Research Paper
LabVIEW controlled antenna positioner
An antenna rotator is a device used to change the orientation, within the horizontal plane, of a directional antenna. Most antenna rotators have two parts, the rotator unit, and the controller. The most commonly available antenna positioners are commercial rotators and sometimes some rotators are even complex to design and operate. Typically, Antenna Positioners are used to align larger antennas such as those used in Satellite Ground Stations to a fixed position. In contrast, Antenna Rotators and Antenna Rotating & Positioning Equipment are used for positioning of UHF/VHF communication antennas. The proposed design includes an azimuthal and elevation angle rotation system and is also capable of moving up to the accuracy of 1.8 to 0.9 degrees per step. The design also includes a user interface that is useful for easy control of the antenna positioner. NSI-MI Technologies rotary positioners are engineered to provide the optimum balance of outstanding performance, maximum power-density, and excellent application flexibility. In the center of the reference picture, the accompanying image includes an Az-El installation rotator, so named for its controlling of both the azimuth and the elevation components of the direction of an antenna system or array. Such antenna configurations are used in, for example, amateur-radio satellite or moon-bounce communications. ARA offers an ever-expanding line of positioning systems designed to satisfy the most demanding applications, including integrated antenna systems and RF systems. ARA positioning systems have been used successfully in both military and civilian systems and are successfully installed in ground-based, shipboard and airborne applications. The current rotator or positioner design aims to make use of lightweight payloads. In HAM radio applications, generally small weight antennas such as Yagi antennas, stacked Yagi antennas, antenna arrays, testing of microstrip antennas, and some RF chamber applications. This small-scale antenna positioner can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications. The indoor applications may like testing od antenna in the RF chambers and the outdoor applications involve satellite communications, weather image tracking, etc., and these outdoor applications are the most important in all.
Published by: B. Maniratnam Naik, B. Sai Karthik, D. Anil Kumar Yadav, P. David Raju, U. Gnaneshwara Chary
Author: B. Maniratnam Naik
Paper ID: V6I3-1196
Paper Status: published
Published: May 15, 2020
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