Amateur Satellites are my new passion, but firstly i need to be equiped, so i start to realize this project. After i did research on the internet i choose VK5DJ Beam controller. It is standalone AZ EL Rotator Controller with many features, it support different kind of encoders, it can track Moon/Sun independently, it have driver for ORBITRON - my favorite sat tracking software, it seems to suite my needs perfectly, so i get quality PCBs from VK5DJ and made it.

I have to finish some mechanical works on encoders and entire AZ EL construction, but when i play one day with VK5DJ, ORBITRON and FT-857D i found that lack of GS-232 protocol in current version of VK5DJ controller is inconvenient to me in some way. I can't start along two drivers from Orbitron, one is VK5DJ for AZ/EL and other is WispDDE 4.7.3 beta for automatic tune FT-857D to doppler shifted frequency. I did one trick - i run second instance of orbitron as different user - right click > RUN AS ... >, in that way i have 2 runing instances of Orbitron, so i can run both of drivers, inconvenience came because i need to choose desired satellite twice :) .

Now i start to think about popular LVB tracker 2, but i will need to forget all benefits of VK5DJ, like digital comunication from encoders(AS5040) at roof to the radioshack. Analog signals sounds bad for me ... AS5040 DIGI to PWM , PWM to ANALOG, Analog to shack, then ADC and finally CPU ... For now i think to place AS5040 on VK5DJ board and use PIC16Fxxx for digital comunication with VK5DJ controller, but i will add buffer at AS5040 PWM output and include this signal in UTP cable. When PWM reach radioshack, it will be easy to convert to analog signal and i will have possibility to test other projects like this http://www.g-romahn.de/wxsat/goetzhome/hrpt/rotor.htm. There are also a possibility Goetz's interface to command UP/DW/L/R buttons of VK5DJ, if i deside that two runing orbitrons is not a option.

TO BE CONTINUE ...