GPS Satellite tracking software using the Algonquin Radio Observatory (ARO) developed in C with around 1761 lines of source code.
- You must have a C compiler IDE on your machine/computer.
This software package takes 3 inputs:
- The North American Aerospace Defense Command Two-Line-Element of the 32 GPS-operational satellites from Celestrak. The format is below:
- Tracking Schedule. The start/stop date and time as well as the time step in a text file. As seen below:
Tracking start date/time: 2017-05-03-14:00:00 Tracking stop date/time: 2017-05-03-14:30:00 Output time step (sec): 60.00
- Station File. File that contains parameters of your station. Here since we are using the ARO they are as follows:
- Latitude 45 degrees 57' 19.812" N
- Longitude 281 degrees 55' 37.055" E
- Elevation 260.42m
- Diameter = 46m solid and mesh parts (36.6m solid part)
- Focal ratio = 0.4(0.5 solid)
- Focal length = 18.3 m prime
- Surface accuracy 0.32 cm (solid), 0.64 cm (mesh)
- Beamwidth = 3 arcmin (10 GHz)
- AZ speed max = 3 deg/min
- EL speed max = 3 deg/min,
- EL_min limit > 9 degrees, EL_max < 89 degrees
For specific format see actual file here.
- Imports TLE
- User can view or edit parameters of the TLE or continue
- Imports Station File
- User can view or edit the parameters of the Station or continue
- Imports Tracking Schedule
- Displays the satellites within view for the Tracking Schedule
- Also saved to a file AOSLOS.txt
- User selects the satellite they want to track
- Displays the Time, Azimuth, Elevation, Azimuth rate-of-change, Elevation rate-of-change, Range rate-of-change, Range, Doppler, and Signal Level.
- The software spits out files:
- Tracking Data file which contains the correct formatting for the ARO dish.
- Ephemeris file '.e' for debugging in STK
The TrackingData.txt file is uploaded to the ARO dish via ftp site where the tracking is done.
| Time | Azimuth degrees | Elevation degrees | Az-Rate | El-Rate | Range (km) | Doppler Shift (kHz) | Signal Level (dBm) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software | 2017-05-03 14:29 | 305.477 | 25.375 | 0.001022 | 0.006557 | 23486.77744 | 3.227356 | -139.215 |
| STK | 2017-05-03 14:28:59 | 305.4773 | 25.37563 | 0.001022 | 0.006557 | 23486.70615 | 3.227376 | -140.804369 |
| Difference | 1 second | 0.000262 | 0.000631 | 0 | 0 | -0.071284 | 2E-05 | -1.589369 |
Note that this was calculated with a 2 day old TLE
The outcomes of developing this software was:
- Demonstrating an example of a complete software project using C.
- Improve my programming, debugging skills using C.
- Apply theoretical knowledge of orbital mechanics, RF signal transmission to a practical problem.
- Introduce the large dish antenna measurement technique by using a celestial source.
- Keith Menezes
- James Brook
Version 5 - Check the updates April 2nd 2017 ENG-4350-P5-JK.pdf
Version 4 - Check the updates March 26th 2017 ENG-4350-P4-JK.pdf
Version 3 - Check the updates below March 19th, 2017 ENG-4350-P3-James-Keith.pdf