Download HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide

HRPT Data Capture Engine
Installation Guide
Revision 1.0
Copyright ©2001
All Rights Reserved
Quorum Communications, Inc.
8304 Esters Blvd - Suite 850
Irving, Texas 75063 USA
Phone (+1) 972-915-0256
Toll Free USA and Canada 1-800-982-9614
Fax (+1) 972-915-0270
http://www.qcom.com
Table of Contents
Introduction
1-1
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Antenna Installation
2-1
Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Safety Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Required Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Antenna System Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Pole Mount / Pedestal Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Level the Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Attach the Positioner to the Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Attach the Counterweights to the Positioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Attach the Feed Support Poles to the Integrated Feed / Downconverter. . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Attach Feed Support Poles and IFD to Dish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Attach the Dish to the Positioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
GPS Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Antenna Wiring . . . . . . .
Positioner Control Cable
IF Cable. . . . . . . . .
GPS Cable . . . . . . .
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2-15
2-15
2-18
2-20
Electronics Installation
3-1
Recommended PC Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
HRPT Data Capture Engine Component Interconnections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Personal Computer Component Installation - Current System Configuration.
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Install the Drivebay Frame Formatter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Install the MetCom DSP Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3-5
3-5
3-6
3-7
Personal Computer Component Installation - Recent System Configuration .
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Install the Modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 Frame Formatter . . . . . . . . .
Install the MetCom DSP Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connect the RS-232 Control Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3-8
3-8
3-8
3-9
3-9
Personal Computer Component Installation - Original System Configurations
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Install the PC-HRPT-BFS(2) Bit Sync / Frame Formatter . . . . . . . .
Install the PC-HRPT-PSK Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3-10
3-10
3-10
3-12
TAC-2 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
TAC-2 Power Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
i
Install Safety Ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Select the Power Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Make TAC-2 Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
System Calibration and Alignment
4-1
Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set the positioner 0 degree Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set the positioner 360 degree AZ and 180 degree EL Limits
Repeat the Limit Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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4-1
4-2
4-3
4-3
Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Sun Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Geosynchronous Satellite Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
ii
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Description
Introduction
Introduction
Description
The Quorum HRPT Data Capture Engine is a complete data acquisition system for the L band direct broadcast HRPT (High Resolution Picture Transmission) downlink from the USA NOAA
TIROS series of weather satellites. The system can also be optionally fitted to receive similar direct broadcast transmissions from the Orbital Science Seastar Ocean Color satellite and the Chinese Feng Yun 1 series which combines many of the capabilities of the NOAA and Orbital
Science satellites. A typical HRPT Data Capture Engine antenna is shown below.
Figure 1-1
HRPT Data Capture Engine Antenna and Positioner (1.5m antenna shown)
The HRPT Data Capture Engine is a high quality but low cost system designed to provide many
years of trouble free operation. The system has been specifically designed with the requirements
of HRPT reception in mind so that appropriate cost / performance tradeoffs could be made to provide a highly reliable yet low cost system for HRPT reception without consideration for a general
purpose design. The Quorum HRPT Data Capture Engine was first introduced in 1992. Since
then, over 200 systems have been shipped and installed worldwide.
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
1-1
Introduction
Description
The HRPT Data Capture Engine consists of a 1.2m parabolic antenna, low noise integrated feed /
downconverter, feed support poles, antenna positioner with dish mount, pole mount, TAC-2 antenna power supply / controller, 30m control and IF cables and a set of PC based electronics. Optional features include a 1.5m antenna, GPS receiver, longer interconnect cables, mounting
pedestals and optional electronics for Seastar and Feng Yun reception.
Customer supplied equipment includes an appropriate 3.5” OD schedule 40 steel pole to mount
the antenna system and an appropriately configured IBM compatible personal computer to control the system and capture and store data.
Currently (Fall 2001) the HRPT Data Capture Engine supports three sets of electronics and two
PC operating systems. Older systems shipped before 1999 included a set of three ISA (Industry
Standard Architecture) PC boards, an 8 bit Satracker PC1 board to interface to the TAC-2 antenna
controller, an 8 bit HRPT Receiver and a 16 bit HRPT bit sync / frame formatter. Newer systems
support the Quorum MetCom DSP Drivebay receiver and ship with the Satracker PC1 board, a
MetCom DSP receiver and a 16 bit MetCom DSP frame formatter. The MetCom DSP receiver
allows the system to be configured for Feng Yun 1C reception.
HRPT system control and data capture is provided by either the DOS based Qtrack program,
which can also be run under Windows 98 and QtrackNT intended for operation under Windows
NT 4.0 or Windows 2000.
Systems shipped before late 1998 included an earlier version of the Elevation over Azimuth antenna positioner. This earlier system did not include counterweights and used a plastic circular
connector rather than the metal circular connector on the latest positioner. In all other respects the
positioners are equivalent.
Very early systems did not include a TAC-2 antenna power supply. An ATC-120 power supply
was included in these systems. The ATC-120 did not support a GPS and did not supply power to
the Integrated Feed / Downconverter. These connections required separate power supplies. In all
other respects the TAC-2 and ATC-120 are equivalent.
While this manual is intended to be used with the current system configuration, the basic system
setup and configuration has not changed since the first HRPT Data Capture Engine systems were
shipped.
1-2
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Site Selection
Antenna Installation
Antenna Installation
Site Selection
Reception of the HRPT transmission requires a direct line of sight between the satellite and the
receiving antenna. Buildings, other structures, hills and dense trees can interrupt the transmission. While it is not important that the antenna be placed at an elevated location, it is important to
have a clear view of the horizon at an elevation above 5 degrees.
The customer provided pole mount or pedestal must be securely mounted to a building or ce mented to the ground. You should keep the mounting pole as short as possible to limit the possible movement due to wind. You should consult with your facility operations personnel or
contract with a local engineering firm to be sure that the proposed mount and location will withstand maximum expected wind speeds. The weight of the standard HRPT antenna system is 120
lbs.
The standard HRPT system is provided with 100’ (30m) interconnecting cables. You must locate
the antenna system within this distance of the reception and control computer. Optional cable
lengths up to 350’ are available. The interconnecting cables should preferably be run in an approved conduit between the antenna site and TAC-2 controller.
The transmission from the NOAA satellites is at 1700 Mhz and is relatively weak. In the US, cellular phones operate at both 800 and 1900 MHz. In most of the rest of the world, cellular phones
operate at 900 and 1800 Mhz. Cellular base stations transmit relatively powerful signals at these
nearby frequencies and harmonic distortions can cause signals to appear in or near the satellite reception band. Because of this, you should not locate the reception antenna near a cellular base
station or other radio transmission tower. If there is a concern about potential interference with
satellite reception, you should contract for an RF site survey
Safety Considerations
An uninterruptible safety earth ground must be provided from the main power source to the product input wiring terminals thru the supplied power cord.
The remote positioner and antenna assembly needs to be connected to earth ground per local
code. We recommend connecting the positioner frame to ground thru one of the mounting bolts of
the positioner. The positioner power cable contains a safety ground wire back through to the case
of the positioner power supply. The 120V motor drive voltage is supplied through an isolation
transformer to provide additional protection against electrical shock.
Any interruption of the protective (grounding) conductor (inside or outside the instrument) or disconnecting the protective earth terminal will cause a potential shock hazard that could result in
personal injury. Always verify that a common ground exists between the outside antenna unit and
the positioner power supply. The TAC-2 positioner power supply has a provision for a heavy
electrical ground to the chassis. Connect a heavy ground strap to the 1/4x20 bolt on the rear of the
TAC-2 to a known good ground. The 1/4x20 bolt is labeled with a ground symbol.
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
2-1
Antenna Installation
Required Tools
Whenever it is likely that the protection has been impaired, the unit must be made inoperative and
secured against any unintended operation.
Servicing instructions are for use by service-trained personnel only. To avoid dangerous electrical
shock, do not perform any servicing unless qualified to do so.
There are no user adjustments necessary inside the units. The only adjustment to be performed by
the user is the calibration of the positioner gain and offset amplifiers, which can be calibrated
from the rear of the positioner power supply unit.
For continued protection against fire hazard, replace the line fuses only with 5x20mm 250V fuses
of the same current rating and type. Do not use repaired fuses or short circuited fuseholders.
Required Tools
The HRPT Data Capture Engine antenna system is built using English measure hardware. The
following tools are required for assembly:
• 3/8” wrench and/or socket
• 7/16” wrench and/or socket
• 9/16” wrench and/or socket
• 3/4” wrench and/or socket
• 5/32” allen wrench
• 5/16” allen wrench
An adjustable wrench may also be helpful.
Antenna System Assembly
Pole Mount / Pedestal Installation
Refer to the drawings numbered 860014, 860016 and 860017 on the next three pages.
Pole Mount Installation
The pole mount is shipped pre-assembled. You should refer to drawing 860014 if for any reason
the pole mount must be reassembled.
Place the pole mount over the 3.5 inch OD schedule 40 pole that you have supplied for your system. Align one of the straight sides of the top plate so that it is perpendicular to TRUE north.
Temporarily tighten the 3 bolts on the side of the pole mount to secure it to the mounting pole.
2-2
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-3
Antenna Installation
2-4
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-5
Antenna Installation
2-6
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-7
Antenna Installation
Antenna System Assembly
Pedestal Installation
Quorum provides two standard pedestals which are intended for radome installations but can also
be used as stand alone mounts. Refer to drawing number 860139 for a typical installation in a
Seatel 72 inch radome and drawing number 860490 for a typical installation in a Seatel 82 inch
radome. Both of these use the SAR-72 pedestal. The TRAD-8 pedestal is used as a stand alone
mount or inside a Telonics TRAD-8 8 foot radome.
The pedestals are shipped partially assembled. Mount the lower section of the pedestal using appropriate bolts for your installation. Four spacers are provided to allow the base to be mounted to
an unlevel surface. Place the top section of the pedestal on the lower section and align one of the
straight sides of the top plate so that it is perpendicular to TRUE north. Using the three (3) ½-13 x
2” hex bolts, flat washers, split washer and hex nuts provided (refer to detail 2 in the appropriate
pedestal assembly drawing) connect the upper and lower sections of the pedestal. It is a good idea
to align the top section so that it can be rotated as much as possible either side of north for future
alignment ease.
Figure 2-1
Pedestal Assembly
Level the Mount
Once the pole mount or pedestal is installed, place a bubble level on the top plate as shown below:
If necessary, loosen the 4 nuts that mount the top leveling plate to the mount and adjust the spacing until the top plate is level. Re-tighten all of the nuts on the mounting plate.
2-8
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna System Assembly
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-9
Antenna Installation
Antenna System Assembly
Attach the Positioner to the Mount
During the next sections, refer to drawing number 860013 above.
Mount the positioner to the pole mount or pedestal using four (4) 3/8-16 x 1-1/2” hex bolts, flat
washer, split washer and hex nut as shown in drawing 860013. Locate the connector on the
positioner towards TRUE north.
Figure 2-3
Figure 2-2
Positioner to Pole Mount
Positioner to Pedestal
Figure 2-4
Positioner Mounting
2-10
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna System Assembly
Antenna Installation
Attach the Counterweights to the Positioner
Attach the 2 counterweights to the positioner using 3/8 x 2” socket head bolts and split washers.
Figure 2-5
Figure 2-6
Counterweight Closeup
Counterweight Attachment
Attach the Feed Support Poles to the Integrated Feed / Downconverter
Attach the 3 feed support poles to the IFD-1702.5-137.5-C using three (3) 1/4-20 x 1” hex bolts,
flat washers and split washers as shown below. Do not fully tighten the bolts at this time.
Figure 2-7
IFD attachment to Feed Support Poles
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
2-11
Antenna Installation
Antenna System Assembly
Attach Feed Support Poles and IFD to Dish
Attach the 3 feed support poles and IFD assembly to the dish using three (3) 1/4-20 x 2” hex bolts,
flat washers and split washers as shown below.
Figure 2-8
Feed Support Pole Attachment to Dish
Tighten all of the bolts on the dish and IFD. Be sure that
the feed support poles and IFD are not twisted and the
IFD is centered over the small hole in the dish.
If the connector on the IFD will be difficult to reach after
the dish is placed on the positioner, you may want to connect the IF cable to the IFD now and dress the cable. Refer to the section on IF cable connection if you want to do
this now.
Figure 2-9
Closeup of Feed Pole Attachment
2-12
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
GPS Installation
Antenna Installation
Attach the Dish to the Positioner
Set the dish into the 4 U-brackets on the mounting plate on the top of the positioner. Attach the
dish to the positioner using (4) 10-32 x 2 ½” socket head bolts, flat washers, split washers and hex
nuts as shown below.
Figure 2-11
Figure 2-10
Dish Attachment
Dish Attachment Closeup
Mechanical assembly of the HRPT Data Capture Engine antenna system is now complete.
GPS Installation
Refer to drawing number 860028 on the next page. The GPS should be located near the antenna
with a clear view of the horizon.
Attach the provided GPS mount to a flat surface using appropriate screws.
Thread the GPS receiver onto the mount until it is tight.
The HRPT Data Capture Engine uses a standard Trimble Accutime GPS with the RS-422 interface and TSIP protocol options.
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
2-13
Antenna Installation
2-14
GPS Installation
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Wiring
Antenna Installation
Antenna Wiring
Before routing the cables between the antenna location and the TAC-2 location, you should check
your local electrical codes to determine the appropriate installation method. In many cases, it
may be required or desirable to run the cables in conduit.
Positioner Control Cable
The positioner is normally supplied with a 100 foot (30 meter) interconnect cable which is
pre-wired to connect the positioner to the TAC-2 power supply. The cable supplied is a 12 conductor 18 gauge double shielded bundle rated at 600 volts. This cable is not plenum rated. The
TAC-2 is capable of driving cable lengths up to 350 feet of 18 gauge wire. To drive longer lengths
of cable, contact Quorum Communications.
Current systems use the cable shown in drawing number 860207. It has a metal circular connector on the positioner end and a plastic AMP circular connector on the indoor end that connects to
the TAC-2.
Older systems use the cable shown in drawing number 860018. It has a plastic AMP circular connector on both ends.
Each end of the positioner control cable is labeled. One end is labeled Positioner End and the
other is labeled To TAC-2.
Figure 2-12
Positioner Control Cable Routing
The positioner control cable carries both low voltage control and status signals and high voltage
power. The HRPT Data Capture Engine positioner uses 115V AC motors. The heater is also
powered by 115VAC. The motor and heater power is supplied by the TAC-2. The primary power
supplied to the TAC-2 may be nominal 115VAC or 230VAC and is connected to a toroidal isolation transformer which provides the 115VAC to drive the motors and heater. The motor and
heater power is provided to the positioner by a solid state relay. 115VAC power is only supplied
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
2-15
Antenna Installation
2-16
Antenna Wiring
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Wiring
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-17
Antenna Installation
Antenna Wiring
to the positioner when it is necessary to move the antenna or turn on the heater. This is indicated
by illumination of the AZ+, AZ-, EL+, EL- or Heater LED on the front of the TAC-2.
After routing the positioner control cable between the positioner and the TAC-2, screw the connector labeled Positioner End to the mating connector on the positioner as shown in the figure
above. Route the cable as shown in the figure and secure it to the pole mount or pedestal base using a large tie wrap.
On older systems with the plastic circular connector screw the connector to the mating connector
on the positioner as shown in the figure below. Loosen one of the mounting screws on the
positioner mating connector and connect the safety ground wire under this screw. Route the cable
between the positioner leveling plates and secure it to the pole mount or pedestal using a large tie
wrap.
Figure 2-13
Positioner Control Cable Routing (older systems)
IF Cable
The IF (Intermediate Frequency) cable connects the IFD-1702.5-137.5-C Integrated Feed /
Downconverter to the TAC-2. This cable is a 9311 type double shielded RG-58 size 50 ohm cable. The standard system IF cable is 120 feet long. The IFD is capable of driving up to 350 feet of
RG-58 type cable. Low voltage 12 volt power to the IFD is also provided on this cable.
On systems with a pole mount, the IF cable has an ‘N’ connector on the outdoor end and a ‘BNC’
connector on the indoor end. Screw the ‘N’ connector onto the mating connector on the IFD until
it seats firmly. Use Coax Seal (provided with the system) to weatherproof the connector.
On systems with a pedestal, a short section of cable with ‘N’ connectors on both ends is provided
to connect the IFD to a bulkhead connector on the pedestal base. Screw the ‘N’ connectors to the
mating connector on the IFD and to one side of the bulkhead connector. Screw the ‘N’ connector
of the IF cable to the other side of the bulkhead connector. Use Coax Seal to weatherproof all
three of these connectors. Refer to the figure below for location of the bulkhead connector.
Refer to drawing number 860209 and the figures below to route the IF cable from the IFD. Use
tie wraps to route the IF cable down a feed support pole to the rear of the dish and then down a
dish support. Leave a service loop as shown in the drawing to allow the dish to move without
2-18
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Wiring
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-19
Antenna Installation
Antenna Wiring
Figure 2-15
Figure 2-14
IF Cable Routing - IFD down feed support
IF Cable Routing
catching the cable. It is very important that the ser vice loop is made properly to be sure that the
positioner will not catch the cable while moving. After the positioner is completely installed, you should
operate the dish manually throughout the complete
range of movement to be sure that the service loop is
operating correctly.
Figure 2-16
N Bulkhead Connector on Pedestal
GPS Cable
The GPS cable is shown in drawing number 860019. It has only low voltage power, control and
status signals. One end has a Mini-Con-X connector and is labeled GPS Antenna. The other end
has a plastic circular AMP connector and is labeled TAC-2 J02. Connect the Mini-Con-X end to
the GPS antenna by pressing the connector on and then turning the shell about ¼ turn.
2-20
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Wiring
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Antenna Installation
2-21
Antenna Installation
2-22
Antenna Wiring
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Recommended PC Configuration
Electronics Installation
Electronics Installation
The HRPT Data Capture Engine requires a customer supplied IBM compatible personal computer. The computer requirements depend on the version of Qtrack that you intend to run and the
electronics configuration of your system. You should refer to the Qtrack for DOS or Qtrack for
Windows NT / 2000 guide for specific operating system information.
All HRPT systems shipped until recently have required a computer with three available ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) slots for the antenna controller, receiver and bit / frame synchronizer. New systems ship with the Quorum MetCom DSP drivebay receiver and require only two
ISA slots. A third ISA slot may be required in some instances to support RS-232 communications with the receiver. In addition, the MetCom receiver mounts in a free drivebay similar to a
CDROM drive.
Recommended PC Configuration
As a general rule, we would recommend at least a 350 MHz Pentium CPU with 128 MB RAM
and a large hard drive configured with extended NTFS or FAT32 file systems.
Most recent PC’s contain a combination of ISA and PCI slots. The HRPT Data Capture Engine
requires the address space from 0x310 to 0x31F and Interrupt 5. Generally, PC’s with PCI slots
require that you reserve the address space and interrupt used by “legacy” ISA devices in the PC
BIOS. You should refer to your PC manual for instructions on reserving these resources. If interrupt 5 is not reserved for the ISA bus, you will not receive any data.
Also, when installing the operating system on your PC, particularly a Windows version, be sure
that the resources (address space and interrupt) necessary for the HRPT Data Capture Engine operation are not being used by other devices.
Most new PC’s no longer contain ISA slots. If you need a correctly configured PC with ISA slots
or would like to upgrade an older version of the HRPT Data Capture Engine without replacing
your hardware, a compatible PC is available from Quorum Communications.
HRPT Data Capture Engine Component Interconnections
A schematic HRPT Data Capture Engine component interconnect diagram for current systems
with a MetCom DSP receiver and Drivebay Frame Formatter is shown in drawing number
860543 below.
Drawing number 860521 shows recent systems with a MetCom DSP receiver and modified
PC-HRPT-BFS2 frame formatter.
A schematic HRPT Data Capture Engine component interconnect diagram for older systems with
an ISA bus PC-HRPT-PSK receiver is shown in drawing number 860027 below.
Refer to the appropriate drawing for your system during the following sections.
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
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Electronics Installation
3-2
HRPT Data Capture Engine Component Interconnections
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
HRPT Data Capture Engine Component Interconnections
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Electronics Installation
3-3
Electronics Installation
3-4
HRPT Data Capture Engine Component Interconnections
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Personal Computer Component Installation - Current System Configuration
Electronics Installation
Some of the first HRPT systems shipped with an ATC-120 positioner power supply. The
ATC-120 was replaced by the TAC-2. If your system has an ATC-120, the installation sections
below will point out the differences.
Personal Computer Component Installation - Current System Configuration
Current systems ship with the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller, MetCom DSP Receiver and
Drivebay Frame Formatter, along with the TAC-2 Power Supply / Controller.
Refer to drawing number 860543.
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller board in a free ISA slot. This board uses I/O addresses from 0x314 to 0x317. Confirm that the address jumpers have jumpers across the pins
labeled A7, A6, A5 and A3 and that the pins labeled A9, A8, A4 and A2 do not have jumpers.
Address Jumpers
Figure 3-1
PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
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Electronics Installation
Personal Computer Component Installation - Current System Configuration
Confirm that the jumpers near U17 labeled JP1 and JP2 are to the right over the pins labeled 422.
If these are in the wrong position the GPS will not communicate.
Also confirm that the PROM Revision number in position U15 is 1.30. Earlier versions may not
communicate correctly with current versions of Qtrack.
Install the Drivebay Frame Formatter
Install the Drivebay Frame Formatter in a free ISA slot. Confirm that jumpers are located only
over the pins labeled FFI5 (Frame Formatter Interrupt 5), 310 FFADRS (Frame Formatter Address 0x310 to 0x313), SPI3 (Serial Port Interrupt 3) and 318 SPADRS (Serial Port Address
0x318 to 0x31F).
Figure 3-2
PC-HRPT-DBFS Drivebay Frame Formatter
Connect one end of the supplied 16 pin cable to J1 (To MetCom DSP Receiver) on the Frame Formatter. The other end will connect to the MetCom receiver.
Note that the Drivebay frame formatter is not intended to be used with an Orbital Science SGP
decrypter for SeaWiFs reception. If you intend to receive SeaWiFs with this configuration you
should contact Orbital Science and obtain a copy of the new OGP software which replaces the
SGP black box.
3-6
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Personal Computer Component Installation - Current System Configuration
Electronics Installation
The Drivebay Frame Formatter contains frame formatter logic equivalent to the other Quorum
Bit / Frame Sync boards in addition to a 16550 serial communications controller necessary to
control the MetCom DSP receiver.
Note that the Drivebay Frame Formatter is only supported by versions of DOS Qtrack of 2.10 or
later and versions of QtrackNTDB with correct drivers. Refer to the Qtrack documentation or
contact Quorum with any questions.
Install the MetCom DSP Receiver
The MetCom DSP Receiver should be installed in a free 5 ¼” drivebay location in your computer
as shown in the picture on the right below. The MetCom DSP mounts with US 6-32 x ¼” screws.
Figure 3-3
Figure 3-4
MetCom DSP Receiver
PC
Figure 3-5
MetCom DSP Receiver Rear Panel
Connect the 16 pin cable from the Drivebay Frame Formatter to the 16 pin connector at the bottom right of the receiver back panel.
Connect a free power connector in your computer to the receiver power connector at the bottom
left of the receiver back panel.
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Electronics Installation
Personal Computer Component Installation - Recent System Configuration
Connect the supplied SMA male to BNC male coaxial cable SMA end to Input 0 which is the
SMA female connector at the top right of the receiver back panel. Route the coaxial cable to the
rear of the computer. Use the supplied BNC to BNC panel mount connector to exit the computer.
Depending on your computer configuration, you can mount this adapter in an open card slot or in
an available “knockout” on the rear of your computer.
You may also want to route the Signal Level voltage to the rear of the computer to assist in alignment of the antenna.
Personal Computer Component Installation - Recent System Configuration
If your system was shipped before mid 2001, it uses a modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 Bit / Frame
Sync board and a conventional PC serial port to communicate with the MetCom DSP Receiver in
addition to the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller and TAC-2 Power Supply / Controller.
Refer to drawing number 860521 for this configuration.
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller
The PC-HRPT-ST1 installation is the same as the current system configuration. Refer to the Current Installation instructions above to install this board.
Install the Modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 Frame Formatter
Install the modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 board in a free ISA slot. This board uses addresses 0x318 to
0x31B. Confirm that the address jumpers have jumpers across the pins labeled A7, A6, A5 and
A2 and that the pins labeled A9, A8, A4 and A3 do not have jumpers Also confirm that a jumper
is over the pins labeled Interrupt 5.
If you intend to use the system to receive SeaWiFs and are connecting to an Orbital Science SGP
decrypter, confirm that the jumpers on the right side of the board are over the pins labeled “N” and
“50”. This sets the board for Normal Data and Clock Polarities and enables the 50 ohm TTL interface which is required for operation with the SGP.
The modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 board removes the bit sync functionality that is not necessary for
use with the MetCom DSP receiver and includes a hardwired connector to the receiver.
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HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Personal Computer Component Installation - Recent System Configuration
Electronics Installation
Figure 3-6
Modified PC-HRPT-BFS2 Frame Formatter
Install the MetCom DSP Receiver
Install the MetCom DSP receiver as described in the previous section for the current system configuration.
Connect the 16 pin connector from the modified Frame Formatter to the Data IF connector at the
lower right of the receiver back panel.
Connect the power and coax cables as described for the current system configuration.
Connect the RS-232 Control Cable
The MetCom DSP receiver in this configuration requires a standard RS-232 serial port for control
and status. You can use a built in serial port or install an ISA bus board with an additional serial
port.
The serial control port on the MetCom DSP receiver is located to the right of the power connector
on the back panel of the receiver. This is a 10 pin IDC connector and is made to mate directly with
a PC serial port using an appropriate cable.
For connection to an external serial port, you should use a cable with a 10 pin IDC connector on
one end and a 9 pin ‘D’ female connector on the other. Contact Quorum if you need information
on this cable.
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Electronics Installation
Personal Computer Component Installation - Original System Configurations
For internal connections, use a 10 pin IDC to 10 pin IDC. Some PC motherboards have a second
serial port on an internal connector that you could use for this purpose.
Current versions of Qtrack and QtrackNT require that the serial port used to communicate with
the receiver is set to operate as a standard COM4 at address 0x2E8. If you are using an internal
port, the address can usually be set in the system BIOS. If you are using an internal board, the address is usually selected by means of jumper settings.
If you are running QtrackNT, it is necessary that the serial port used to communicate with the receiver is NOT recognized by the operating system or it will block communications by the Qtrack
program. Contact Quorum if you have any questions concerning correct setup for this configuration under Windows NT or 2000.
Personal Computer Component Installation - Original System Configurations
If your system was shipped before 1999, it uses a PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller,
PC-HRPT-PSK ISA bus receiver and either an original PC-HRPT-BFS Bit / Frame Sync or
PC-HRPT-BFS2 Bit / Frame Sync with SeaWiFs support in addition to a TAC-2 Power Supply /
Controller.
Refer to diagram 860027 for this configuration.
Install the PC-HRPT-ST1 Antenna Controller
The PC-HRPT-ST1 installation is the same as the current system configuration. Refer to the Current Installation instructions above to install this board.
Install the PC-HRPT-BFS(2) Bit Sync / Frame Formatter
The PC-HRPT-BFS and PC-HRPT-BFS2 are essentially the same board. The BFS2 adds external connections to support connection to an Orbital Science SGP decryption unit for SeaWiFs reception.
Connect one end of the short 2 wire interconnect cable to the white connector at the left center of
the board. The other end will connect to the receiver board.
Install the PC-HRPT-BFS(2) board in a free ISA slot. This board uses addresses 0x318 to
0x31B. Confirm that the address jumpers have jumpers across the pins labeled A7, A6, A5 and
A2 and that the pins labeled A9, A8, A4 and A3 do not have jumpers Also confirm that a jumper
is over the pins labeled Interrupt 5.
If you intend to use the system to receive SeaWiFs and are connecting to an Orbital Science SGP
decrypter, confirm that the jumpers on the right side of the board are over the pins labeled “N” and
“50”. This sets the board for Normal Data and Clock Polarities and enables the 50 ohm TTL interface which is required for operation with the SGP.
3-10
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Personal Computer Component Installation - Original System Configurations
Electronics Installation
Figure 3-7
PC-HRPT-BFS Bit Sync / Frame Formatter
Figure 3-8
PC-HRPT-BFS2 Bit Sync / Frame Formatter with SeaWiFs support
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Electronics Installation
Personal Computer Component Installation - Original System Configurations
If you intend to run the DOS version of Qtrack under Windows 98 or you intend to run the Windows NT version of Qtrack, the PC-HRPT-BFS(2) must have 16K word FIFO’s installed instead
of the standard 1K FIFO’s. The FIFO’s are located in positions U23 and U28 on the board.
Recent boards contain sockets in these locations so that the boards can be easily updated. Older
boards must have the components removed and replaced. Check the components in locations
U23 and U28. The 1K FIFO’s will have a part number of 7202 while the 16K FIFO’s will have a
part number of 7206. Contact Quorum if you need to upgrade the FIFO’s on your board.
Install the PC-HRPT-PSK Receiver
Connect the 2 pin cable that is also connected to the PC-HRPT-BFS(2) to the white connector
near the bottom center of the PC-HRPT-PSK receiver board.
Figure 3-9
PC-HRPT-PSK Receiver
Install the PC-HRPT-PSK receiver board in a free ISA slot. Be sure that the cable that connects
the receiver and bit sync boards is not under stress. This board uses I/O addresses from 0x310 to
0x313. Confirm that the address jumpers have jumpers across the pins labeled A7, A6, A5, A3
and A2 and that the pins labeled A9, A8, and A4 do not have jumpers
3-12
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
TAC-2 Installation
Electronics Installation
TAC-2 Installation
The TAC-2 (Tracking Antenna Controller - 2) is the interface between the PC control electronics
contained in the PC-HRPT-ST1 antenna controller and the antenna positioner. It contains a
power supply for the positioner, Integrated Feed / Downconverter and GPS in addition to control
electronics for the positioner.
Figure 3-10
TAC-2 Front Panel
TAC-2 Power Connection
The TAC-2 can be configured to operate from nominal 120VAC 50/60 Hz or nominal 240VAC
50/60 Hz. Before connecting the TAC-2, confirm that the voltage setting is correct for your location. This is set by means of a voltage selector near the power connector on the rear panel of the
TAC-2.
Figure 3-11
TAC-2
Power
Connector
Verify that the tab on the voltage selector is set to the either the 120V or 240V position. Although
the external indicator has 4 positions, only the 120V and 240V settings are supported by the internal selector. The voltage selector is removed by prying out the fuse holder by inserting a small
flat blade screwdriver in the slot near the power connector. Once removed, pull out the voltage
selector, rotate it to the correct position and push it back in.
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Electronics Installation
TAC-2 Installation
You should also verify the fuses. The fuseholder can be configured for either dual 5mm fuses or a
shorting bar and 5mm / 3AG fuse by removing the phillips head screw and turning over the
fuseholder. If you are running on 240VAC you should configure the fuseholder for dual fuses and
install 2 5mm 2.5A slow blow fuses. If you are running 120VAC you should configure the
fuseholder for the shorting bar and install 1 5mm or 3AG 5A slow blow fuse.
Install Safety Ground
Connect a safety ground wire from the 1/4-20 lug on the back of the TAC-2 to a safety ground in
accordance with your local electrical codes.
The TAC-2 contains an isolation transformer so there is no common connection between the electrical system and the positioner but the addition of a safety ground is highly recommended.
Select the Power Cord
The TAC-2 is designed to use a standard IEC power cord. The correct power cord is normally
supplied with your system. If you must obtain a replacement cord, choose one that contains a
ground connection and be sure to connect it to a grounded receptacle.
DO NOT PLUG IN or TURN ON the TAC-2 at this time.
Figure 3-12
TAC-2 Rear Panel
Make TAC-2 Connections
With reference to the TAC-2 rear panel above and starting at the left:
• Connect the positioner control cable to J01 labeled POSITIONER
• Connect the GPS cable to J02 labeled GPS RECEIVER (only if your system has GPS)
• Connect the supplied 15 pin ‘D’ cable between J03 labeled GPS Communication and the 15 pin
‘D’ female connector on the PC-HRPT-ST1 board in the PC. The ends of this cable are labeled
for correct installation. (only if your system has GPS)
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HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
TAC-2 Installation
Electronics Installation
• Connect the supplied 9 pin ‘D’ cable between J04 labeled Positioner Control and the 9 pin ‘D’
connector on the PC-HRPT-ST1 board in the PC. The ends of this cable are labeled for correct
installation.
• Connect the IF cable from the Integrated Feed / Downconverter to J05 labeled IFD.
• Connect the supplied 6’ BNC to BNC cable between J06 labeled RX and the receiver input.
For a system with a MetCom DSP receiver, this is the cable you previously connected to Input
0 on the receiver. For a system with a PC-HRPT-PSK ISA bus receiver, this is the BNC connector at the top of the board and is labeled Down Converter Input.
At this time, all connections are complete. Plug in the TAC-2 and turn on the power switch. Confirm that the SYSTEM, IFD and GPS LED’s are ON on the front panel of the TAC-2.
NOTE: It may take from 15 to 30 minutes for the GPS to output valid position information after
the TAC-2 is powered on. You should always leave the TAC-2 powered on unless you are working on the antenna positioner. The TAC-2 should always be turned on BEFORE the Qtrack software is started to ensure correct setup and communications with the GPS.
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Electronics Installation
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TAC-2 Installation
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Calibration
System Calibration and Alignment
System Calibration and Alignment
Calibration and alignment of the HRPT Data Capture Engine requires that the Qtrack software be
installed and operating. You should refer to the Qtrack manuals for installation and operating instructions.
As of this writing, the NT version of Qtrack does not support calibration or Sun alignment. Because of this, if you intend to run the current NT version of Qtrack, you should set up your PC to
dual boot DOS so that you can use the Qtrack DOS version to set up the system or install the DOS
version of Qtrack on a bootable floppy disk for alignment purposes.
Calibration
Start Qtrack. You should see a screen similar to the one below. At this time it is not necessary to
set up Qtrack.
Figure 4-1
Qtrack Screen
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
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System Calibration and Alignment
Calibration
Set the positioner 0 degree Limits
Press the T key until Manual is shown next to Track Mode as shown below.
Figure 4-2
Lower
Limit
Settings
• Press the left and down arrow keys and wait 60 seconds for the positioner to reach the minimum position.
• Using a small flat blade screwdriver, adjust the POSITIONER CALIBRATION potentiometer
on the back panel of the TAC-2 labeled AZ 0 until the AZ Position shown on the Qtrack screen
is 0.0.
• Adjust the potentiometer labeled EL 0 until the EL Position shown on the Qtrack screen is 0.0.
Figure4-3
TAC-2 Positioner Calibration Adjustment
4-2
HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Calibration
System Calibration and Alignment
Set the positioner 360 degree AZ and 180 degree EL Limits
Figure 4-4
Upper
Limit
Settings
• Press the right and up arrow keys and wait 60 seconds for the positioner to reach the maximum
position.
• Adjust the potentiometer labeled AZ 360 until the AZ Position shown on the Qtrack screen is
360.0
• Adjust the potentiometer labeled EL 180 until the EL Position shown on the Qtrack screen is
180.0
Repeat the Limit Adjustments
The lower and upper limit adjustments are somewhat interactive. Repeat the lower and then upper limit adjustments until the readings are stable. If your system has been previously calibrated,
it may take only one repeat. If your system has never been calibrated or the positioner or TAC-2
has been replaced, it may take 3 or more repeats for stable reading.
If you have a new system, it was calibrated at the factory and only small adjustments if any should
be required.
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System Calibration and Alignment
Alignment
Alignment
There are two alignment methods that can be used, Sun alignment and Geosync satellite alignment. Sun alignment can only be used when the sun is above the horizon and Geosync alignment
can be used when a Geosync satellite transmitting Wefax can be seen from your location.
Before you can attempt alignment, you must set up Qtrack with accurate location, time and, for
geosync alignment 2-line elements. If your system has a GPS, wait until the message GPS OK is
shown in the GPS status area of the screen and your correct latitude and longitude is shown. You
should also set your local UTC offset. If you don’t have a GPS, manually set your position with
as much accuracy as possible and set the PC clock within 1 second of UTC.
Sun Alignment
Figure 4-5
Sun
Alignment
Press the ‘T’ key until Sun is displayed next to Track Mode. Wait a few seconds until the
positioner points at the Sun.
NOTE: If you have a very old system with a shiny dish finish, pointing at the Sun will cause the
front of the IFD to melt. Most systems have a dish with a slightly textured finish to disburse the
solar energy.
Method 1
This method requires that the sun be above the horizon but will work even on cloudy days when
there is no shadow. It also requires a newer system with a Drivebay receiver.
Connect a spare coaxial cable to the signal level output of the Drivebay receiver and route it to the
antenna. Connect a volt meter to the signal level cable. Loosen the bolts on the antenna mount
that allow azimuth adjustment and rotate the antenna azimuth until the maximum signal voltage
is seen. Tighten the azimuth bolts.
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HRPT Data Capture Engine Installation Guide
Alignment
System Calibration and Alignment
Method 2
This method requires that the Sun be above the horizon and shadows can be seen, but will work
with any receiver type.
Loosen the bolts on the antenna mount that allow azimuth adjustment. Rotate the antenna azimuth until the shadow of the IFD falls in the center of the dish. Tighten the azimuth bolts.
Geosynchronous Satellite Alignment
Figure 4-6
Geosync
Satellite
Alignment
To align the system using a geosynchronous satellite, first add a satellite to the Qtrack tracking
screen that is above the horizon at your location and transmitting wefax. This would be a GOES
satellite over the western hemisphere, a Meteosat over Europe and GMS over Asia and Australia.
If the geosynchronous satellite is not the first in the list with priority 1 as shown above, click and
hold the mouse cursor over the satellite name and drag it to the first position. Press the ‘T’ key until Auto is shown next to Track Mode. Wait a few seconds for the antenna to point at the satellite.
Qtrack will automatically tune the receiver to 1691.0 MHz for a GOES or GMS satellite or
1694.5 for Meteosat. You should see a signal level reported on the Qtrack screen and the LK or
PL indicator should be on.
If you have a Drivebay receiver, connect a coaxial cable to the signal level output and route it to
the antenna.
If you have a PC-HRPT-PSK receiver, you must connect a cable to pins 2 and 3 of the 9 pin ‘D’
connector on the board and route it to the antenna.
Connect a volt meter to the signal level cable. Loosen the bolts on the mount that allow azimuth
adjustment and rotate the antenna azimuth until the maximum signal voltage is obtained. Tighten
the azimuth bolts.
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