CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.1 DEFINITION
This project called Dish Positioning Control by IR Remote is an electronic device which consist
of two dc motor that enables a satellite dish to rotate both in horizontal and vertical direction,
controlled by Infrared remote. In order to reduce the speed, geared motors are used that are
interfaced to the output of the microcontroller which are driven by a motor driver IC L293D.
DTMF decoder is used to receive the remote commands (from another mobile) which are fed to
microcontroller that decodes the data to rotate the motor in the desired direction via motor driver
IC.
An Infrared remote control is a handheld, wireless device used to operate audio, video and other
electronic equipment within a room using a light signals in the infrared (IR) range. Infrared light
requires line of sight to its destination. Low-end remotes use only one transmitter at the end of
the unit and have to be aimed directly at the equipment.
1.2 TYPES OF INFRARED SENSORS
Pyroelectric infrared sensors
thermopile infrared sensors
Infrared telescopes
1.2.1

Pyroelectric infrared sensors: Pyroelectric infrared sensors work by generating an

electronic current when infrared radiation hits them.

1.2.2

Thermopile infrared sensors: A thermopile infrared sensor is based on the

thermocouple. Strips of two different metals are joined at one end and attached to a
detector circuit at the other end. If the joined end is heated, the thermocouple will
produce a voltage proportional to the difference in heat between the joined and un-joined
end.

1.2.3

Infrared telescopes: Infrared telescopes are extremely sensitive infrared detectors meant
to measure tiny differences in infrared radiation to create an image of distant planets,
stars and other objects in the infrared sensor.[2]

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The main application of using a dish is to receive signal from satellites and other broadcasting
sources. In order to position the dish to the exact angle to receive the maximum signal of a
particular frequency, it needs to be adjusted manually. In order to overcome the difficulty of
adjusting manually, this project helps in adjusting the position of the dish through a simple TV
Remote.
1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project is to design a dish positioning system control by IR remote in other to
overcome the difficulty of adjusting a satellite dish manually. The objectives is to get the
necessary requirement as possible, to move the dish in both horizontal and vertical direction by
mobile and receive maximum signal as possible.

1.4 MOTIVATION AND JUSTIFICATION

Satellite communication opens up a whole world of TV/Radio entertainment with a wide variety
of programs on oer to choose from. A substantial number of people are seen to purchase
satellite dishes as they seek to be part of the digital migration as well as the quality of images
inherent to the satellite service. Satellite communication, however, is limited to the orbiting
satellites footprint and adverse weather conditions that may lead to general drifting of the
satellite dish, from its originally mounted position .This therefore makes satellite dishes prone to
misalignment from these satellites in space resulting in a weakened signal strength reception.
Moreover, satellite dishes and antennas are mounted in very precarious locations, in an attempt to
steer clear from any obstructions such as buildings and trees. This imposes a risk when it comes
to installing and servicing those installed dishes for proper alignment. I therefore propose to
design a dish control system to assist in positioning and general installation of satellite dishes.
This system will seek to use an IR remote and receiver to adjust the dish position. In the end, this
project seeks to solve the problem of manually adjusting the dish and providing a safe solution
for mounting satellite dishes and offers a great advantages of convenience, precision and
mobility

1.5 METHODOLOGY
The project will be designed by both the hardware and software requirement an IR Sensor, Motor
Driver, Resistors, Capacitors, Diodes, Transformer, Voltage Regulator, DC Motors and a
microcontroller will be used as the controller to interface between the signals from the remote, to
the adjusting motors.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
The scope of the work carried out is to design a Satellite Dish Positioning System using an
Infrared remote. The satellite dish receiver is motorized with geared motors so to control the
speed and get maximum signal strength as possible controlled by a simple remote.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
In order for infrared remote controls to function properly, there must be a clear line of sight
between the remote and the receiving device the range of an infrared remote control typically
span up to 9 meters unlike Radio frequency remote which spans up to 30meters.
1.8 REPORT OUTLINE
This project is subdivided into five chapters with CHAPTER 1- consisting of the introduction,
aims and objectives of the project, Justification, Methodology, Scope & Limitation of the project
and moving to CHAPTER 2- Literature Review which includes the origin, history, development
and reviews of the project. CHAPTER 3- Research Methodology; Theory, design and
implementation of the project CHAPTER 4- Gives the Results of tests, CHAPTER 5Conclusion, and Recommendations.

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 SATELLITE DISH POSITIONING

A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive electromagnetic

signals from satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite
television
2.2 HISTORY
Parabolic antennas referred to as "dish" antennas had been in use long before satellite television.
The term "satellite dish" was coined in 1978 during the beginning of the satellite television
industry, and came to refer to dish antennas that send and/or receive signals from communication
satellites. Taylor Howard of San Andreas, California adapted an ex-military dish in 1976 and
became the first person to receive satellite television signals using it. The first satellite television
dishes were built to receive signals on the C-band analogue, and were very large. The front cover
of the 1979 Neiman-Marcus Christmas catalogue featured the first home satellite TV stations on
sale. The dishes were nearly 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter. The satellite dishes of the early 1980s
were 10 to 16 feet (3.0 to 4.9 m) in diameter and made of fiberglass with an embedded layer of
wire mesh or aluminum foil, or solid aluminum or steel. Satellite dishes made of wire mesh first
came out in the early 1980s, and were at first 10 feet (3.0 m) in diameter. As the front-end
technology improved and the noise figure of the LNBs fell, the size shrunk to 8 feet (2.4 m) a
few years later, and continued to get smaller reducing to 6 feet (1.8 m) feet by the late 1980s and
4 feet (1.2 m) by the early 1990s. Larger dishes continued to be used, however. In December
1988 Luxembourgs Astra 1A satellite began transmitting analogue television signals on the Ku
band for the European market. This allowed small dishes (90 cm) to be used reliably for the first
time. In the early 1990s, four large American cable companies founded PrimeStar, a direct
broadcasting company using medium power satellites. The relatively strong Ku band
transmissions allowed the use of dishes as small as 90 cm for the first time. On 4 March 1996
EchoStar introduced Digital Sky Highway (Dish Network). This was the first widely used directbroadcast satellite television system and allowed dishes as small as 20cm to be used. This great
decrease of dish size also allowed satellite dishes to be installed on vehicles. Dishes this size are
still in use today. Television stations, however, still prefer to transmit their signals on the C-band
analogue with large dishes due to the fact that C-band signals are less prone to rain fade than Ku
band signals.
2.3 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

The parabolic shape of a dish reflects the signal to the dishs focal point mounted on brackets at
the dish's focal point is a device called a feedhorn. This feedhorn is essentially the front-end of a
waveguide that gathers the signals at or near the focal point and 'conducts' them to a low-noise
block-down converter or LNB. The LNB converts the signals from electromagnetic or radio
waves to electrical signals and shifts the signals from the downlinked C-band and/or K u -band to
The L-band range. Direct broadcast satellite dishes use an LNBF which integrates the feedhorn
with the LNB. (A new form of omnidirectional satellite antenna, which does not use a directed
parabolic dish and can be used on a mobile platform such as a vehicle was announced by the
University of Waterloo in 2004. The theoretical gain (directive gain) of a dish increases as the
frequency increases. The actual gain depends on many factors including surface finish, accuracy
of shape, feedhorn matching. A typical value for a consumer type 60 cm satellite dish at 11.75
GHz is 37.50 dB with lower frequencies, C-band for example, dish designers have a wider
choice of materials. The large size of dish required for lower frequencies led to the dishes being
constructed from metal mesh on a metal framework. At higher frequencies, mesh type designs
are rarer though some designs have used a solid dish with perforations. A common
misconception is that the LNBF (low-noise block/feedhorn), the device at the front of the dish,
receives the signal directly from the atmosphere. For instance, one BBC News downlink shows a
"red signal" being received by the LNBF directly instead of being beamed to the dish, which
because of its parabolic shape will collect the signal into a smaller area and deliver it to the
LNBF. Modern dishes intended for home television use are generally 43 cm (18 in) to 80 cm (31
in) in diameter, and are fixed in one position, for Ku-band reception from one orbital position.
Prior to the existence of direct broadcast satellite services, home users would generally have a
motorized C-band dish of up to 3 meters in diameter for reception of channels from different
satellites. Overly small dishes can still cause problems, however, including rain fade and
interference from adjacent satellites.

2.4 TYPE OF DISH