Automation of a Satellite Earth Station

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of an automated antenna control system for S-Band parabolic dish antennas used in Satellite Earth stations. The system utilizes the open-source software Gpredict to determine the azimuth and elevation angles required for tracking a satellite of choice. The Antenna Control Unit designed by us is used to interface the motor control unit of the antenna with the computer system that hosts Gpredict. The Antenna Control Unit, based on the commands, controls the speed and direction of rotation of the azimuth and elevation angles. The antenna is then able to automatically point and track the chosen satellite without human intervention. To ensure proper signal reception, the system also includes a software defined radio based signal recording, demodulation, and decoding module implemented using GQRX and GNU Radio. This approach allows for a cost and space-efficient system while maintaining the necessary functionality. Eight Low Earth Orbit Satellites were tracked with 0.1 degree precision whose downlink frequency ranged from 2200 MHz to 2400 MHz and obtained their frequency spectrum for the entire pass. The proposed system is expected to improve the reliability and efficiency of satellite signal reception in earth stations.