User guide

Pedestal

Secondary Drive System

The Az and El Roto-Loks are driven by a low backlash worm gear set with a 15:1 and 30:1 ratio respectively. The low

backlash of the worm gear drive is reduced further by the Roto-Lok drive ratio. This results in a lash equivalent of only .1°

in azimuth and .2° in elevation as seen by the reflector system. The gear sets are encased in a sealed housing allowing for

continuous lubrication in synthetic oil, maximizing gear efficiency and minimizing wear.

Motor Drives

Lightweight, reliable, servo-quality DC motors with integral gearbox are used for Az, El, and Pol drives. The motors are also

equipped with optical encoders that provide precise speed and positioning control, ensuring smooth operation when

peaking the antenna. The 24V DC design provides current-limiting torque control and will allow for vehicle battery operation

if necessary.

Controls

The antenna control system is produced by TracStar Systems and is integrated exclusively with the Roto-Lok pedestal

assembly. The controller includes a tunable receiver, GPS system, and flux-gate compass. The main portion of the

controller is located on the antenna positioner, placing it close to the optical encoders. The power supply and hand-held

controller are separate and can be placed up to 25 feet away without special hardware. Special control cables can be

obtained to place the power supply and hand-held up to 150 feet away from the antenna.

The TracStar controller was developed to achieve one-button, auto-acquisition of the satellite signal 100% of the time using

a proprietary method. The controller peaks the antenna on the data satellite with greater accuracy than a human can

achieve, thus assuring that there is no chance of adjacent satellite interference. Primary and secondary reference satellite

menus and data satellite menus are available for an untrained operator. Any data satellite can be selected or pre-

programmed by a trained operator. Semi-automatic modes are available in case of failure of GPS or a flux-gate to provide

acceptable manual input of case heading and/or latitude and longitude. An Auto-Select mode is the default factory setting

for reference satellite selection in the TracStar software (domestic CONUS use only). The TracStar control system will work

on any Ku Band satellite. Many antennas have options for C or Ka band solutions.

Construction

Except for the drive components and bearings, all components are aluminum, stainless steel or plastic to prevent rusting.