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The ARCO is a modern rotator controller designed for reliable operation with virtually any rotator ever made, commercial or home brew.
ARCO provides a lot of unique present day functions, not yet available in any other controller. Rotator motion is carefully controlled using auto-adapting, smoothly graduating/decaying speeds, reducing inertial stress, and prolonging lifetime of the rotator, antennas and tower.
Built to last, built for security, built for total satisfaction!
Have pleasure with new features, bringing your gear extra protection and longer life!
ARCO is a completely self-contained stand alone rotator controller for standard rotors, not requiring computer or any external device or power supply for setup and operation, while providing a wide selection of interfaces for remote control when necessary. It features several ways of controlling azimuth or elevation heading using uncluttered graphical user interface on the 7” touch screen. Azimuth heading is displayed on a great circle map, user centered to the rotator installation location, with four different radius settings, live grey line projection, several coloring options and automatic day/night color schemes. The controller supports
Touch'n Turn feature, fastest possible heading entry by simple touching desired direction on great circle map. Than classic tactile front panel CW and CCW buttons, Point and Shot knob and heading entry keypad, either virtual on the touch screen or hardware, connected to the USB host port on the ARCO.
Along with the manual control, ARCO offers rich connectivity for the computer using standard RS-232 port, USB serial port not requiring any driver installation on Windows 10, macOS, and Linux, and Ethernet port to enable control over Internet.
For rotator position feedback, ARCO supports wide range of the absolute and relative sensors including rheostat, potentiometer, reed contact, Hall sensor, and PWM sensor. Additional digital sensor port provides three differential lines supporting RS-485 communication as well as single ended push-pull and open collector connection for various quadrature encoders. With high resolution sensors positioning accuracy is 0.1º.
For the motor control, ARCO uses high current, 4-channel PWM driver with overload, short circuit and overheat protections, combined with automatically operated, current monitoring internal power supply, preventing driver damage caused by operation failures. This combination is capable of driving safely any DC motor up to 48V or any AC motor up to 24V, including innovative brake control reducing solenoid heat.
Motor start and stop uses configurable, ultra-fine gradual speeds ramps, significantly reducing inertial forces stress to the rotator, tower and antennas, prolonging their lifetime. Gradual speed control uses auto-adapting procedure considering variable, dynamically changing resistance caused by wind or ice.
For its basic operation, ARCO uses built-in linear supply for silent, interference free operation. Separate built-in power supply for the motor is selectively controlled and entirely turned off when motor does not turn, to avoid causing any possible interference to the sensitive receivers. For high voltage or high power motors ARCO provides common control outputs for inverters as well as industry standard MODBUS RTU control. All rotator settings including compensation for power loss in the motor cables are menu driven, comfortably without requiring to open cover and change some internal wiring.
Networking is another strong point of ARCO. ARCO supports not only LAN networking but allows to build a simple but powerful, isolated two-wire local LINK bus, coupling multiple ARCO controllers together for automated stacks tracking, multi-directional beaming, and counter rotation for rotating towers.
Unique feature of ARCO is a direct control of rotators connected to another ARCO controllers, located either on the same LINK bus or anywhere in the world using Internet connection. All this complex control is greatly simplified by using just two, easy to handle SYNC and ALIGN buttons, and single ANTENNA button which allows to choose either one of three antennas installed on the same rotator with different heading offsets, or any other antenna present on the local LINK network through another ARCO, or on a remote LINK network through ARCO controller connected over the Internet.
For unattended remote operation over the Internet, ARCO offers autonomous parking function and physically disconnects all wires coming to the rotator port from the rotator hardware when connection is over, breaks, or if ARCO goes to the power down mode, in order to minimize possible damage by high static or nearby lightning during storms.
Firmware provides wide range of additional protections and self explaining error messages for quick troubleshooting if any failure happens. All of this packed in a full aluminum, compact enclosure with always free firmware updates.
Specifications
POWER INPUT
INPUT POWER: 500 VA max. IEC 60320, C14 (E) socket, filtered
LINE VOLTAGE: 90-130 VAC / 215-245 VAC, internally switchable
FREQUENCY: 50/60 Hz
ROTATOR
MOTOR OUTPUT: 4x isolated PWM output, max. 48 V, max. 7 A
SENSOR INPUT: 0-9 V, max. 16 kHz
REFERENCE OUTPUT: 9 V, max. 18 mA (shorted)
SENSOR ADC RESOLUTION: 2x 12 bit, 64x oversampling, 10 bit DAC for offset control
DIGITAL SENSOR: 3x RS-485, 1x MOD bus RTU, 1x 0-10 V analog output, 1x 12 VDC, 0.5 A auxiliary output
LINK: CAN bus
COMPUTER
USB B: USB 2.0, full speed, CDC compliance
USB A: USB 2.0, full speed, mass storage, keyboard HID support
ETHERNET: IEEE 802.3, 100BaseTX, auto MDI/MDIX
SERIAL: RS-232
GENERAL
DIMENSIONS: W-265 mm D-150 mm H-125 mm
WEIGHT: 2.85 kg net
Shipping & Delivery
We offer UK and international delivery services, including next working day and selected weekend options for eligible orders. Available services, prices and estimated delivery times are displayed at checkout.
Delivery Information
Delivery options depend on the parcel's size, weight, contents and destination. Express and weekend services are subject to availability and cut-off times. Oversized or exceptionally heavy items may require a specialist delivery quotation.
Returns & Cancellations
To arrange a return, please contact ML&S or complete our returns form. You may also exercise your statutory right to cancel by email or another clear statement, without completing the form.
Changed Your Mind?
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, most purchases made online or by telephone can be cancelled within 14 days of receipt.
You must notify us of your cancellation within this period and return the goods within a further 14 days.
Please handle all goods with care. Returned items must be in a resaleable condition, complete with their original packaging, and all supplied accessories.
You may inspect goods as you would in a shop. Handling beyond what is necessary to inspect them may result in a lawful deduction for diminished value.
Exceptions
Modified Equipment & Reversal Charges
Additional return conditions may apply to equipment modified at the customer's request, including wideband transmit or receive modifications.
ML&S may charge a reasonable fee to reverse physical modifications and restore the equipment to its original factory specification. Any such charge will be agreed in advance and deducted from your refund.
Custom-Made Cable Assemblies
Coaxial cable assemblies manufactured to a customer's specifications are excluded from the 14-day return policy and are non-refundable unless faulty.
Software & Labour Charges
Labour and modification charges requested by the customer are non-refundable once the work has been completed.
Computer software may only be returned under the 14-day return policy if it remains sealed and unopened.
Return Postage Charges
Customers are responsible for the direct cost of returning unwanted or incorrectly ordered goods, where permitted by law. You may arrange your own suitable return postage or use one of our optional prepaid services.
Standard Parcels
Royal Mail Return Label
£5.95
Per parcel
For eligible standard-sized parcels, subject to Royal Mail restrictions. Free collection included.
Larger Parcels
DPD Return Label
£7.95
Per parcel
For larger or heavier parcels and any shipments with batteries.
Collection Service
DPD Collection
£25.00
Per parcel
Available upon request for eligible addresses, subject to availability.
Prepaid return charges will be confirmed before booking and deducted from your refund.
These prices apply to eligible UK mainland returns. Oversized items, specialist products and returns from other destinations may require a separate quotation. Estimated return costs will be disclosed before purchase.
Faulty or Incorrectly Supplied Goods
Return postage charges do not apply to faulty, damaged or incorrectly supplied goods returned under statutory rights. ML&S will arrange a free return in these circumstances.
Refunds
Refunds are processed without undue delay following receipt and inspection of returned goods, and no later than 14 days after we receive goods returned under statutory cancellation rights.
Refunds will be issued to the original payment method. Any prepaid return postage charges or lawful deductions for diminished value will be itemised.
Warranty Terms & Conditions
New Equipment Warranty
Minimum 2-Year Warranty
All new products supplied by ML&S carry a minimum two-year warranty against manufacturing defects, excluding batteries, which are covered by separate warranty terms.
Some manufacturers provide extended warranties, such as the three-year warranty available on eligible Yaesu equipment. Any additional coverage is subject to the manufacturer's terms and conditions.
Our workshop may assess and repair faulty equipment on site or refer it to the manufacturer or an authorised service centre where necessary.
Warranty exclusions may include batteries, normal wear and tear, accidental damage, misuse and unauthorised modifications, as specified in the applicable warranty terms.
All warranties are provided in addition to your statutory consumer rights against ML&S, which are not limited by the warranty period.
International Returns & Warranty
Unless otherwise stated, ML&S warranty servicing is carried out in the UK. International customers must contact us before returning goods to confirm shipping and customs requirements.
International customers are responsible for return postage unless the goods are faulty and ML&S has been notified within a reasonable time.
ML&S accepts no responsibility for additional charges resulting from incorrectly completed customs documentation. Any additional duties charged to ML&S as a result will be billed to the customer before return of the goods.
Need Help With a Return?
Our team can assist with returns, postage arrangements, modifications and warranty claims.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits your statutory consumer rights.