[Moon-net] Moontracking - PIC

[David Anderson GM4JJJ]

I remember in the early 1980's my first computer the Acorn Atom with a  
6502 and basic in ROM, I had a realtime tracker for the moon written  
in interpreted BASIC running in a 4K EPROM.

My Palm Pilot tracking program also runs in a form of BASIC.


If you look at my webpage you will also find source for an OLD BASIC  
EME tracking program for the Tandy Model 100.

http://www.gm4jjj.co.uk/tandy/index.html

Note this is NOT a very sophisticated algorithm, the doppler routine  
in particular is very crude. (Compared to more modern and much larger  
algorithms used in MoonSked, VK3UM etc).

I have not played with standalone PIC programmers myself.

Many GOTO az/el telescope mounts have small handheld controllers that  
can track anything. So it should be possible.


Keep us informed of progress.



On 5 Feb 2008, at 09:02, Walter Crauwels, ON4BCB wrote:

> Jean-Marc
>
> In the past about 10years ago there was a very powerfull standalone  
> tracker
> with a 8051 (these days antique)
> It was called "Trakbox", there is also OE5JFL's stand alone tracker.
> But I agree with you that it is more than time to have a
> modern standalone tracker now that such a powerfull
> MCU's excists like microchip and atmel
>
> If you have any knowledge of someone who is develloping this please  
> let me
> know
>
> Walter
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jean-marc BORD" <jmbord at teaser.fr>
> To: "MOON_NET" <moon-net at list-serv.davidv.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 8:10 AM
> Subject: [Moon-net] Moontracking - PIC
>
>
> Hello,
>
> With the availability of powerfull new Pic families , I am looking  
> from
> someone from the EME community who succeeded in computing  the moon
> position  (AZ,EL, 0.1° accuracy)  on a seldom 'rather small'  
> _*microchip
> Pic*_ (like a 4550 or equiv) and in C langage (on the paper, one just
> need a realtimeclock , lat lon coordinates + the right algo).
>
> I need to substitute (translate remove) the link between the tracker  
> and
> the Pc for Expe purpose. My first experiences on a 16F877 went
> unsuccessfull, too many stack calls and the trigo was 'Pic consuming'.
> I am currently working on another solution based on a static table
> containing downloaded moon positions but 5 days of tracking with 0,1°
> infos with a 8k eeprom is the far end, and I need roughly 10 full  
> passes.
>
> Please answer to me offline,
> Kind regards
> Jean-marc F1HDI
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73
___________________________________________________________________________
David Anderson, GM4JJJ         E-mail: david at gm4jjj.co.uk
___________________________________________________________________________
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