AZ/EL antenna / rotator

az el rotatorIt is known as AZ/EL geometry, and it is a quite simple and low-cost solution, used for MEO, LEO and GEO satellites. The main characteristic of such a tracking system is two rotations: the elevation or declination of the horizon and azimuth or the declination of the north celestial pole. The AZ/EL tracking system has the singularity near the zenith point and that fact reduces its applicability in the dynamic tracking of satellites’ head-up crossing. In spite of this disadvantage, this geometry is commonly used for geostationary satellites, which over the years start to shift from their main orbit if not corrected.

The AZ/EL antenna system AE1800 is suitable for external use with an installed parabola of 1.2 to 1.8 m. This is a compact solution in which all the parts are integrated into antenna mast with a one-phase AC power connection of 1KVAr maximum. A TCP/IP or RS485 communication interface can be used to control and parametrize the antenna. The integrated computer automatically calculates satellite position from the TLE (two line elements) which enables autonomous tracking. Due to solid design, the antenna is fully functional in strong winds up to 120 km/h and other weather conditions, such as rain or snow.