JPH03179902A - Azimuth setting method for antenna for ground station - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To fit the azimuth angle of the antenna for a magnetic pole in the azimuth of a targeted artificial satellite station with high accuracy by providing a marker corresponding to the axial direction of the antenna at the antenna, and fitting the azimuth angle for the magnetic pole in the azimuth of the artificial satellite to be used by rotating the antenna setting the marker as reference. CONSTITUTION:An operator uses a magnet 13, and sets the direction of the magnet 13 so as to direct the pointer of the magnet 13 to magnetic north N. The operator stands at a position from where a slit 15 formed at the cover 14 of the magnet 13, the marker 11 provided at a main reflecting plate 5, and the sector plate gap 8a of the main reflecting plate 5 can be observed so as to be arranged in line with the marker 12 provided at the sub reflecting plate 6 of the antenna 3 by hitting a line of sight on the marker 12, the marker 11, and the sector plate gap 8a of the main reflecting plate 5 via the slit 15. The antenna 3 is moved little by little with a rotary disk 4 keeping such state. When an angle (alpha) between the markers 11, 12 of the antenna 3, the sector plate gap 8a of the main reflecting plate 5 and the magnetic north N goes to size corresponding to the azimuth angle (beta) for the magnetic north N of the artificial satellite station, the rotation of the antenna 3 by the rotary disk 4 is stopped.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Object of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an antenna installed in a portable or vehicle-mounted ground station that relays an artificial satellite station and communicates with other ground stations. The present invention relates to a method of setting the azimuth of the satellite station to the azimuth of the artificial satellite station.

(Prior art) When a ground station communicates with other ground stations by relaying a stationary artificial satellite, the direction of the antenna installed on the ground station must be adjusted to the direction of the satellite station to ensure good satellite communication. You need to adjust the direction.

In addition to ground stations that are fixedly installed on the ground, portable or vehicle-mounted types that can be moved and transported to communication points for relay broadcasting and the like are used.

Conventionally, the following method has been employed to set the orientation of an antenna provided on a portable or vehicle-mounted ground station to match the orientation of an artificial satellite station.

One method is to place the ground station at the point where communication is to be performed, and then point the antenna in the direction in which the satellite is located, and then use a device such as a spectrum analyzer to rotate the antenna and detect signals from the satellite station. This is a method of searching for a location where radio waves can be received.

Another method is to install a magnetic direction sensor on the antenna,
This method processes the output of this magnetic orientation sensor to determine the direction in which the antenna is directed.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, with the former method, it takes a lot of time to adjust the direction of the ground station's antenna to the direction of the satellite station, and it also takes a lot of time to adjust the direction of the antenna of the ground station to the direction of the satellite station. There is a risk of setting the direction incorrectly to the direction of another nearby satellite station.

In addition, with the latter method, the resolution of the sensor itself is limited, and the sensor may become distorted due to the influence of magnetic materials such as iron used in surrounding communication equipment, making it unreliable. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for setting an antenna orientation for a ground station, which allows the orientation of an antenna of a ground station to be set accurately with respect to the orientation of an artificial satellite station by a simple means. With the goal.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) To achieve the above object, the ground station antenna orientation setting method of the present invention provides a ground station antenna orientation setting method for a ground station that communicates with other ground stations by relaying an artificial satellite station. A method of setting the azimuth of an antenna provided at the satellite station to the azimuth of the artificial satellite station, the antenna being provided with a marker corresponding to its axial direction, and the azimuth angle of the antenna with respect to magnetic north being set with this marker as a reference. It is characterized in that the azimuth angle with respect to the magnetic north of the artificial satellite station is adjusted.

(Operation) Using the marker provided on the antenna of the ground station as a reference, move the antenna around the vertical rotation axis while confirming the antenna position using a simple tool such as a magnet, and use the azimuth angle of the antenna with respect to magnetic north. The direction of the antenna can be precisely aligned with the direction of the satellite station by a simple operation of aligning the direction with the magnetic north of the satellite station to be used.

Further, it is sufficient to simply provide a marker for the antenna of the ground station.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

This embodiment is intended for a vehicle-mounted ground station.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a marker is provided on the antenna provided at the ground station 1.

The ground station 1 includes an antenna mounting section 2 and an antenna mounting section 2.
It is equipped with a parabolic antenna 3 mounted on the antenna. The antenna mounting section 2 is placed on a horizontal rotating disk 4 driven by a rotating device (not shown) and rotates about a vertical axis V, and is equipped with an antenna elevation direction driving device, a communication device, and the like. The antenna 3 is composed of a main reflector 5, a sub-reflector 6, and a primary radiator 7.

The main reflector 5 is constructed by combining a plurality of fan-shaped plates 8 in a circular shape and supported by a frame 9. The main reflector 5 is provided in the antenna mounting section 2 in an upwardly inclined state and is driven in the elevation direction by an elevation direction drive device. . The sub-reflector 6 is provided in front of the main reflector 5 on the central axis S of the main reflector 5 and has legs 10.
It was supported by - The secondary radiator 7 is attached to the center of the main reflector 5.

The antenna 3 is provided with a marker for an azimuth window corresponding to its central axis. The marker is provided on the main reflector plate 5 where the vertical plane drawn by the displacement of the central axis S of the antenna 3 (the line on which the sub-reflector plate 6 is located) intersects when the antenna 3 rotates in the elevation direction. , one or both of the locations of the sub-reflector 6 that intersect with the vertical plane, and other locations that intersect with the vertical plane. Furthermore, when the marker is provided on the main reflection 5 of the antenna 3, it may be provided on either the front or back surface thereof. The methods of providing the marker include applying paint to the location of the antenna 3 where the marker is provided, attaching an independent member to the location of the antenna 3 where the marker is provided, or forming a linear or dotted shape structurally formed on the antenna 3. Examples of methods include using the protrusions, four parts, gaps, etc. of the marker as markers.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the vertical plane drawn by the displacement of the central axis S of the main reflector 5 when the antenna 3 rotates in the elevation direction intersects the front surface of the main reflector 5. A linear gap 8a formed between adjacent sector plates 8 and this linear gap 8
A marker 11 is formed by applying paint to the surface of the fan-shaped plate 8.8 across the a, and a marker 12 is formed by applying paint to the intersection of the vertical planes on the sub-reflector 6, respectively, as orientation setting markers. Use as.

Next, the ground station 1 is transported by car to a predetermined point for communication via the artificial satellite station.

Next, the azimuth angle of the target artificial satellite station with respect to magnetic north at the position of the point where the ground station 2 is installed for communication (the latitude and longitude of that point) is checked. FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the marker, magnetic north, and the satellite station when the orientation of the antenna 3 of the ground station 1 is set to match the orientation of the satellite station. As shown in Fig. 3, the azimuth angle β of the satellite station with respect to the magnetic north N is investigated. Therefore, this azimuth angle β
is determined by the orbit of the satellite station. Therefore, if you calculate in advance the azimuth angle β with respect to the magnetic north of the satellite station from the point where the ground station 2 is installed and the orbit of the target satellite station and summarize it in a list, it is possible to The azimuth angle β of the satellite station relative to the magnetic north N can be easily checked.

Thereafter, an operation is performed by moving the antenna 3 to align its direction with the direction of the artificial satellite station.

First, the antenna 3 is rotated about the vertical axis V by the rotary disk 4, so that the marker 1.12 provided on the antenna 3 and the fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5 are approximately aligned with the orientation of the artificial satellite station.

Next, the antenna 3 is rotated by the rotary disk 4 using the marker 1.12 as a reference, and the marker 1.12 is aligned with the position according to the azimuth angle β with respect to the magnetic north of the satellite station, thereby artificially adjusting the azimuth of the antenna 3 with respect to the magnetic north. Adjust the orientation to the satellite station's magnetic north. In this embodiment, a marker 1.12 is provided in front of the main reflector 5 of the antenna 3, and the operator monitors the position of the marker 1.12 and the fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5 from the front of the antenna 3. Perform the direction setting operation for antenna 3. In this embodiment, the angle α between the marker of the antenna 3 and the magnetic north N is determined according to the azimuth angle β with respect to the magnetic north N of the satellite station, as shown in FIG.
The direction of the antenna 3 is set by rotating the antenna 3 so that the fan-shaped gap 8a between the main reflector plate 2 and the main reflector plate 5 forms an angle α with respect to the magnetic north N.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the operation for setting the orientation of the antenna 3 described above. The operator stands in front of the antenna 3. Then, the operator uses the magnet 13 to set the direction of the magnet 13 so that the pointer of the magnet 13 points to the magnetic north N. The operator directs his line of sight through the slit 15 formed in the lid 14 of the magnet 13 to the marker 2 provided on the sub-reflector 6 of the antenna 3, the marker 1 provided on the main reflector 5, and the fan-shaped gap 8a between the main reflectors 5. Then, stand in a position where the slit 15, the marker 1, the fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5, and the marker 2 appear to be aligned in a straight line. In this state, while moving the antenna 3 little by little using the rotating disk 4, the operator inserts the marker 1 of the antenna 3 through the slit 15 of the magnet 13.
12 and the position of the fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5. At the same time, check the position of the magnetic north N indicated by the magnet 13 using a magnifying glass 16 provided on the magnet 13. Examine the positional relationship between .12 and magnetic north N, that is, the size of the angle α between them.

The angle α between the marker 11.12 of the antenna 3 and the fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5 and the magnetic north N has a size corresponding to the azimuth angle β of the satellite station with respect to the magnetic north N, as described above. In this case, the rotation of the antenna 3 by the rotating disk 4 is stopped.

Through this operation, the orientation of the antenna 3 can be set to match the orientation of the artificial satellite station.

To give a specific example, if you look at the azimuth of communication satellite No. 3a launched by Japan from Fukuoka City, Japan, its azimuth angle β with respect to magnetic north is 183.
It is 2°. Therefore, the angle α between the central axis S of the antenna 3 and the magnetic north N is 3.2°. Therefore, the antenna 3 is rotated so that the angle α between the markers 11 and 12 and the magnetic north N is 3.2 degrees, and the orientation toward the satellite station is set.

In this embodiment, a total of two markers 11 and 120 are provided on the main reflector 5 and the sub-reflector 6 of the antenna 3, and a fan-shaped plate gap 8a of the main reflector 5 is provided.
Using the magnet 13, the operator can easily and accurately set the orientation of the antenna 3 toward the target satellite station.

In the above-described embodiment, the marker was provided on the front side of the antenna 3, but if the marker is provided on the back side of the antenna 3, the azimuth angle of the antenna 3 with respect to the magnetic north N is changed to the azimuth angle β with respect to the magnetic north N of the satellite station. The orientation is set using an angle β of the same size as .

In addition, to set the elevation angle of the antenna 3, a level is provided on the antenna 3, and after maintaining the horizontality of the antenna 3 according to the display of the level, the elevation angle scale provided on the antenna 3 is used as a reference. The antenna 3 may be rotated in the elevation direction to match the elevation angle of the artificial satellite station.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the ground station antenna orientation setting method of the present invention, the antenna installed on the ground station that relays the artificial satellite station and communicates with other earth stations can be connected to the artificial satellite station. When setting the azimuth, a marker corresponding to the axial direction is provided on the antenna 1, and the antenna is rotated using this marker as a reference to match the azimuth angle with respect to the magnetic pole to the azimuth of the satellite station to be used. By simply moving the antenna while checking the antenna marker position using a simple tool, the azimuth angle of the antenna relative to the magnetic pole can be precisely aligned with the azimuth of the target artificial satellite station. Further, it is sufficient to simply provide a marker for the antenna of the ground station.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the azimuth setting method of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 shows an antenna of a ground station, Fig. 2 shows a method of measuring the azimuth angle of an antenna, and Fig. 3 shows an example of a satellite station. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between antenna markers and magnetic north. 1...Ground station, 3...Antenna, 11.12...
Marker, 13... magnet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A method of setting the orientation of an antenna provided at a ground station that relays an artificial satellite station to communicate with another ground station to the orientation of the artificial satellite station, the antenna being provided with a marker corresponding to its axial direction. . A ground station antenna azimuth setting method, characterized in that the azimuth angle of the antenna with respect to magnetic north is adjusted to the azimuth angle of the target artificial satellite station with respect to magnetic north using this marker as a reference.