near Italy supplying decent controllers.

Who have you tried so far ?

 

[7mdish]

Well, unfortunately here in Italy we are in a bad period (ohh, not only in Italy you know). But it seems that satellite market is totally stuck here. In the past I bought many products in UK, including satellite dishes and receivers, but never professional devices. So I thought that, maybe, UK market is better for this, too. Unfortunately I do not know any good distributor and I'm looking exactly for one RC2000a and a motorised AZ/EL system including a good dish. If you have such information please let me know. I'm not interesting in consumer products. Thank you.

 

[Channel Hopper]

You could search for the rc2000a on the usual auction site and narrow down the source to a few kms of Milan.

The expectation of a commercial dealer with stock appearing on a forum mainly dealing with consumer satellite issues may be a stage too far in this bad period (ohh, not only in Italy you know).

 

[Manikm909]

.... still learning to drive this thing with what little time i have but i do like the re-sync feature and also how it retains the elevation setting of a particular stored sat as well which helps if you do not have a 100% arc tracking system, especially for Ka band sats.

View attachment 99398 View attachment 99399

@John - did it take you long to get used to it...do you leave your speed on FAST ?

 

[John]

@John - did it take you long to get used to it...do you leave your speed on FAST ?

I left the 'speed' settings as it was when i got mine and iv'e never altered it. Use it on 'Fast' if ive got a fair way to travel between sats and then revert to 'slow' for fine dish setting. If i'm on a extreme E or W max arc setting i always use 'slow' to get it off the stops. To be honest, i like to keep things simple, iv'e never set mine up for different sat position memories because i'm always looking at a lot of different sats from extreme east to extreme west so would run out of memory positions very fast - i use my own made chart for AZ actuator counts and EL actuator counts to get me to the arc position of my choice. I think Chris scopus uses his more in the propper manor - never had a problem with the unit over the many years iv'e had it, very reliable (touch wood).

 

[scopus]

@John - did it take you long to get used to it...do you leave your speed on FAST ?

Certainly way more complicated than a V Box to set up..But once set up, they are a breeze to operate...