Development of a Prototype Controller for PMDC Motor Based Portable Telemetry Tracking System for Defense Application

Abstract

In the range, block house telemetry plays an important role in providing quick look telemetry data of the airborne vehicle, particularly for initial phase of the trajectory to the range experts for their decision-making and control. Presently blockhouse telemetry front-end helical antenna is manually steered at the blockhouse top. This is a concern of safety and does not give any guarantee of acquiring data due to the poor visibility when the airborne vehicle goes far off. The paper describes prototype model of portable tracking antenna system that facilitates the user to control antenna both in manual and auto mode remotely from the block house. An array of four helical antennas were used to generate the dc tracking error in both azimuth and elevation plane. It also explains a control mechanism by which antenna systems are steered in both azimuth as well as elevation plane using power transistors and permanent magnet direct current motors. This method uses AGC comparison, which is relatively simpler and economical than conventional single channel amplitude comparison mono pulse or electronic scanning tracking method. The prototype was developed, tested and successfully driven the antenna in both manual as well as auto mode for real time telemetry data acquisition for airborne vehicle at blockhouse.