SatVector
@satvector.bsky.social
Python-based satellite prediction software and antenna tracking hardware system. Free and open source to promote STEM and amateur radio. Under development.
Damn, I let the smoke out! A short in the 12v Nema 17 power input will need some attention and probably a new input filter capacitor. #engineering #amateurradio #oops
May 27, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Damn, I let the smoke out! A short in the 12v Nema 17 power input will need some attention and probably a new input filter capacitor. #engineering #amateurradio #oops
TIL that the onboard regulator for the 12v #Arduino Nano input cannot power the Nano, an HC-06, and the logic side of two A4988 motor drivers! Once this power snafu is sorted, SatVector hardware will be off bench power and completely battery operated. #engineering #hamradio #electronics #robotics
May 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM
TIL that the onboard regulator for the 12v #Arduino Nano input cannot power the Nano, an HC-06, and the logic side of two A4988 motor drivers! Once this power snafu is sorted, SatVector hardware will be off bench power and completely battery operated. #engineering #hamradio #electronics #robotics
Reposted by SatVector
It's World Amateur Radio Day!
Congratulations to the Pan-African Citizen Science e-lab group on a successful contact with Nichole Ayers today.
We hope you enjoy all your operating activities!
Congratulations to the Pan-African Citizen Science e-lab group on a successful contact with Nichole Ayers today.
We hope you enjoy all your operating activities!
April 18, 2025 at 2:59 PM
It's World Amateur Radio Day!
Congratulations to the Pan-African Citizen Science e-lab group on a successful contact with Nichole Ayers today.
We hope you enjoy all your operating activities!
Congratulations to the Pan-African Citizen Science e-lab group on a successful contact with Nichole Ayers today.
We hope you enjoy all your operating activities!
The satellite data tracking data stream is live for the first time! Some refinement will come as I connect it to the AZ/EL motors and adjust the software to work smoothly with the hardware, but the tracking code framework is complete and operational! #amateurradio #developer #python #hamradio #maker
April 15, 2025 at 10:54 PM
The satellite data tracking data stream is live for the first time! Some refinement will come as I connect it to the AZ/EL motors and adjust the software to work smoothly with the hardware, but the tracking code framework is complete and operational! #amateurradio #developer #python #hamradio #maker
Resolved two persistent bugs this weekend and (I think) have the pass prediction module in an excellent place. Starting the maths for direct AZ/EL entry & tracking mode commands to send the #Arduino for AZ/EL steps. New hardware design to test, too! #python #developer #maker #amateurradio #satellite
April 6, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Resolved two persistent bugs this weekend and (I think) have the pass prediction module in an excellent place. Starting the maths for direct AZ/EL entry & tracking mode commands to send the #Arduino for AZ/EL steps. New hardware design to test, too! #python #developer #maker #amateurradio #satellite
Reposted by SatVector
Expect Fram2Ham SSTV transmissions to start later today, so be ready to monitor your passes.
Please remember you’re listening in on a STEM contest for students.
Share your images to the ARISS image gallery, but please don’t share them on social media until after the event!
Please remember you’re listening in on a STEM contest for students.
Share your images to the ARISS image gallery, but please don’t share them on social media until after the event!
April 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Expect Fram2Ham SSTV transmissions to start later today, so be ready to monitor your passes.
Please remember you’re listening in on a STEM contest for students.
Share your images to the ARISS image gallery, but please don’t share them on social media until after the event!
Please remember you’re listening in on a STEM contest for students.
Share your images to the ARISS image gallery, but please don’t share them on social media until after the event!
Busy week of testing and printing gears & new base plates. Increased to 6" thrust bearing, too; way more stable! Got a good fit and mockup tonight with the direct drive on both AZ/EL motors. Testing with the SatVector software tomorrow! #maker #3dprinting #engineering #amateurradio
April 1, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Busy week of testing and printing gears & new base plates. Increased to 6" thrust bearing, too; way more stable! Got a good fit and mockup tonight with the direct drive on both AZ/EL motors. Testing with the SatVector software tomorrow! #maker #3dprinting #engineering #amateurradio
I was excited to test both axes simultaneously. That testing revealed several shortcomings, so I suppose it failed successfully! Testing a planetary gear design to direct drive AZ w/a larger thrust bearing. Haven't ruled out doing the same for EL. #maker #engineering #antenna #nema17 #gears
March 25, 2025 at 1:09 AM
I was excited to test both axes simultaneously. That testing revealed several shortcomings, so I suppose it failed successfully! Testing a planetary gear design to direct drive AZ w/a larger thrust bearing. Haven't ruled out doing the same for EL. #maker #engineering #antenna #nema17 #gears
Added elevation motor, gear, and drive shaft, & printed an expanded base. A belt driven gear for EL worked great. Next base iteration will add reinforcement for the AZ shaft housing & center support for EL shaft. Great weekend of improvements! #maker #engineering #amateurradio #developer #bambu
March 24, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Added elevation motor, gear, and drive shaft, & printed an expanded base. A belt driven gear for EL worked great. Next base iteration will add reinforcement for the AZ shaft housing & center support for EL shaft. Great weekend of improvements! #maker #engineering #amateurradio #developer #bambu
Big milestone today! Got the azimuth housing prototype printed (after a few revisions) and successfully tested out AZ control using manual mode. 5:1 gear ratio means 1,000 steps for full AZ rotation = .36 degrees/step resolution. #maker #robotics #amateurradio #developer #satellite
March 22, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Big milestone today! Got the azimuth housing prototype printed (after a few revisions) and successfully tested out AZ control using manual mode. 5:1 gear ratio means 1,000 steps for full AZ rotation = .36 degrees/step resolution. #maker #robotics #amateurradio #developer #satellite
How does SatQueue mode work in SatVector? I made a handy chart to demonstrate the decisions and flow for this function. #developer #python #hamradio #amateurradio
March 21, 2025 at 2:59 PM
How does SatQueue mode work in SatVector? I made a handy chart to demonstrate the decisions and flow for this function. #developer #python #hamradio #amateurradio
The SatQueue feature is done! Here's a quick preview of it as I run pass data for all favorite sats, add to SatQueue, and export. SatQueue tracking mode development is already underway and AZ gears arrive tomorrow for testing. #amateurradio #development #python #satellite #maker
March 19, 2025 at 11:28 PM
The SatQueue feature is done! Here's a quick preview of it as I run pass data for all favorite sats, add to SatQueue, and export. SatQueue tracking mode development is already underway and AZ gears arrive tomorrow for testing. #amateurradio #development #python #satellite #maker
I'd be remiss if I didn't wish everyone a happy Pi day! This week has seen a lot of progress in coding the SatQueue feature. This allows you to create a custom queue of sat passes to not only export, but also tee up passes for SatVector to track for you. #amateurradio #python #developer
March 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I'd be remiss if I didn't wish everyone a happy Pi day! This week has seen a lot of progress in coding the SatQueue feature. This allows you to create a custom queue of sat passes to not only export, but also tee up passes for SatVector to track for you. #amateurradio #python #developer
Mounting hardware mockup tonight. Base plate (white) mounts to lighting stand for portability & main gear mounted stationary above the plate. 12v delivered through center w/o tangling via slip ring. AZ motor/housing orbits for position. prototyping 5:1 gear ratio #maker #engineering #amateurradio
March 12, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Mounting hardware mockup tonight. Base plate (white) mounts to lighting stand for portability & main gear mounted stationary above the plate. 12v delivered through center w/o tangling via slip ring. AZ motor/housing orbits for position. prototyping 5:1 gear ratio #maker #engineering #amateurradio
The goal of SatVector isn't just to predict passes, but command an #Arduino antenna tracking system. Control commands from SatVector are sent over bluetooth to the Nano, which decodes them & signals the appropriate A4988 driver controlling AZ/EL positions. #maker #robotics #engineering #amateurradio
March 11, 2025 at 1:28 AM
The goal of SatVector isn't just to predict passes, but command an #Arduino antenna tracking system. Control commands from SatVector are sent over bluetooth to the Nano, which decodes them & signals the appropriate A4988 driver controlling AZ/EL positions. #maker #robotics #engineering #amateurradio
Reposted by SatVector
Are you up to date on your ARISS frequencies? Here are the 4 you need to know.
What about casual ham radio contacts with the crew? When they choose to get on the radio you will hear them on the the repeater. Listen for NA1SS or one of our other callsigns.
What about casual ham radio contacts with the crew? When they choose to get on the radio you will hear them on the the repeater. Listen for NA1SS or one of our other callsigns.
March 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Are you up to date on your ARISS frequencies? Here are the 4 you need to know.
What about casual ham radio contacts with the crew? When they choose to get on the radio you will hear them on the the repeater. Listen for NA1SS or one of our other callsigns.
What about casual ham radio contacts with the crew? When they choose to get on the radio you will hear them on the the repeater. Listen for NA1SS or one of our other callsigns.
The drive gear for the Nema 17 motor is dialed in. Still need some minor adjustments for the main gear but it's coming along. This week's updates will mostly be about catching up on the hardware/robotics half of the project. #maker #Robotics #amateurradio #antenna #satellite
March 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
The drive gear for the Nema 17 motor is dialed in. Still need some minor adjustments for the main gear but it's coming along. This week's updates will mostly be about catching up on the hardware/robotics half of the project. #maker #Robotics #amateurradio #antenna #satellite
Big day here at SatVector HQ! New @bambulabglobal.bsky.social A1 Mini arrived and Benchy came out perfectly. Time to start working on the gears and hardware components of SatVector. #maker #3DPrinting
March 8, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Big day here at SatVector HQ! New @bambulabglobal.bsky.social A1 Mini arrived and Benchy came out perfectly. Time to start working on the gears and hardware components of SatVector. #maker #3DPrinting
Testing went well, found a couple of bugs and did some documentation. In the end, decided not to put out a beta and will work on a few more features instead.
March 2, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Testing went well, found a couple of bugs and did some documentation. In the end, decided not to put out a beta and will work on a few more features instead.
Working on packaging up a macOS beta of the data/prediction side of SatVector. Major features are done, but still have plenty of improvements in mind. If testing goes well I'll drop it in the #GitHub. #amateurradio #satellite #amsat #ariss #python
March 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Working on packaging up a macOS beta of the data/prediction side of SatVector. Major features are done, but still have plenty of improvements in mind. If testing goes well I'll drop it in the #GitHub. #amateurradio #satellite #amsat #ariss #python
Ever wondered how to calculate your Maidenhead grid square from lat/long? Spoiler alert: it's math!! Here's a screenshot of the #python I put together to display it in SatVector settings. Snag the text from the image & try yourself! Tip: % is python math for "remainder" www.w8bh.net/grid_squares...
February 28, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Ever wondered how to calculate your Maidenhead grid square from lat/long? Spoiler alert: it's math!! Here's a screenshot of the #python I put together to display it in SatVector settings. Snag the text from the image & try yourself! Tip: % is python math for "remainder" www.w8bh.net/grid_squares...
New feature added! Just finished the initial "favorites" module for amateur radio satellites. This keeps your favorite sats easy to find so you aren't scrolling through a giant list to find your faves. Bonus: screenshot taken during a great #AMSAT AO-7 pass! More tk #python #tkinter #developer
February 26, 2025 at 10:47 PM
New feature added! Just finished the initial "favorites" module for amateur radio satellites. This keeps your favorite sats easy to find so you aren't scrolling through a giant list to find your faves. Bonus: screenshot taken during a great #AMSAT AO-7 pass! More tk #python #tkinter #developer
Ditched the giant text widget for pass data output in favor of the much nicer Treeview class. Export output is now .csv as well. Also added location detail to the title, plus a little button reorg. More pass prediction improvements still on the way! #python #tkinter #developer
February 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Ditched the giant text widget for pass data output in favor of the much nicer Treeview class. Export output is now .csv as well. Also added location detail to the title, plus a little button reorg. More pass prediction improvements still on the way! #python #tkinter #developer
First post! Here's the latest peek at the GUI. Just finished some logic for adding/removing/validating location data to the config json. Can't wait to catch you all up on where I'm at with developing SatVector. More tk #python #tkinter #STEM #developer
February 22, 2025 at 6:40 PM
First post! Here's the latest peek at the GUI. Just finished some logic for adding/removing/validating location data to the config json. Can't wait to catch you all up on where I'm at with developing SatVector. More tk #python #tkinter #STEM #developer