Node Antenna Type Abstraction
Migrated from Original Docs/Node/Node-AntennaAbstraction.md
Node Antenna Type Abstraction
The control daemon abstracts antenna differences so central and frontend code remains antenna-agnostic.
1. Discovery-Time Capability Report
On startup, antenna daemon queries hardware and publishes capabilities.
Phased-array example:
{
"antenna_type": "phased_array",
"capabilities": {
"actuation_type": "electronic",
"steering_modes": ["az_el", "target_coordinate", "fixed", "scan"],
"azimuth_range_deg": [-180, 180],
"elevation_range_deg": [0, 90],
"slew_rate_deg_per_sec": 50,
"positioning_accuracy_deg": 0.1,
"elements": 16,
"frequency_bands": ["C"],
"frequency_range_hz": [4900000000, 5900000000],
"max_gain_dbi": 20,
"beamwidth_deg": 2.5
}
}Motorized parabolic example:
{
"antenna_type": "motorized_parabolic",
"capabilities": {
"actuation_type": "mechanical",
"steering_modes": ["az_el", "target_coordinate", "fixed"],
"azimuth_range_deg": [0, 360],
"elevation_range_deg": [0, 90],
"slew_rate_deg_per_sec": 5.0,
"positioning_accuracy_deg": 0.5,
"dish_diameter_m": 3.0,
"frequency_range_hz": [4900000000, 5900000000],
"max_gain_dbi": 28,
"beamwidth_deg": 1.5
}
}2. Control Unification at the Antenna Daemon
Antenna daemon accepts unified commands:
{
"command_id": "cmd-001",
"type": "pointing",
"target": {
"mode": "target_coordinate",
"latitude": 28.4,
"longitude": -80.6,
"altitude_m": 5000,
"timestamp_utc": "2026-03-17T14:30:00Z"
}
}Daemon translates to:
- Phased-array: Compute az/el from target lat/lon + node position, compute weights
- Motorized: Compute az/el, issue motor commands
- Fixed: Log request, report error if trying to move
3. Fallback and Degraded Modes
Phased-array fallback (if central lost):
- Cache last mission plan
- Use local GNSS position for coordinate steering
- Report "degraded" capability status
Motorized fallback (if central lost):
- Hold last commanded position
- If GNSS available, compute az/el from cached target coordinates
- Report "degraded" after 30 seconds without central contact
Fixed antenna (no fallback):
- Continue operation unchanged
Related: See System-AntennaCapabilities for system-level antenna design, and Node-AntennaTypes-Deployment for antenna-specific configurations.