
          OPERATION BY COMPUTER

1.Connect appropriate cable from your computer to Control
  Units DB9 connector on the rear panel.

2.The control units RS232 interface is configured as
  follows:
            baud rate      9600
            bits              8
            stop bits         1
            parity         none
            handshake      present,but not used

    A.Commands in upper or lower case are acceptable
    B.All commands are followed by an ENTER (carrage
      Return / cr)
    C.Remote operation (Mode 1)is initiated automatically
      From the terminal

SUMMARY OF CONTROLLER COMMANDS
Typed commands in bold; cr=ENTER or carriage return;
#=real number



FUNCTION      COMMAND       DESCRIPTION

SELECT:       A or E cr  where A=Azimuth E=elevation

SPEED:        S#  cr     where S=1(min.speed) through
                         9 (max)

GO TO:        #   cr     where #=a number within your
                         Programmed parameters

INCREMENT     +   cr     where + =bump + approx. .5 degree

DECREMENT     -   cr     where - =bump - approx. .5 degree

STOP          S   cr     where S = stop movement

UPDATE        cr         where cr gives Position,Speed and
                         Movement (ST=stopped MV=moving)

CONTINUOUS    U   cr     where U = continuous update of
UPDATE                   Position,Speed,Movement while
                         Positioner is in operation

RETURN TO     N   cr     where N = return to "request
" REQUEST                update" mode from "continuous
UPDATE"                  update"


HOW THE COMMANDS WORK

1.Status Update is available in two modes

  A.In the default mode (N),ENTER (cr) will cause the
    Controller to rerurn a single status update:

     -selected controller (A or E)
     -present position (P=)
     -speed (S=)
     -operation (ST=stopped, MV=moving)

  B.For a continuous update mode during MV, type "U"
    and enter:
       A   P=135   S=5   MV



 Meaning: A(azimuth mode)  P(to position)= 135 degrees
          S(speed)=5 (50%) MV (moving)

  C.To return to "request update mode", type "N" and
    ENTER

TO SELECT AZIMUTH OR ELEVATION CONTROL

Type one of the commands below and follow with an ENTER (cr)
   -for Azimuth, type:A
   -for Elevation, type:E

Once azimuth or elevation is selected, the A or E command
Is no longer needed. All commands that follow will affect
Only the selected positioner.




TO INCREASE OR DECREASE SPEED (Assumes A or E has been
Entered)

Type the command and follow with an ENTER (cr). Speed
changes may be entered while positioner is stopped or
moving
- for minimum speed, type: S1
- for maximum speed, type: S9

Commands S1 through S9 are available. For instance, S4 will set speed to 40%
of maximum. Positioner will return a confirmation with "S=4" and update
status at time of command.For example, command "S4" might return:
         E   P=180    S=8   ST
Meaning: E (elevation mode),P (position)=180 degrees,
S (speed)=8 (80%), ST (stopped)

TO SELECT A POSITON (assumes A or E has been entered)

Type the command and follow with an ENTER (cr). Positions
Below 0 or above 360 degrees will cause the display to flash.
- select recognized Azimuth & Elevation positions
from within your programmed parameters.

Positioner will return a confirmation with "P=XXX" and
Update status. For example the command "135" might return:
     A    P=135    S=5    MV

Meaning A(azimuth mode),P (to position)=135 degrees,
S (speed)=5 (50%), MV (moving)

REUTRNED VALUES

All strings, including updates are error conditions, returned to the
terminal by the controller are followed by a line feed (OA) and a cr (OD).
No echos are returned.

ERROR CODES

There are a number of error conditions, returned by the controller to the
terminal, as shown bellow (assume Azimuth)




A ERR=03
 "unexpected character" - returned when the received command is unknown

A ERR=04
 "unexpected byte" - returned when the number of bytes received exceeds the
buffer space

A ERR=05
 "Low 12 volts" - returned when the controller has detected a low 12 volt
condition and has saved the current position and speed in a non-volitile
memory. If the positioner was
moving when this condition occurred, pulse counts could be lost, causing a
slight error in the saved position.



73
--
David Anderson, GM4JJJ         E-mail: gm4jjj@amsat.org
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