Satellite tracking using a goto telescope mount.
MacDoppler software outputs a udp stream every second with elevation (altitude) and azumuth of passing satellites. We listen for this stream and convert to Ioptron goto telescope mount contol commands to slew the mount to point to the satellite. This happens every second effectivly tracking the satellite across the sky.
Antennas are mounted to the iOptron telescope mount for amateur radio satellite communications.
- MacDoppler or similar software that outputs a "rotator" UDP stream for a satellite position every second. The UDP stream contains Azimuth and Elevation together with satellite name.
- A goto telescope mount. I am using the ioptrom mount so telescope commands are formatted for this mount.
My initial attempt. Single threaded which would action a command to the telescope when udp data was received from MacDoppler which just happens to be every second. Any pause I would make for the telescope mount would ignore udp data.
Improved code based on three threads running simutanionsly.
- First thread is the udp listener which updates an object when data is received.
- Second thread loops checking every 0.4 seconds for any change in object data and if so, formats and sends telescope mount commands.
- Third thread waits on keyboard input and ends on q/Q or exception such as ctrl-c.
- Updated to work and save Altitude (elevation) and Azimuth in degrees with the conversion to telescope arcseconds commands at the time of command.
- Updated to close Telescope Mount TCP session after 30 seconds of inactivity. It will be reopened at next activity.
- There is a wierd 5 second hang in responses from the Telescope Mount. I added a "bypass" where I close and reopen the telescope Mount TCO session after so many command loops.
Generates udp datastream to test various positions. Assisted me with debugging azimuth transitions such as 359->001.