[APML]: building an electronic tracker

[Jim Fedina <jfedina@sbsusa.com>]

To all who have electric barndoors,

I have downloaded a few of the different designs of electronic barndoor
trackers and have come to the same conclusion; I haven't the foggiest
idea on how to build the electronics. Is there anyone out there that has
a design for the electronically challenged? I'm sure that if I attempt
the designs that I have downloaded I would probably go crazy but might
get a working model. The real problem I have is I do not know how to
read the circuit diagrams. I know the other route I have is the turn by
hand models, but I don't think I could get the right motion down to turn
it 1rpm. If you could wait 1 minute and then turn it completely around 1
revolution, that would not be bad, but getting the right speed with the
second hand of a watch might be difficult to master.
Back to the electronic design, I have noticed people mentioning that the
motor could be from an old 5 1/4 floppy drive, so I had a couple laying
at home and took the stepper motor out of it. I have a 6 wire (2 red, 1
orange, 1 yellow, 1 black, 1 brown) 1.8 degree stepper motor, so I guess
1 part is taken care of. I assume everything else can be purchased from
a Radio Shack?

Any insight for an electronically challenged person would be helpful.

Thanks,
Jim Fedina