Research Concepts RC2000C - Manual (Page 52)

44 RC2000C Az/El Tracking Antenna Controller Chapter 5 Modes Function Description
Research Concepts, Inc. • 5420 Martindale Road • Shawnee, Kansas • 66218-9680 • USA www.researchconcepts.com
When the STEP sub-mode is active, the following messages may be displayed:
STEP SIG OK IDLE - The AGC input indicates that a satellite signal is present and the controller is
waiting to perform another peaking operation.
STEP SIG OK PEAKING - The controller is jogging the antenna to find the maximum signal strength.
The step size is determined by the Max Track Error CONFIG Mode item, the antenna size, and
the frequency band.
STEP NO SIG IDLE - The AGC input indicates that a satellite signal is not present (the AGC level is
below the appropriate threshold level). The controller will wait approximately 5 minutes for the
AGC to return before activating the SEARCH sub-mode.
5 . 4.3 PROGRAM TRACK Sub-mode
In the PROGRAM track sub-mode, the controller positions the antenna based on values stored in the
track table. The controller will also periodically perform a peaking operation similar to that which occurs
in the STEP track sub-mode. If the difference between the peakup position and the position stored in
the track table is greater than the error specified by the Max Track Error CONFIG mode item, the
update flag for each track table entry is set. When a receiver AGC signal is present and the sidereal
time is equal to that associated with a track table entry whose update flag is set, a peakup occurs, the
peakup azimuth and elevation position count values are placed in the track table, and the update flag
for that track table entry is reset.
When the PROGRAM track sub-mode is active, control can switch to either the STEP track or SEARCH
sub-modes when the sidereal time advances to a value for which track table data is not available.
When this occurs, the STEP track sub-mode will activate if a receiver AGC signal is available,
otherwise, control will transfer to the SEARCH sub-mode. A more detailed description of the
PROGRAM track sub-mode may be found in section 4.2.2.
The TRACK MENU system may be used to immediately trigger a reposition of the antenna to the
azimuth and elevation position derived from the track table, and to view the contents of the track table.
The TRACK MENU system also allows the user to specify the time interval between peakup operations
that check the accuracy of the data in the track table. Additionally, the TRACK MENU system allows
the user to clear the track table. The menu system is described in section 5.4.5.
When the PROGRAM sub-mode is active the following messages may be displayed:
PROGRAM IDLE - The PROGRAM track sub-mode is active. The controller is waiting to reposition the
antenna.
PROGRAM REPOSITION - The controller has determined that the antenna pointing error is greater
than that specified by the max track error parameter, and is currently repositioning the antenna
to a position derived from the track table.
PROGRAM PEAKING - The controller is performing a step track operation to either check the accuracy
of or to update a track table entry.
5.4.4 TRACK Mode - ERROR Sub-mode
The ERROR sub-mode activates whenever an error is detected. No tracking occurs while the ERROR
submode is active. The only way to exit from the ERROR submode is to exit TRACK mode by hitting
the MODE key, or via a Track Reset command received by the serial port. The various track mode
errors are described in section 7.2 - TRACK MODE ERRORS.
5.4.5 TRACK MENU
The TRACK mode MENU system allows the user to view and modify data relating to the satellite being
tracked. The MENU system may be invoked whenever the CONFIG mode Expert Access Flag is set by
hitting the 0 key while in the SEARCH IDLE, STEP IDLE, and PROGRAM IDLE states. When the menu