Instruction Manual
V1.0 – Felix Bettonvil
Description
POgLED (Petnica bOlide alL-‐sky camEra Device) is an automatic camera
designed for photographing fireballs. It is based on a DSLR (Canon 350D
– 8 Mpxl) with Sigma 4.5mm/F2.8 fisheye lens. Between lens and body a
Liquid Crystal chopper is mounted, periodically obscuring the exposure
at a rate of 10 cycl/sec. The camera is a sister camera of HHEBBES! and
BINGO!, being similar camera systems operated from The Netherlands.
Operation basics
The camera is put in a dedicated weather proof housing on the roof (Figure 1) and controlled by means of a control cabinet, mounted near the stairway to the roof (Figure 2).
The camera works fully automatic: it starts 0.5hr after sunset and stops 0.5hr before sunrise, and works every night, no matter weather conditions. Exposure time is set to 2’ 55”, followed by 5” for data storage. ISO sensitivity is 400.
Exposure control and sunrise/sunset times are calculated by a Theben 642
Top 2 radio-‐synchronized
(DCF/Frankfurt) timer controller,
which has two switching contacts. Contact #2 is connected to the remote release contact of the camera body and makes the 2’ 55” exposures. Contact #1 is used for powering on camera and chopper at twilight.
Data is stored on a CF card inside the camera, 8Gb large (biggest size that fits into the camera) and needs to be replaced and emptied periodically. (There is no remote image transfer for robustness, although in theory possible via Wi-‐Fi or USB). Chosen image format is ‘Large’ jpeg, typically
resulting in images 2.5Mb in size. Depending on season it allows for ~2 weeks operation, after which the CF card needs to be exchanged.
Figure 1. Camera installed on the roof of the main building of the Petnica Science
Center.
Figure 2. Control cabinet inside the building.
The camera works every night, no matter if the night will be clear or not. It cannot be switched off.
Heaters and fans in the camera box prevent for condensation.
In the Control cabinet all power is converted from 230V to 13.5V (heaters, fan, relays) and 5V (liquid crystal controller) and 8V inside the camera box.
Manual operation
The automatic operation of the camera can be overruled by a manual switch located in the middle of the upper row of the control cabinet:
-‐ Lever Down = automatic
operation
-‐ Lever Up = manual operation,
the camera will be switched on. This function permits to check operation of the camera during daytime. It will NOT disable operation at night.
Power ON
The main switch of the camera is located in the upper right of the control cabinet. The switch is also a 10A fuse as well as 30mA residual current monitor. It should normally be ON (lever upward) but can be switched off in case of maintenance.
Control sequence and status
LEDs
During all time (both day and night) the external heater on the camera housing is ON. It prevents for condensation of humid air on the protection window. The heater and fan inside the camera box is also ON all the time. They ensure that inside the box never condensation occurs. Also the Liquid crystal chopper controller (blue box in control cabinet) is always on (for temperature stability).
After sunset the Theben timer controller switches ON the camera power. The two right LEDs left of the timer controller will light green. Also the signal to the chopper is connected to the LC chopper (2nd green LEDs starts blinking, with HALF the chopper frequency).
The timer controller immediately starts to control the remote release contact of the camera body with the programmed exposure time. When the camera shutter is open the 1st LED lights up.; if not the shutter is closed. If the 1st LED is OFF more then 5sec and other LEDs are ON then something is wrong:
-‐ CF card full
-‐ malfunction camera
GSM
The camera system has a GSM telephone I/O unit. The system relays the signal of the 1st LED and measures the temperature of the camera box for information. The information can be received by sending with a mobile telephone a text message to:
Telephone number: +xx xxx xxx xxx
xxx
and message: status #1513
the camera responds with:
GX107 1.11e
---
Alarm: off (not used)
GSM: 75% (strength GSM signal)
Accu: 91% (level battery charge)
Area: off (not used)
Voltage: 0.4V (adc – not used)
ADC: 27.1C (temperature camerabox)
IN1: high (camera shutter signal:
high= ON, low = OFF)
OUT1: off (relay – not used)
OUT2: off (relay – not used)
INCALL: OUT1 0s (not used)
IN1 displays the signal of the first LED (low = off; high = on);
ADC gives temperature of the sensor in the camera box.
If after darkness IN1 is low something is wrong and intervention required.
Note: the SIM card in the camera is prepaid, and needs periodically to be recharged via Telenor.
Maintenance
The camera does not require much maintenance. Main maintenance is once per ~ 2 weeks interchanging of the CF card. This time can also be used to clean the window with a clean soft handkerchief. The inside of the camera window and fisheye lens in general needs not to be cleaned. If the weather is not good (rain, high humidity) it is better to not open the camera box as moisture can be trapped in the box and condensate if temperatures drop.
Opening of the box is done by releasing the 4 plastic screws at the 4 corners. Do not tighten them to strong after closing, but ensure that the box is hermetically closed (no wires sticking out, no slit between upper and lower parts). The box in principle is water tight.
Several parameters (exposure time, ISO rating, file format, chopper frequency) in principle can be changed, but are chosen based on experience. In case of a needed change, contact Felix (address below).
Circuit diagram
An electrical diagram of the system is included below.
Contact
In case of questions contact: Felix Bettonvil
bettonvil@astron.nl
References
Bettonvil, F.C.M. (2014), “Remote and automatic small-‐scale observatories: experience with an all-‐sky fireball patrol camera”, In,Ramsay S. K., McLean I. S., and Takami H., editors,
Proceedings SPIE, Ground-‐based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 9147, id. 91473U, 9 pages
Bettonvil, F. (2013), “Digital all-‐sky cameras VII: Putting the camera into operation,” Proceedings of the International Meteor Conference. International Meteor Organization, 34-‐ 37.
Terminal
block #1 Mains fuse
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 001Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1 5V DC PSU DCF Imer switch Relais 13.8V DC PSU DCF Antenne Antenne GSM GSM I/O monitor
A
3Cabinet Cabinet Door
230V AC Size: Item name: Drawing nr: Chopper signal generator
POkLON – Petnica bOLide mONitor
POgLEd – Petnica bOlide aLl-‐sky camEra
Main layout
Terminal block #2v
Manual/Auto switch Terminal block #3 PSU 8V DC Camera w LC chopper He ate rs /f an s Le ns He ate rs Camera boxv
Fan Fan0 O U T +8 V D C (to C AM po w er ) +1 3. 5V D C IN fr om C AM po w er te rm in al bl oc k #3 PSU 5V DC Nr#1#%#LEFT#%#power#cable Nr#2#%#RIGHT#%#control#cable
Pin## Description color Pin## Description color
1 CAM%power blue 1 2 lens%heating brown 2 3 internal%heating%+%fan red 3
4 GND black 4 LC%shutter black 5 5 LC%shutter blue 6 6 flash% black 7 GND black 7 shutter white 8 GND black 8 twilight%sensor black 9 9 twilight%sensor red 10 10 temperature black 11 11 temperature green GNDH12 shielding GNDH12 shielding #1 power control #2 Bo^om level Base level Lens heaters 4, 7 & 8 2 3 1 4 8 8 In te rn al h eaI ng + fan Le ns h eaI ng CA M po w er +8 V D C fr om P SU 8V Te m p se nsor 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 LC c hoppe r LC c hoppe r flas h shu^e r Te m p se nsor Te m p se nsor Te m p se nsor NC
Flash (center pin)
CA M po w er (+8 V D C) 0 Terminal block #3 LC chopper Sh u^ er re le as e co ntac t ( 1 pi n/ re d wi re) To +8 V D C PS U (r ed ) Fl as h (b lac k) To In te rn al h eaI ng + fan (b ro w n + re d) To L en s he aI ng (g re y) Top level 0 Fr om te rm in al b lo ck #3 (i nte rn al h eaI ng + fan ) 1 3. 5V Fan 1 2V (2 x) R=6 8Ω ? R=6 8Ω ? R=10Ω R=10Ω R=10Ω R=10Ω 0 From terminal block #3
(lens heaIng) +13.5V DC
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 002Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3 Size: Item name: Drawing nr:Camera housing
(black) (red) (white) (black) (pur ple ) (blue )L N 10A 30mA L N GND 1) C am er a cab le + sh ie ld (2 x) 2) 230V gro un d 0 0 0 0V DC + 13 .5 V D C + 1 2 3 4 LC shu^e r (G re y) 2 5 6 3 4 From 13.5V PSU Terminal block #2 7 8 6 Sh u^ er re le as e ON* OFF (B ac k) 1 0 1 1 (Re d) (W hi te ) Fr om G SM m od ul e 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 0 Cam er a po w er 0 Terminal block #1 To 1 3.5 V DC P SU & The be n Ime r sw itc h 230V AC LC shu^e r (Gr ey ) L1 To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (te m p se ns or ) In te rn al h eaI ng c am er a (+1 3. 5V ) Le ns h eaI ng c am er a (+1 3. 5V ) 23 0V A C m ai ns (L )
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 003Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3Size:
Item name:
Drawing nr:
Control cabinet – upper row
0V DC 0V DC To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (L C sh u^ er ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (L C sh u^ er ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (te m p se ns or ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (te m p se ns or ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (fl as h co ntac t) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (fshu^e r co ntac t) Sh u^ er =o pe n fe ed bac k To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (C AM po w er ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (i nte rn al h eat / fan ) To te rm in al b lo ck #3 (l en s he aI ng ) 0* ON – Imer switch forced to work at dayIme (for tesIng) OFF – works automaIcally only at night
To The be n Im e sw itc h
0 V D C IN BNC OUT 1 +5 V D C IN 0 +5 V D C O U T +1 3. 5V D C IN PSU 5V DC 5 5
BNC chopper signal (to relay – pin #14)
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 004Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3Size:
Item name:
Drawing nr:
Control cabinet door – upper row
MHS 2300A waveTheben Selekta 642 top2 RC Imer switch 0 V DC Re lay LED A2 A1 14 11 12 N C N O CO M 22 24 21 A2 A1 14 11 12 N C N O CO M 22 24 21 11 14 12 21 24 22 Em pty Re lay LED m odifie d A2 A1 LED LED N brown L blue L N DATA + DATA -‐ To te rm in al b lo ck #1 1
LED ON = Shu^er open LED blinking = Chopper ON LED ON = camera acIvated
0 NO COM NC +1 3. 5V D C To D CF an te nn a To D CF an te nn a Fr om 2 30 V m ai ns fu se Fr om 2 30 V m ai ns fu se & To te rm in al b lo ck #2 Ch op pe r. T o te rm in al b lo ck #2 +1 3. 5V D C GSM I/O module To e xte rn al an te nn a (b lac k) 0V + 13 .5 V D C 7 6 D ig ital IN + -‐ D C IN 4 5 9 3 2 1 + 13 .5 V D C To e xte rn al te m pe ratu re se nsor AD C IN -‐ IN + -‐ + G ol de n co nn ec to r 1 NO COM NC L1 0 V DC 4 8 7 C2 C1 Ext 1 Ext 2 L0 0 10 10 0 V DC Em pty Re lay LED m odifie d A2 Re lay A1 LED 7 8 +1 3. 5V D C 9 2 3 11 12 14 L L0
from BNC wave generator
L
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 005Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3Size:
Item name:
Drawing nr:
Control cabinet door – lower row
To te rm in al b lo ck #2 Fr om fl as h co ntac t c am er a 23 0V A C -‐ L p has e Fr om s w itc h te rm in al b lo ck 1 /2 Fr om re lay To The be n sw itc h Ex t 2 To c oi l r el ay s Fr om The be n re lay C 1 Fr om The be n re lay C 1 Fr om s hi el d co ax c ab le ch op per To LED Fr om re lay p in #1 1 Fr om fl as h te rm in al b lo ck 3 & to G SM mo du le
(Blue
) 0 V DC OU
T
13.5V/4A DC PSU
(VoltCrak FSP-‐1134 – housing modified)
(Br own) 13.5 V DC OU T 23 0V A C IN 23 0V A C IN
250V/T0.8A. Note: PSU Heat sink needs to me removed for access to fuse.
Fan (12V) Fan (1 2V ) 0 +1 3. 5V D C
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 006Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3Size:
Item name:
Drawing nr:
D AT A + (b ro w n) Theben DCF antenne 9070401 D AT A – (b lu e) Bl ac k cab le (to G SM m od ul e) GSM antenne
POgLEd
Fireball patrol camera 007Date: 25-‐07-‐15 Designed: FB Rev. R1
A
3Size:
Item name:
Drawing nr:
