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Beam Antenna "DUAL" Rotator Controller This controller was designed to interface with the most common antenna rotators including AC, DC, single or dual winding motors. It also includes brake release control. The power supply required to operate the rotator is supplied from a separate source. Many rotators operate on 24v or 26v some on DC, some on AC. Some will operate sufficiently well on 12v DC. Two rotators can be controlled separately using different motor power supplies if required. The method used to measure the rotator heading utilises resistance potentiometers within the rotator motor and so is only suitable for use with this type of rotator. Most popular rotators are of this type.

The Rotator Controller displays the current heading of the rotator in degrees on the top line plus the desired or new heading in degrees on the bottom line. If the rotator has moved to a position beyond 360 degrees, a + sign will be displayed as well as the heading in degrees beyond the 360 degree position. (ie +006). If the rotator has moved to a position less than 0 degrees, a - sign will be displayed as well as the heading in degrees counting backwards from 360. (ie -354). This will indicate to the user that the rotator is in the overlap area of its rotation. The controller will only allow a "New" position up to 40 degrees in either direction of overlap.

The User Guide can be read here.

This project was started due to the purchase of a rotator with no controller and as I was going to set up two masts, I would need to control two rotators. Hence the reason for designing the "dual" system.

The controller uses an Atmel AVR processor running at a mere 1MHz. The "Bearing" control is a continuous rotating digital encoder which allows for fast setting of New headings. Switching between rotators is simply by pressing the A or B buttons. Favourite headings can be saved in memory locations and recalled quickly.