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Related Manuals for Mitsubishi SRRM25ZE
Summary of Contents for Mitsubishi SRRM25ZE
- Page 1 Gpredict User Manual Updated for Gpredict 1.2 by Alexandru Csete OZ9AEC...
- Page 2 Copyright © 2001-2009 Alexandru Csete and Contributors. All rights reserved. This document is free; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;...
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents 1 Introduction.....................7 1.1 What is Gpredict?......................7 1.2 Features of Gpredict......................8 1.3 About this Document......................8 1.4 Your Feedback is Appreciated..................9 2 Getting Started with Gpredict...............11 2.1 The Basic Idea........................ 11 2.2 The Module Pop-Up Menu....................13 2.3 Configuring the Module.................... - Page 4 7.2.1 Rigctl........................53 7.2.2 Rotctl........................55 7.2.3 Rigctld and Rotcld....................55 7.3 Configuring your Devices in Gpredict................56 7.3.1 Radio Configuration....................57 7.3.2 Antenna Rotator Configuration................58 7.4 Controlling your Devices with Gpredict................59 7.4.1 The Radio Control Window..................59 7.4.2 The Rotator Control Window...................62 8 Creating Custom Layouts................67 9 Glossary......................69 List of Tables...
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Page 6: Introduction
1 Introduction 1.1 What is Gpredict? Gpredict is a real-time satellite tracking and orbit prediction program. A satellite tracking program is a computer program that predicts the position and velocity of a satellite at a given time using a mathematical model of the orbit. -
Page 7: Features Of Gpredict
Gpredict User Manual and it can also show the satellites within range on a polar plot (radar screen). The next section gives an overview of the features and functionality of gpredict. 1.2 Features of Gpredict Fast and accurate real-time satellite tracking using the NORAD ●... -
Page 8: Your Feedback Is Appreciated
Introduction users to customise the overall behaviour of gpredict. Chapter 4 gives a more in-depth description of the modules and the ● views. It also describes how to customise each individual module. Chapter 5 describes the pass prediction functions in gpredict ●... -
Page 9: Getting Started With Gpredict
2 Getting Started with Gpredict 2.1 The Basic Idea The key idea in gpredict is the concept of modules. A module in gpredict is the same as a document in a word processor application. It is an object, which has a certain number of satellites and a ground station associated to it. -
Page 10: Figure 2.2: The Four Different Layouts In Gpredict
Gpredict User Manual When you start gpredict for the first time it opens a module called Amateur. This module has a layout with three different views: A map view, a polar view and a single-sat view see figure 2.1. Currently four different views are available in gpredict: The List View shows the satellite data in a list/table having one ●... -
Page 11: The Module Pop-Up Menu
Getting Started with Gpredict Section 2.3.3 will give you a more detailed description of data views in predefined layouts and chapter 8 describes how to create custom layouts. 2.2 The Module Pop-Up Menu Each module has its own pop-up menu, which can be accessed by clicking on the V icon in the top right corner of the module. -
Page 12: Configuring The Module
Gpredict User Manual button will reset the time to the current time provided by the operating system. The Radio Control and Antenna Control menu items bring up the radio and antenna rotator controller windows. Setting up gpredict to perform Doppler tuning of radios and antenna rotator tracking is described in details in chapter 7. -
Page 13: Setting Up The Ground Station
Getting Started with Gpredict rename a module, create a clone and then delete the original. Figure 2.5: The module configuration window. 2.3.1 Setting Up the Ground Station Below the module name you will find the name of the ground station, i.e. the geographical location that is used as reference point in the calculations. -
Page 14: Selecting The Satellites
Gpredict User Manual Figure 2.6: The ground station editor window For your convenience gpredict offers you the possibility to select a location from a predefined list. The list can be accessed via the Select button right next to the Location field. This is useful if you have no idea of the geographical coordinates of your location. -
Page 15: Module Properties
Getting Started with Gpredict You should be careful not to select too many satellites for one module, otherwise your module may become clumsy. Too many satellites may also decrease the performance in particular if you are using a map view. Up to 10-15 satellites per module seems to be a good number, maybe less if you use the map view. - Page 16 Gpredict User Manual The Refresh Rates page allows you to tune how often the module should perform the calculations, as well as how often the views should be updated. The data refresh rate is specified in milliseconds. This is the time between two calculation-cycles.
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Page 17: Creating A New Module
Getting Started with Gpredict 2.4 Creating a New Module In order to create a new module, select File → New Module in the menu bar. This will bring up the same dialogue as you saw while customising an existing module in the previous section (see figure 2.5), except that here you have to enter a new name for the module. -
Page 18: The Sky At A Glance
Gpredict User Manual Figure 2.9: Data presented about the next upcoming pass. The Future passes function gives you an overview of up to the next 10 passes occurring within the next 3 days. The information you are given is the rise time (AOS), the set time (LOS), the duration, maximum elevation and the azimuth at AOS and LOS. -
Page 19: Moving On
Getting Started with Gpredict Figure 2.10: The sky at a glance. 2.6 Moving On If you have read through this section carefully you should have a good understanding of the basic functions in gpredict as well as some understanding of how they work. The following chapters of this manual will continue with more detailed descriptions of all functions in gpredict, some of which have not been covered in this introductory section. -
Page 20: Customising Gpredict
3 Customising Gpredict 3.1 Overview On one hand, gpredict tries to be very simple and easy to use not requiring any lengthy configuration and set-up procedures (runs out of the box). On the other hand, gpredict tries to let the users customise the look and feel of the application down to the lowest details. -
Page 21: Figure 3.1: The Preferences Dialogue
Gpredict User Manual Figure 3.1: The preferences dialogue. The global preferences are divided into four major groups: 1. General: This group contains global parameters that influence the overall behaviour of the application, for example the way numbers are displayed. 2. Modules: The parameters in this group define the default settings and properties for the modules. -
Page 22: Number Formats
Customising Gpredict dialogue. 3.2 Number Formats These settings determine how numbers are displayed in gpredict. They can be accessed from the menu bar via Edit → Preferences → General → Number Formats. Figure 3.1 shows how the configuration page looks like in the dialogue. -
Page 23: Table 3.1: Most Common Format Codes
Gpredict User Manual Code Description The abbreviated weekday name according to the current locale. The abbreviated month name according to the current locale. The full month name according to the current locale. The preferred calendar time representation for the current locale. The day of the month as a decimal number (range 01 to 31). -
Page 24: Table 3.2: The Not So Common Time Format Codes
Customising Gpredict Code Description The century of the year. The date using the format %m/%d/%y. The year corresponding to the ISO week number, but without the century (range 00 through 99). The year corresponding to the ISO week number. Similar to %Y. The abbreviated month name. -
Page 25: Geographical Coordinates
Gpredict User Manual Format String Resulting Time String %Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S 2006/07/23 21:22:00 %Y.%j %H:%M:%S 2006.204 21:22:00 %b %d, %Hh%M Jul 23, 21h26 Table 3.3: Examples of time format strings. 3.2.3 Geographical Coordinates Geographical coordinates in gpredict (e.g. ground station location and sub- satellite points) are specified using decimal degrees North for latitude and decimal degrees East for longitude. -
Page 26: Figure 3.2: The Table Showing The Existing Ground Stations
Customising Gpredict Figure 3.2: The table showing the existing ground stations. To add a new ground station click on the Add New button. This will bring up the dialogue shown on figure 2.6 with all fields initially empty. You can proceed by doing the following: 1. -
Page 27: Tle Update
Gpredict User Manual Clicking on the Edit button will bring up the same dialogue as when clicking on the Add New button, but the fields will be filled out with the values from the selected ground station. The ground station editor behaves in exactly the same way as when you add a new location. -
Page 28: Modules And Views
4 Modules and Views 4.1 Data Fields Table 4.1 provides a complete reference for what kind of data fields (i.e. satellite data) gpredict can calculate, and which views and functions can show them to the user. Available in List Polar Single Predict Data Field... -
Page 29: Views
Gpredict User Manual Available in List Polar Single Predict Data Field View View View Sat. dial. Orbit Phase [°] √ √ √ Visibility √ √ √ Ground Station Info √ √ Cursor Track √ √ Next Event (AOS or LOS) [hms] √... -
Page 30: The Map View
Modules and Views the small arrow in the column header pointing up indicates that the list is sorted in descending order. When the list is sorted in ascending order, the small arrow points down. Right clicking on row in the list view brings up the satellite pop-up menu that gives you access to the following functions: <SATELLITE NAME>: Selecting this menu item brings up a small ●... - Page 31 Gpredict User Manual where at any given time. The map view shows both the position of the satellites and their footprints. Moreover, the map view can also show information about the current ground station, the next event, i.e. which satellite comes up next, as well as information about the selected satellite. Figure 4.2 shows how the map view looks like using the default settings.
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Page 32: Figure 4.2: The Map View Using The Default Settings
Modules and Views Figure 4.2: The map view using the default settings. Gpredict offers you many configuration options to customise the look of the map view. The global default settings can be modified in the preferences dialogue, i.e. Edit → Preferences → Modules → Map View, and the settings for the map view in a specific module can be accessed via Module Pop-Up →... -
Page 33: The Polar View
Gpredict User Manual Cursor Position: If this option is set, the latitude and longitude ● corresponding to the position of the mouse pointer will be displayed in real-time in the lower left corner of the map. Grid Lines: Enabling this option will draw the grid lines on the map. ●... -
Page 34: Figure 4.3: The Polar View
Modules and Views as seen from the ground station with the centre of the graph corresponding to looking straight overhead. Figure 4.3 shows a screen capture of the polar view in gpredict as it looks using the default settings. Figure 4.3: The polar view. The satellites that are plotted on the polar view are selectable. - Page 35 Gpredict User Manual the next upcoming pass for this satellite. Future Passes: This will bring up the dialogue window showing the ● summary for the next N passes, N being a user configurable parameter (see section 5.1). Sky Track: Checking this option will show the sky track of the ●...
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Page 36: The Single-Satellite View
Modules and Views corner of the graph. Extra Az Ticks: Enabling this option will show some extra ○ Azimuth ticks/axes on the polar graph at 30° intervals. Colours: These options allow you to change all colours used in the ● polar view. -
Page 37: The Upcoming Passes View
Gpredict User Manual well suited to be placed in the small rectangular container areas of those layouts, which can contain three views. Figure 4.5: The single-satellite view. 4.2.5 The Upcoming Passes View This view shows a simple list of the satellites in the module together with their Azimuth, Elevation and a count down clock until the next AOS/LOS. -
Page 38: Advanced Pass Predictions
5 Advanced Pass Predictions 5.1 Customising the Prediction Parameters The parameters gpredict uses for predicting satellite passes in the future can be customised to a great extent. To get access to these parameters go to Edit → Preferences and click on the Predict button. You will be presented with a notebook containing the prediction parameters organised in four notebook pages, see figure 5.1. -
Page 39: Multiple Passes
Gpredict User Manual the pass and not will include it in the list of passes. Number of passes to predict This parameter defines how many passes gpredict should try to find when looking for future passes. Passes should occur within This parameter sets the time limit within which the predicted passes should occur. -
Page 40: Figure 5.2: Configuration Options For Multiple Pass Predictions
Advanced Pass Predictions satellite is at maximum during the pass. Loss of signal (LOS) – the time when the satellite goes out of range ● again. Duration of the pass. ● Maximum elevation during the pass. ● The satellite Azimuth when it comes within range. ●... -
Page 41: Single Pass
Gpredict User Manual 5.1.3 Single Pass Figure 5.3: Configuration options for single pass predictions. The check-boxes on this page allows you to select which data fields gpredict should include when showing details about a pass. The choices are pretty much the same as for the list view and the single satellite view. 5.2 Sky at a Glance Figure 5.4: The sky at a glance. -
Page 42: Communication Windows
Advanced Pass Predictions The sky at a glance window gives you a quick overview of upcoming satellite passes for all satellites of a given module. The only parameter controlling the behaviour of this function is the length of the time axis, i.e. the time within which the passes should occur. -
Page 43: Updating The Orbital Elements
6 Updating the Orbital Elements 6.1 Overview Gpredict uses the NORAD SDP4/SDP4 algorithms to calculate the position of Earth orbiting satellites at any given time. These algorithms require knowledge about the orbit of the satellite as well as the position of the satellite on the orbit at some time T a.k.a Epoch. -
Page 44: Automatic Update From The Internet
Gpredict User Manual 6.2 Automatic Update from the Internet When your computer is connected to the internet, updating the TLE elements is as easy as selecting Edit → Update TLE → Update from the internet menu item in the menu bar. When you do that, gpredict will by default fetch a subset of the TLE files available from http://celestrak.com/, and update the internal database using the downloaded files. -
Page 45: Update From The Internet
Updating the Orbital Elements default value is weekly, and it seems to be a good update frequency for most users. Second, you can define what gpredict should do when it decides that it is time to update the TLE data. The default and most obvious action is to send a notification to the user. -
Page 46: Semi-Automatic Update From Local Files
Gpredict User Manual request at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gpredict asking us to implement better handling of passwords in gpredict – if enough people complain about this we will eventually have to do something about it. 6.3 Semi-Automatic Update from Local Files If you can not update the TLE files using the internet, you still have the option to perform a semi-automatic update using local files. -
Page 47: Controlling Radios And Rotators
Controlling Radios and Rotators 7 Controlling Radios and Rotators 7.1 Overview Beginning with version 1.0 gpredict can do Doppler tuning of radios and tracking of antenna rotators via Hamlib, see http://hamlib.sourceforge.net/. This is done via hamlib's rigctld and rotctld TCP/IP interface and requires that hamlib version 1.2.8 or later is installed on the computer to which your radio and/or rotator device is connected. -
Page 48: Hamlib Tutorial
Gpredict User Manual 7.2 Hamlib Tutorial This section gives you an introduction to hamlib and in particular to the command line utilities that come with it. It is very important that you know how to use these tools – otherwise you will not be able to configure gpredict properly. -
Page 49: Rigctl
Controlling Radios and Rotators Yaesu FT-847 Alpha This tells you that the FT-847 has model ID 101, the driver has version number 0.2 and is considered to be in Alpha state (meaning that it hasn't been tested using a real radio). Device This is the Unix file name of the device where your radio/rotator is connected to. - Page 50 Gpredict User Manual rigctl -m 334 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 You can mix the short and long versions as you whish. By default, hamlib sets the DTR and RTS lines of the RS232 interface high. If you have an adaptor that uses these lines for special purposes such as CW and PTT you will need to disable the lines using the --set-conf option: rigctl –model=334 ...
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Page 51: Rotctl
Controlling Radios and Rotators Command Description --show-conf List all the configuration parameters that are available for the radio. --set-conf=par=val Set configuration parameters. Use -L to get a list of configuration parameters). Normally you will use this if you need to set DTR and RTS OFF and to configure parameters of the serial communication (e.g. -
Page 52: Configuring Your Devices In Gpredict
Gpredict User Manual 7.3 Configuring your Devices in Gpredict Now that you have tested hamlib with your radio and antenna rotator we are ready to move on and configure gpredict. To enter the radio and antenna rotator settings in gpredict select Edit → Preferences in the menu bar and click on the Interfaces button in the left part of the dialogue. -
Page 53: Radio Configuration
Controlling Radios and Rotators Note that any changes you make will not take effect until you press the OK button. In case you Cancel the Preferences dialogue, any changes you may have made to your radio and rotator settings will be reverted to the state before you opened the Preference dialogue. -
Page 54: Figure 7.3: Rotator Setup
Gpredict User Manual FT-817, 857 and 897 radios. These radios do not allow the frequency to be set via CAT while they are in TX mode. When using this mode, the transmitter frequency will be adjusted while the radio is in RX mode by toggling the VFO. -
Page 55: Antenna Rotator Configuration
Controlling Radios and Rotators in the 28-30 MHz range to track satellites in the 144-146 MHz range, your LO Down frequency would be 144 – 28 = 116 MHz. Similarly for LO Up, which is for uplink. 7.3.2 Antenna Rotator Configuration The antenna rotator setup is similar to the radio setup except a few parameters that are described below. -
Page 56: Figure 7.4: The Radio Control Interface
Gpredict User Manual Figure 7.4: The radio control interface. The Downlink area contains the control and status widgets for the satellite downlink frequency. Besides the downlink frequency it also shows the Doppler shift at the current downlink frequency, the transverter offset if any, and the corrected frequency that should be on your radio, i.e. - Page 57 Controlling Radios and Rotators Target area contains widgets selecting the target object as well as the transponder for the selected target object. You can select a new target at any time and any effects it might have on the radio settings will applied instantaneously.
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Page 58: The Rotator Control Window
Gpredict User Manual 1. Select the satellite in the Target box. 2. Select the transponder you want to track. 3. Enable the Track button. You should now see the Radio frequency being corrected for Doppler shift with respect to the Satellite frequency. - Page 59 Controlling Radios and Rotators The Azimuth area allows you to control the Azimuth of the rotator device. You can change the value by clicking on the corresponding arrows; however, if tracking is enabled your changes will be overridden with the Azimuth of the target satellite.
- Page 60 Gpredict User Manual The Settings area allows you to select one of your rotator devices that you have configured (see section 7.3.2). The Engage button is used to toggle the connection between the controller and the hamlib driver. Commands are sent to the rotator device only if the device is engaged.
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Page 61: Table 7.3: Operating Modes Of The Rotator Controller
Controlling Radios and Rotators range. If tracking is enabled while the target satellite is out of range, the rotator controller widgets will be set to the position where the target satellite is expected to appear at the next AOS. The Cycle and Tolerance parameters can be changed at any time regardless of whether the rotator device is engaged or not. -
Page 62: Creating Custom Layouts
Creating Custom Layouts 8 Creating Custom Layouts Custom layouts are created by specifying the layout string manually. The layout string is a sequence of numbers separated with semicolon (;) and containing five numbers for each view that you want to appear in the layout. - Page 63 Gpredict User Manual 1;0;3;0;2;0;0;2;2;3 The order in which the views are specified doesn't matter. The complete sequence above would generate a layout that looks like the one on figure 8.2 below. This layout is included as one of the predefined layouts and you can use this and the other predefined layouts as examples.
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Page 64: Glossary
Glossary 9 Glossary Term Meaning Acquisition of signal – the time when the satellite comes within range. Azimuth – the angle in the horizontal plane (tangential plane to the surface of Earth) relative to North with positive direction towards East. Computer aided transmission.