Appendix E - Rc2000A Communications Protocol - RESEARCH CONCEPTS RC2000A DUAL AXIS Instructions Manual

RC2000A Dual Axis Antenna Controller

Appendix E - RC2000A Communications Protocol

REVISION HISTORY
1.22.92 - Original communications protocol for the RC2000A derived from the RC1000A sabusext.inc
file.
4.6.93 - Revised to document the new Auto Move to a target az/el position command in the RC2000A
version 1.30 software.
1.2.95 - Revised to document the new Auto Move to a target polarization position command and the
new byte 32 function of the device status poll command reply in the RC2000A version 1.31 software.
3.21.95 - Revised for the RC2000A version 1.32 software which provided support for the high power
polarization option. The POL JAMMED and POL SENSOR alarm messages have been replaced with
the ANT POL alarm. The drive error status field of bytes 27 and 28 has been removed.
4.1.02, Version 2.6x, a major revision of the protocol to support the AutoPeak function and
upload/download of all controller configuration/satellite data.
12.16.03, Version 2.7, modify the remote SAT_DATA_WRITE command to support deletion of a single
satellite in non-volatile memory and all satellites in non-volatile memory.
Command Modifications ...
Miscellaneous Command – 'Q' sub command initiates an immediate peakup, the 'K' sub command
can be used to stuff a keystroke into the controller's key buffer.
Auto Move Command – Form 1 of the Auto Move Command (32 hex) allows a user to specify a
satellite from non-volatile memory as well as an optional polarization code ('H' or 'V'). This
command has been modified to also accept 'D' (C band) or 'K' (K band) if the antenna is equipped
with a dual band feed.
Az/El Jog Command – the direction field of this command can accept an 'X' character to stop az/el
movement. This command has been modified to also stop polarization movement when the
direction field contains an 'X' and a rotating feed is present. Note that if a rotating feed is present
and AutoPol is enabled, rotating feed movement is stopped and the AutoPol CONFIG mode item is
disabled.
Polarization Command – now accepts 'D' or 'K' if the Pol Control? CONFIG mode item specifies
that a Two Port feed is present. 'D' causes the rotating feed to move to the position associated with
C band and 'K' causes the feed to move to the position associated with Ku band.
Status Query Reply modifications ...
Pol Position, bytes 24-25, modified to accommodate No Polarization Control device.
Polarization Code, byte 26, modified to indicate display of a pol character associated with a
User Remote Auto Move command.
Alarm Code, bytes 30-31, supports the alarms associated with the CONFIG mode items
required to support the peakup function.
Pol Equipment/Position, byte 32, modified to include the information contained in the Pol
Equipment Code CONFIG mode item, namely, the type of polarization control device present in
the system. There is now direct support for a Two Port Pol Motor device (Seavey ESA 124D
simultaneous C/Ku and H/V feed).
Peakup Status and Signal Strength, bytes 33 – 35, these bytes were added to give the status of
peakup operations and indicate signal strength, formerly reserved bytes.
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Appendix E Communications Protocol
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