Program Track Sub-Mode; Track Mode - Error Sub-Mode; Track Menu - RESEARCH CONCEPTS RC2000C Manual

44 RC2000C Polar Tracking Antenna Controller
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 antenna is currently being jogged to find the azimuth and elevation
position which corresponds to the maximum received signal strength.
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, then 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 reset, 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. 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 complete 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 which
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 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
system is invoked, the user will be presented with the following display, referred to as the main MENU
display.
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Chapter 5 Modes Function Description