Support for Stepper Motors

[devanesanandrews]

Hi,

The antenna tracker is amazing and works well.

Will there be an support for Stepper motors as they have better holding torque for bigger antennas.

Thank you

[zs6buj]

Hello and thank you for the feedback. I don't have much experience with steppers, but I could give it a try. In your experience are they fast/responsive enough?

[andykirk50]

im also very interested in this, yes they are faster and more responsive.

[zs6buj]

Ok, cool. Could you recommend a stepper I can get for testing?

I'm also planning to auto-tune a remote magnetic loop antenna with a small stepper. (Remote, as in on the roof or somewhere like that). It needs to be geared to very finely adjust a butterfly variable capacitor. I will sample VSWR while transmitting a low power signal into the antenna, and then adjust for lowest reflected power. Any ideas where to find the geared stepper I need?

[andykirk50]

nema 23 steppers are the best, used in 3d printers, however you will need a stepper driver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2oeT6RcU5Q

[wsqzdz]

I have achieved PWM by using 328p Drive two closed-loop stepper motors, but there are still some problems. The system becomes complex. I tried to modify the code of anttracker, but I didn't test it.

[zs6buj]

Lol. I did a quick stepper refresher after the previous posts. Thanks for the video. This should be doable. Maybe I can scrounge some older printer parts.

[zs6buj]

I have achieved PWM by using 328p Drive two closed-loop stepper motors, but there are still some problems. The system becomes complex. I tried to modify the code of anttracker, but I didn't test it.

May I ask which library you used?

[andykirk50]

id happily donate parts if there was a way to get them to you. zs6buj can you private message me?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Module-Bridge-Driver-Stepper-Controller/dp/B07H76LH76/ref=sr_1_23?crid=1V9RM70L414YU&keywords=stepper+motor+and+driver&qid=1640702115&sprefix=stepper+motor+and+driver%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-23

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stepper-Longruner-Connector-Mounting-LD08/dp/B07FKH52S5/ref=sr_1_32_sspa?crid=1V9RM70L414YU&keywords=stepper+motor+and+driver&qid=1640702115&sprefix=stepper+motor+and+driver%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-32-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVzM4Uk5XRFpBUzY4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjU3Mjk3UlpXV1BWSFFZSThQJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5ODgxNzhGS0hLMVdZNVhEMEomd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

[wsqzdz]

I use library accelstepper , using 328p to convert PWM into driving pulse. In order to avoid losing steps, I used a closed-loop driver

[devanesanandrews]

Hello and thank you for the feedback. I don't have much experience with steppers, but I could give it a try. In your experience are they fast/responsive enough?

Yes they are pretty good also its based on the Micro stepping and the torque used.

I would recommend to go with a proper stepper motor driver Like Tb6600 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCELI-TB6600-Stepper-Controller-controller/dp/B07J2S7198/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1YOWVM2GIK4YK&keywords=tb6600&qid=1640707688&sprefix=tb660%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-4)or

the ones used in the 3d printers A4988 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longruner-Stepstick-Stepper-Driver-Printer/dp/B071P41ZBW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=31Y1TK8CO2UG8&keywords=3d+printer+stepper+driver&qid=1640707732&sprefix=3d+printer+stepper+dribe%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzOFJDQjRFN1MwWjVFJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjc4Nzk3MjBFM09VNzdPNlBHNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzI0MDU2T1BYNzhVWlFFRU9aJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)

I have been using tb6600 with my diy cnc and i should say its works pretty good.

Regarding stepper motor antenna tracker here is a 3d printed version from @kolins-cz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_QwMFngyWA

STL Files : https://github.com/kolins-cz/antenna-tracker-mechanics

I do have motors and drivers, though i am not a coder i can support with testing.

Thank you

[zs6buj]

All good information. Also thanks for the offer of parts. First let me look around on the web and see if I can find a suitable "mule" stepper and driver for testing, with reasonably quick shipping.

[zs6buj]

So I ordered two of these and two of these, and I'll start looking at the code while waiting for delivery. Shipping through our post office can be quite slow, unfortunately.

[devanesanandrews]

@zs6buj That was nice very curios to see the antenna tracker with stepper motors.

I believe these will be of some help. Controlling stepper motors with RC PWM signal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kXlILWAYKg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L84smchueYM

https://gitlab.com/cswiger/AccelStepper_EasyDriver_RC/

[zs6buj]

Thank you. I'm waiting impatiently for the hardware. :(

[zs6buj]

Hey Deva, I've been busy elsewhere as you know. I have the steppers now, so when I get some time I can take this further. Closing for now.