DIY Polar Mount

[aitch]

Hi People,
Has anyone seen a website with details of Polar mount designs.?
I travel a lot, around Europe and want to watch TV on the Laptop.
I would like to build something like a Sweety dish which could be rigged up quickly to track the popular Satellites near the Astras.
I was thinking of a small easily dismantled assembly to tuck in a bag with some sort of very small jack to operate it.

Thanks in anticipation

aitch

 

[rolfw]

I would be inclined to use a diseqC motor, then you can drive it with a Skystar2 USB as your receiver.

 

[Channel Hopper]

The problem with a DIY polarmount is the initial North/South setup and the use of a single motor drive

Better to use a dual axis unit from the word go

 

[aitch]

Hi,
By dual axis do you mean 2 motors.?
Not bothering with a polar mount and position but just tracking by relative geometric positions.?
Remember this is a miniature setup to be carried around.

I have seen on some Gin Palaces ( Motor Cruisers ) a system like his which finds the satellite using gps and then holds to the satellite carrier signal to maintain a connection even at sea.

I would be interested in seeing if any software exists to use a travelling dual axis system. But 2 stepper motors and gearing etc.......expensive.

aitch

 

[Channel Hopper]

No need to use stepper motors

Most of the astronomy sites will have a tracking system built for a laptop to drive a telescope

Elsewhere on this site there was some discussion just under a year ago on a similar subject

 

[aitch]

Hi again,
I am designing this motorised polar mount, but with 2 motors.
The main motor will obviously drive the polar axis.

The second I think would best be the declination adjustment.
Or, would it be best to adjust elevation.

I am thinking of situations where I would want to find a satellite quickly and not bother about tracking across the others.

My logic is that in a longer term stay, I would setup accurately and use the diseqc to move the dish alone thereby not needing any extra software.

any input appreciated

aitch

 

[Channel Hopper]

A declination adjustment is more difficult to achieve on a small system as the gearing would have to be extremely low to attain accuracy

Most systems up to about 2.4m use a motor on the elevation part of the system to adjust for the North / South movement of the satellite. and this works with little problem when used for the tracking. Ideally for tracking inclined orbit satellites near the horizon the need of a declination adjustment becomes important, but for a simple pointing device for domestic fixed satellites, the need for daily tracking is unneccessary.

 

[trygveth]

Hi again,
I am designing this motorised polar mount, but with 2 motors.
The main motor will obviously drive the polar axis.

The second I think would best be the declination adjustment.
Or, would it be best to adjust elevation.

I am thinking of situations where I would want to find a satellite quickly and not bother about tracking across the others.

My logic is that in a longer term stay, I would setup accurately and use the diseqc to move the dish alone thereby not needing any extra software.

any input appreciated


aitch

Hi !

Can you shear your polarmount drawings / plans ? I am going to build a polarm. for my 2m alu dish. Can you help ?

Thanks

 

[rolfw]

Unfortunately aitch has not been on the forum for two years, so the likelyhood of him coming back to read you post is pretty remote.

 

[kamaleon]

What a shame! what a great thread... maybe we can gently hijack it and carry on with it