Research Concepts RC1500 - Manual (Page 4)

Antenna Setup
RC1500B Quick Start Guide 4
Antenna Setup
Single Axis Inclined Orbit Satellite Tracking with a Polar Mount
The apparent motion of an inclined orbit satellite appears as a narrow figure 8 pattern
aligned perpendicular to the geo-stationary satellite arc. As the inclination of the satellite
increases both the height and the width of the figure 8 pattern increase. The single axis
tracker can follow the long dimension of the figure 8 but cannot compensate for the
width of the figure 8 pattern.
Figure 2 - Apparent Motion of an Inclined Orbit Satellite
Relative to the Geostationary Satellite Arc
A single axis tracking system must be in precise mechanical alignment to minimize loss
due to the mount’s inability to compensate for the width of the figure eight pattern. For
this reason, a single axis tracker is more difficult to setup than other inclined orbit
satellite tracking mounts. Conversely, the operation of a single axis tracking antenna is
more straightforward than that of dual axis antennas. The satellite will always be
located somewhere within the antenna’s range of travel so there is no danger of
peaking up on an adjacent satellite. The controller can be operated with the search
feature enabled – even for transmit applications.