Re: Telescopic Satellite Tracking software

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Tue Jan 04 2011 - 21:47:34 UTC

  • Next message: Dale Ireland: "RE: Telescopic Satellite Tracking software"

    Hi Kevin
    
    Thanks for your input.
    
    According to the documentation on the Starry Night Pro V6 site only the 
    FIRST 150 satellites from an orbital element set are loaded. Here is a link 
    to this statement - if it can display more then their site is 
    incorrect/outdated
    
    http://www.starrynightsupport.com/support_trio/index.php?action=kb&article=171
    
    I agree with your other comments though to a certain extent - the various 
    programs will go to a satellite position but, as I pointed out the programs 
    have the same defect as RTGUI does - the scope wont actually be pointing at 
    the satellite but close to it because the drive has not stopped and the 
    programs work in RA/Dec.    NO planetarium type program has the ability yet 
    to track on a satellite , ie LOCK on a satellite shown in the program 
    display and then FOLLOW the satellite - they all insist on tracking at 
    sidereal rate.  GUIDE has been used in a similar manner for satellite 
    tracking of geostationary satellites - ie used as a GOTO system but with the 
    same defect as all the other programs . I believe Scott has used GUIDE in 
    this way during the period when he also tried SATELLITE TRACKER and found 
    that ST  failed on some geosats ( thats why I refer to ST as being buggy).
    
    When I say a program has limited satellite tracking ability what I mean is 
    that one is able to set the program running a minute or two fast, you then 
    click on the satellite and the scope will then slew to that position and you 
    then might have a chance of seeing the satellite go through your field of 
    view- of course the bigger the field of view the better are your chances - I 
    was able to use RTGUI like this- it worked - some of my recent observations 
    were made in this mode - but it required more effort than what is was worth.
    
    I use NexRemote to control my scope for satellite tracking by switching OFF 
    the scopes sidereal drive  and working only in az/el - in this way the 
    satellite is where its predicted - assuming elements are okay, but then 
    NexRemote cant be called a satellite tracking program - the word satellite 
    isnt even mentioned.
    
    Guess there really isnt much more that can be said on the subject - we have 
    still to see THE program being written that will deliver the goods. 
    SATELLITE TRACKER comes close - its a pity further development on it was 
    stopped and the source code is not available for the various bugs to be 
    sorted out. So Im pinning my hopes on HEAVENSAT eventually delivering the 
    goods.
    
    Cheers from a very HOT Cape Town - was 35 deg C today and tonight its 24 deg 
    C!
    Greg
    
    
    
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