Acknowledgement: Design and Simulation of Automatic Satellite Signal Tracking System
Acknowledgement: Design and Simulation of Automatic Satellite Signal Tracking System
Acknowledgement: Design and Simulation of Automatic Satellite Signal Tracking System
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our sincere gratitude our project adviser Mr. Bereket.A for being our
project supervisor and constant source of help and inspiration throughout the work. His timely
advice and guidelines have assisted us to get through a lot of difficult situations. Next, we would
like to express our deep gratitude towards Mr. Niguse.N Head of Electrical and computer
Engineering Department, who motivated us at one or another stage of the project work. Finally,
we express our gratitude to the staff members of Electrical and computer Department, who
directly and indirectly helped us.
Contents
Acknowledgement ................................................................................................................................................ i
Abstract .............................................................................................................................................................. iv
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1
References .................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
Abstract
The Main objective of the project is to control the Satellite Dish Antenna movement according to
the orbit of Satellite. It is useful to produce the maximum signal strength from the Satellite. For
the purpose of practical demonstration we have constructed Antenna by using LDR’s and
substituted satellite with a laser light so that signal strength will be measured in terms of light
intensity. The project is designed with Micro Controller AT89C51 and stepper motor, motor
driven circuit, LDR’s and voltage comparators. The Antenna attached to the stepper motor
rotating towards the forward direction and reverse direction. Initially the program written in
micro controller scans for the maximum light intensity (maximum signal strength) focused on
the Antenna then stops rotation. When the light intensity is decreased again it looks for
maximum light intensity and moving in incrementing direction. Again it stops rotation at
maximum value. The rotating direction may be clockwise or anticlockwise. All LDR’s, limit
switches are connected to the input port, motor is connected to output port of Micro Controller. It
is useful project to rotate the Antenna in the direction of satellite.
List of Figure
Figure 1: satellite communication system....................................................................................... 2
Figure 9: Simulation result when maximum signal is get at the top LDR .................................... 27
Figure 10 :Simulation result when maximum signal is get at the top LDR .................................. 28
List of Acronyms
DC Direct Current
GND Ground
Pb Lead
CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
The use of satellite in communication systems is very much a fact of everyday life, as is
evidenced by the many homes which are equipped with antennas or dishes used for reception of
satellite television. Satellite form an essential part of telecommunication systems worldwide,
carrying large amounts of data and telephone traffic of data in addition to television signals[3].
A satellite communications system uses satellites to relay radio transmissions between earth
terminals. The two types of communications satellites are ACTIVE and PASSIVE. A passive
satellite only reflects received radio signals back to earth. An active satellite acts as a
REPEATER; it amplifies signals received and then retransmits them back to earth. This increases
signal strength at the receiving terminal to a higher level than would be available from a passive
satellite [2].
Satellite communications offer a number of features not readily available with other means of
communications. The areas of the earth are very large to the satellite, because of that, the satellite
can form the star point of a communications net linking together many users simultaneously,
user who may be widely separated geographically. The same feature enables satellite to provide
communications links to remote communities in sparsely populated area which are difficult to
access by other means [2].
A satellite dish is a type of parabolic antenna that receives or transmits electromagnetic signals
to and from another location typically a satellite. A satellite dish is a type of microwave
antenna. Satellite dishes come in varying sizes and designs, and are commonly used to receive
satellite television.
The use of satellite in communication systems is very much a fact of everyday life, as is
evidenced by the many homes which are equipped with antennas or dishes used for reception
of satellite television. Satellite form an essential part of telecommunication systems worldwide,
carrying large amounts of data and telephone traffic of data in addition to television signals[3].
operated in manual way (e.g. Dish Buggy Base stand). Especially in our country we use to rotate
the dish antenna manually at the earth station to the point where maximum signal is obtained
which is a time taking and long process. But we design and stimulate more efficient automatic
satellite signal trucking system to decrease the cost. We try to control satellite dish antenna
movement using microcontroller and other device like stepper motor comparator antenna so no.
The project is designed with Micro Controller AT89C51 and stepper motor, motor driven circuit,
LDR’s and voltage comparators. The Antenna attached to the stepper motor rotating towards the
forward direction and reverse direction. Initially the program written in micro controller scans
for the maximum light intensity (maximum signal strength) focused on the Antenna then stops
rotation.
When the light intensity is decreased again it looks for maximum light intensity and moving in
incrementing direction. Again it stops rotation at maximum value. The rotating direction may be
clockwise or anticlockwise.
1.3 Objective
The Main objective of our project is to improve the present situation of manual control of
satellite dish antenna movement using an automatically control the satellite dish antenna
movement according to the orbit of satellite.
CHAPTER TWO
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Manual satellite signal tracking system is generally employed with all the earth stations so to
have tracking even when other tracking systems fail and to have. Many literatures about satellite
signal tracking system are written by many researchers and project developers using different
techniques. For instance, Manual satellite signal tracking system, is generally employed with all
the earth stations so to have tracking even when other tracking systems fail and to have Antenna
Control System Using Step Tracking Algorithm with H∞ Controller, in this paper, the discrete-
time controller for the quick tracking of a target communication satellite is designed by applying
the sampled data H∞ control theory along with the reference signal generated by an improved
conventional step tracking algorithm. But this system requires additional sensors such as a
position information sensor and a receiving signal level sensor to obtain the stable and fast
tracking performance. These requirements of additional sensors and an accurate controller result
in increased cost for the system in total [4].
Satellite Tracking Control System Using Fuzzy PID Controller, this paper presents the results
of study, design and manufacture of a searching and satellite auto-tracking system used for
mobile receiver .Parabolic Satellite Tracking System, this paper aims to track the precise
location of Parabolic Satellite antenna using the BLDC motor, two-axis (elevation, azimuth),
encoders, digital tuner AGC signal and implements precise position control in the six degrees
of freedom motion system.
The proposed Algorithm applied to satellite tracking antenna system is rather than Step-
tracking, the initial tracking through satellite tracking DBS was able to receive faster, but
also by stabilizing the AGC signal, it were able to confirm that the satellite can be received
without interruption[4] .
Cycles
2.1.3 Description
The AT89C51 provides the following standard features: 4Kbytes of Flash, 128 bytes of RAM, 32
I/O lines, two 16-bit timer/counters, a five vector two-level interrupt architecture, a full duplex
serial port, on-chip oscillator and clock circuitry. In addition, the AT89C51 is designed with
static logic for operation down to zero frequency and supports two software selectable power
saving modes. The Idle Mode stops the CPU while allowing the RAM, timer/counters.
Depending on the number of windings called controlled windings on the stator they are also
classified as
2-phase
3-phase
4-phase
The number of teeth or poles on the rotor and the number of poles on the stator determine the
size of the step called the step angle. Step angle of the stepper motor is defined as the angle
traversed by the motor in one step. Step angle can be calculated as…
Step angle = 360 degrees / the number of steps per revolution [6].
Motors are available with step rates of 200 steps per revolution. Further increase in step rate is
limited by mechanical and physical constraints. This limitation has been overcome by electronic
methods of reducing the step size. Half stepping and micro stepping are techniques of
electronically dividing each into two half steps or from 10 to 125 micro steps. Stepper motors
operate much differently from normal DC motors, which rotate when voltage is applied to their
terminals. Stepper motors, on the other hand, effectively have multiple "toothed" electromagnets
arranged around a central gear-shaped piece of iron [4].
As motor speed increases, torque decreases. The torque curve may be extended by using current
limiting drivers and increasing the driving voltage. Steppers exhibit more vibration than other
motor types, as the discrete step tends to snap the rotor from one position to another. This
vibration can become very bad at some speeds and can cause the motor to lose torque. The effect
can be mitigated by accelerating quickly through the problem speed range, physically dampening
the system, or using a micro-stepping driver. Motors with greater number of phases also exhibit
smoother operation than those with fewer phases [3].
2.2.1. Applications
A) Computer-controlled stepper motors are one of the most versatile forms of positioning
systems. They are typically digitally controlled as part of an open loop system, and are simpler
and more rugged than closed loop servo systems [3].
B) Industrial applications are in high speed pick and place equipment and multi-axis machine,
CNC machines often directly driving lead screws or ball screws. In the field of lasers and optics
they are frequently used in precision positioning equipment such as linear actuators, linear
stages, rotation stages, and mirror mounts. Other uses are in packaging machinery, and
positioning of valve pilot stages for fluid control systems. Commercially, in floppy disk drives,
flatbed scanners, printers, plotters and many other devices [3].
The Device is a monolithic integrated high voltage, high current four channel driver designed to
accept standard DTL or TTL logic levels and drive inductive loads (such as relays, solenoids,
DC and stepping motors) and switching power transistors. To simplify use as two bridges each
pair of channels is equipped with an enable input. A separate supply input is provided for the
logic, allowing operation at a lower voltage and internal clamp diodes are included. This device
is suitable for use in switching applications at frequencies up to 5 kHz [5]
The complete electrical characteristics and the pin out configuration and description of this chip
are given in the data sheet [2].
An H bridge is built with four switches (solid-state or mechanical). When the switches S1 and S4
are closed (and S2 and S3 are open) a positive voltage will be applied across the motor. By
opening S1 and S4 switches & closing S2 and S3 switches, this voltage is reversed, allowing
reverse operation of the motor [2].
The microcontroller chip produces an output voltage not more than 5v which is not enough to
drive a DC motors that have power supply voltage and current rates higher than MCU
(microcontroller unit) can provide. So for the motor to run and for the microcontroller not to
burn a motor driver, an intermediate device to convert voltage levels and steer high current is
used [2].
A photoelectric device can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. An intrinsic semiconductor has its own
charge carriers and is not an efficient semiconductor, e.g. Silicon, in intrinsic devices, the only
available electrons are in the valence band, and hence the photon must have enough energy to
excite the electron across the entire band gap. Extrinsic devices have impurities added, which
have a ground state energy closer to the conduction band. Since the electrons don’t have as far to
jump, lower energy photons (i.e. longer wavelengths and lower frequencies) are sufficient to
trigger the device [1].
If a sample of silicon has some of its atoms replaced by phosphorus atoms (impurities), there will
be extra electrons available for conduction. This is an example of an extrinsic semiconductor.
A dedicated voltage comparator chip, such as the LM339, is designed to interface directly to
digital logic (for example TTL or CMOS). The output is a binary state, and it is often used to
interface real world signals to digital circuitry). If one of the voltages is fixed, for example
because a DC adjustment is possible in a device earlier in the signal path, a comparator is just a
cascade of amplifiers. When the voltage is nearly equal the output voltage would not fall into one
of the logic levels, thus analog signals would enter the digital domain with unpredictable results.
To make this range as small as possible the cascade is long and high gain, that is bipolar
transistors instead of field effect transistors are used, except sometimes for the first stage. For
high speed the input impedance of the stages is made low.
This already reduces the saturation of the slow, large P-N junction of the bipolar transistors,
which would otherwise lead to long recovery times. Fast that is small Schottkey diodes as in
binary logic are applied to improve matters even further [3].
Also like in binary logic the speed is not as high as if the amplifiers would be used for analog
signals. Slew rate has no meaning for these devices. For the application in flash ADCs after each
amplifier the signal can be fanned out over 8 ports matched to the voltage and current gain and
resistors are used as level-shifters. The LM339 accomplishes this with an open collector output.
When the inverting input is at a higher voltage than the non-inverting input, the output of the
comparator is connected to the negative power supply. When the non-inverting input is higher
than the inverting input, the output is floating (has a very high impedance to ground)[3].
ESD Clamps on the Inputs Increase Reliability without Affecting Device Operation
NCV Prefix for Automotive and Other Applications Requiring Site and Control
Changes
These quad comparators feature high gain, wide bandwidth characteristics. This gives the device
oscillation tendencies if the outputs are capacitive coupled to the inputs via stray capacitance.
This oscillation manifests itself during output transitions (VOL to VOH). To alleviate this
situation input resistors < 10 k_ should be used. The addition of positive feedback (< 10 mV) is
also recommended. It is good design practice to ground all unused input pins. Differential input
voltages may be larger than supply voltages without damaging the comparator’s inputs. Voltages
more negative than −300 mV should not be used [7].
CHAPTER THREE
3. Project Description and Methodology
3.1 System block diagram
The block diagram in figure 1 shows the overall system of the project including the components
used in the simulation
LDR
Microcontroller
Stepper
Comparator
Driver Motor
LDR
LDR
Simulate satellite signal is possible to obtain so for the purpose of practical demonstration we
have constructed Antenna by using LDR’s and substituted satellite with a laser light so that
signal strength will be measured in terms of light intensity. The circuit consists of three LDRs
whose output is given to the comparators. These LDRs consists of a potential divider network so
when light intensity increases, the voltage at the junction of LDRs and potential divider network
increases and the voltage coming from these LDRs is compared with a constant voltage by the
comparator. The output of the comparator is thus given to the microcontroller [5].
The program code written in the controller controls the working of stepper motor through driver
circuit by taking the inputs from comparator. And thus the movement of the antenna will be
controlled by the microcontroller through stepper motor by Practically satellite signal is not
possible to obtain so for the purpose of practical demonstration we have constructed Antenna by
using LDR ’s and substituted satellite with a laser light so that signal strength will be measured
in terms of light intensity[4].
The circuit consists of three LDRs whose output is given to the comparators. These LDRs
consists of a potential divider network so when light intensity increases, the voltage at the
junction of LDRs and potential divider network increases and the voltage coming from these
LDRs is compared with a constant voltage by the comparator. The output of the comparator is
thus given to the microcontroller.
The program code written in the controller controls the working of stepper motor through driver
circuit by taking the inputs from comparator. And thus the movement of the antenna will be
controlled by the microcontroller through stepper motor by taking the inputs from the LDRs.
Thus, the program written in micro controller scans for the maximum light intensity (maximum
signal strength) focused on the Antenna then stop’s rotation. When the light intensity is
decreased again it looks for maximum light intensity and moving in incrementing direction.
Again it stops rotation at maximum value. The rotating direction may be clockwise or
anticlockwise until the maximum signal strength is attained [5].
CHAPTER FOUR
4. SIMULATION RESULT AND DISCUSSION
In our project we used three LDRs as a result we assumed as they are putted with difference of
450 electrically. The dish will not rotate fully 3600 rather it rotates in either direction 1800. The
LDRs are used as starting point for rotation. For example at the start if it rotates clockwise
direction staring from the top LDR the maximum rotation is 1800, during this rotation if it finds a
maximum signal it is fine and it stops, if it doesn’t find any signal it is not going to go
anticlockwise and search on the other side instead it starts from the middle LDR and completes
the cycle, as we can see from the following figures (figure 8, figure 9, figure 10). As a result we
found it better accuracy and fast in finding signal.
Figure 9: Simulation result when maximum signal is get at the top LDR
Figure 10: Simulation result when maximum signal is get at the top LDR
CHAPTER FIVE
5. Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Conclusion
In our country we used to rotate the dish antenna manually at the earth station to the point where
maximum signal is obtained which is a time taking and long process. But by using our project
the antenna at the receiving station or at the earth station scans for maximum signal, stops
rotating and obtains the maximum signal again if any disturbances occur then it repeats the
above process. So thus we conclude that by using our project we can obtain maximum signal at
the earth station.
5.2 Recommendation
In our project the dish antennas movement is horizontally (clockwise or anticlockwise) in either
direction 1800 but in future we will design dish antennas movement at any orientation either
vertically (up or down) or horizontally (clockwise or anticlockwise).
Appendix
SYSTEM.*/
#include<reg51.h>
#define stepper P2 //define port 2 for the output to the stepper motor
void delay()
for(i=0;i<6;i++) {
for(j=0;j<255;j++)
for(k=0;k<255;k++);
void main()
while (1) {
stepper = 0x03;
delay();
stepper = 0x01;
delay();
while(1)
if (test!=0xf3)
break;
stepper = 0x09;
delay();
while(1)
if (test!=0xf5)
break;
stepper = 0x08;
delay();
while(1)
if (test!=0xf9)
break;
stepper = 0x09;
delay();
while(1)
if (test!=0xf5)
break;
stepper = 0x01;
delay();
while(1)
if (test!=0xf3)
break;
stepper = 0x03;
delay();
References
[2]. http://www.st.com/L293D/data-sheet
[4]. Chang-Ho Cho, Sang-Hyo Lee, Tea-Yong Kwon, Cheol Lee, Antenna
March 2003
[5]. Tran Van Hoi, Nguyen Xuan Trung, Bch Gia Duong, Satellite Tracking
System