I Built A Cheap Satellite Tracking System From Spare Parts

This is a project I've been working on for a while: automated satellite tracking! The system uses an old security camera pan/tilt mount to aim a small parabolic dish. It's run by an Arduino microcontroller, I think this is the first time I've actually tried one of those for anything useful! The system can be controlled from standard ham radio software like Gpredict or Satdump.
I based much of this project on the SARCNet rotator Mk1, found here: www.sarcnet.or...
Instead of the Aptinex Tricac board, I'm using four 5v relays:
amzn.to/3TokZ1g
The PTZ mount is a Pelco unit I got from Ax-Man Surplus. I actually found most of the parts for this project at Ax-Man, you can find them here: www.ax-man.com/
I'm also using this sensor module:
amzn.to/48COTDu
I use a software-defined radio to listen to the satellite transmissions:
amzn.to/3TolB74
And I have a SAWbird+GOES filter/amplifier on the antenna feed to maximize the signal from L-band satellites (~1.7ghz).
amzn.to/4bXZgEZ
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The dish is a surplus 5.8ghz Wireless network antenna that another ham gave me. The feed is a helical L-band design based on this: sgcderek.githu...
Software I'm using includes:
Gpredict: sourceforge.ne...
SDR++: www.sdrpp.org/
SatDump: www.satdump.org/
This system could easily be modified for Hamsat / Cubesat use with other antennas. I have a few old security camera mounts around, so I'll probably modify another one in the future to have 2m/70cm antennas for Amsat / space station repeater operation.
It could also be used as a small radio telescope, basically a step up from the Tailgater and Carryout telescopes I've been playing with ( • Hacking Portable Satel... )
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