diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 0dc48fd587e6d9b27d44a369af86339881e72085..64e26f5b2b5659db05a6cd975e3d2ac30be5ef64 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-image: git.astron.nl:5000/lofar2.0/tango/tango-itango:9.3.7
+image: git.astron.nl:5000/lofar2.0/tango/lofar-device-base:latest
 variables:
   GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive
   PIP_CACHE_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/.cache/pip"
diff --git a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/beam.py b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/beam.py
index a44a557a3fbb875d7f623ce05ed039576cdc69f7..1d879d0eb8facfa3d56ee2aebdc6b2b359b370ca 100644
--- a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/beam.py
+++ b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/beam.py
@@ -8,18 +8,17 @@
 """
 
 import numpy
+import datetime
+from tango.server import attribute, command, device_property
+from tango import AttrWriteType, DebugIt, DevState, DeviceProxy, DevVarStringArray, DevVarDoubleArray
 
-from tango.server import attribute
-from tango.server import command
-from tango import AttrWriteType
-from tango import DevState
-from tango import DebugIt
-
+# Additional import
 from tangostationcontrol.common.entrypoint import entry
-from tangostationcontrol.devices.device_decorators import only_in_states
 from tangostationcontrol.devices.lofar_device import lofar_device
 from tangostationcontrol.common.lofar_logging import device_logging_to_python, log_exceptions
 from tangostationcontrol.common.measures import get_measures_directory, use_measures_directory, download_measures, restart_python, get_available_measures_directories
+from tangostationcontrol.beam.delays import delay_calculator
+from tangostationcontrol.devices.device_decorators import *
 
 import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger()
@@ -30,32 +29,35 @@ __all__ = ["Beam", "main"]
 @device_logging_to_python()
 class Beam(lofar_device):
 
-    _hbat_pointing_direction = numpy.zeros(96)
-    _hbat_pointing_epoch = numpy.zeros(96)
-
-    @property
-    def hbat_pointing_direction(self):
-        return tuple(self._hbat_pointing_direction)
-
-    @property
-    def hbat_pointing_epoch(self):
-        return tuple(self._hbat_pointing_epoch)
+    _hbat_pointing_direction = numpy.zeros((96,3), dtype=numpy.str)
+    _hbat_pointing_timestamp = numpy.zeros(96, dtype=numpy.double)
 
     # -----------------
     # Device Properties
     # -----------------
+    reference_itrf =  device_property(
+        dtype='DevVarFloatArray',
+        mandatory=False,
+        default_value = numpy.tile(numpy.array([3826577.066, 461022.948, 5064892.786]),(96,1)) # CS002LBA, in ITRF2005 timestamp 2012.5
+    )
+
+    antenna_itrf = device_property(
+        dtype='DevVarFloatArray',
+        mandatory=False,
+        default_value = numpy.tile(numpy.array([3826923.546, 460915.441, 5064643.489]),(96,16,1)) # CS001LBA, in ITRF2005 timestamp 2012.5
+    )
 
     # ----------
     # Attributes
     # ----------
 
     HBAT_pointing_direction_R = attribute(access=AttrWriteType.READ,
-        dtype=(numpy.double,), max_dim_x=96,
-        fget=lambda self: self.hbat_pointing_direction)
+        dtype=((numpy.str,),), max_dim_x=3, max_dim_y=96,
+        fget=lambda self: self._hbat_pointing_direction)
 
-    HBAT_pointing_epoch_R = attribute(access=AttrWriteType.READ,
+    HBAT_pointing_timestamp_R = attribute(access=AttrWriteType.READ,
         dtype=(numpy.double,), max_dim_x=96,
-        fget=lambda self: self.hbat_pointing_epoch)
+        fget=lambda self: self._hbat_pointing_timestamp)
 
     # Directory where the casacore measures that we use, reside. We configure ~/.casarc to
     # use the symlink /opt/IERS/current, which we switch to the actual set of files to use.
@@ -67,32 +69,72 @@ class Beam(lofar_device):
     # --------
     # overloaded functions
     # --------
+    @log_exceptions()
+    def configure_for_initialise(self):
+        super().configure_for_initialise()
+
+        # Set a reference of RECV device
+        self.recv_proxy = DeviceProxy("STAT/RECV/1")
 
     # --------
-    # Commands
+    # internal functions
     # --------
 
-    @DebugIt()
-    @command(dtype_in=(numpy.double,), dtype_out=int)
-    @only_in_states([DevState.STANDBY, DevState.ON])
-    def set_direction_pointings(self, new_points: numpy.array):
-        if new_points.size != 96:
-            return -1
-
-        self._hbat_pointing_direction = new_points
-
-        return 0
+    def _HBAT_delays(self, pointing_direction: numpy.array, timestamp: datetime.datetime = datetime.datetime.now()):
+        """
+        Calculate the delays (in seconds) based on the pointing list and the timestamp
+        TBD: antenna and reference positions will be retrieved from RECV and not stored as BEAM device properties
+        """
+
+        delays = numpy.zeros((96,16), dtype=numpy.float64)
+
+        for tile in range(96):
+            # initialise delay calculator
+            d = delay_calculator(self.reference_itrf[tile])
+            d.set_measure_time(timestamp)
+
+            # calculate the delays based on the set reference position, the set time and now the set direction and antenna positions
+            delays[tile] = d.convert(pointing_direction[tile], self.antenna_itrf[tile])    
+
+        return delays
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _calculate_HBAT_bf_delays(delays: numpy.ndarray):
+        """
+        Helper function that converts a signal path delay (in seconds) to an analog beam weight,
+        which is a value per tile per dipole per polarisation.
+        """
+        # Duplicate delay values per polarisation
+        polarised_delays = numpy.tile(delays, 2)                      # output dims -> 96x32             
+
+        # Divide by 0.5ns and round
+        HBAT_bf_delays = numpy.array(polarised_delays / 0.5e-09, dtype=numpy.int64)
+
+        return HBAT_bf_delays
+
+    def _HBAT_set_pointing(self, pointing_direction: numpy.array, timestamp: datetime.datetime = datetime.datetime.now()):
+        """
+        Uploads beam weights based on a given pointing direction 2D array (96 tiles x 3 parameters)
+        """
+        # Retrieve delays from casacore
+        delays = self._HBAT_delays(pointing_direction, timestamp)
+        # Convert delays into beam weights
+        HBAT_bf_delays = self._calculate_HBAT_bf_delays(delays)
+
+        # Write weights to RECV
+        self.recv_proxy.HBAT_BF_delays_RW = HBAT_bf_delays
+
+        # Record where we now point to, now that we've updated the weights.
+        # Only the entries within the mask have been updated
+        mask = self.recv_proxy.Ant_mask_RW.flatten()
+        for rcu in range(96):
+            if mask[rcu]:
+                self._hbat_pointing_direction[rcu] = pointing_direction[rcu]
+                self._hbat_pointing_timestamp[rcu] = timestamp
 
-    @DebugIt()
-    @command(dtype_in=(numpy.double,), dtype_out=int)
-    @only_in_states([DevState.STANDBY, DevState.ON])
-    def set_direction_epochs(self, new_points: numpy.array):
-        if new_points.size != 96:
-            return -1
-
-        self._hbat_pointing_epoch = new_points
-
-        return 0
+    # --------
+    # Commands
+    # --------
 
     @command(dtype_out=str, doc_out="Name of newly installed measures directory")
     @DebugIt()
@@ -124,6 +166,32 @@ class Beam(lofar_device):
         # the new tables
         logger.warning("Restarting device to activate new measures tables")
         restart_python()
+    
+    @command(dtype_in=DevVarStringArray, dtype_out=DevVarDoubleArray)
+    @DebugIt()
+    @log_exceptions()
+    @only_in_states([DevState.ON])
+    def HBAT_delays(self, pointing_direction: numpy.array, timestamp: datetime.datetime = datetime.datetime.now()):
+        """
+        Calculate the delays (in seconds) based on the pointing list and the timestamp
+        TBD: antenna and reference positions will be retrieved from RECV and not stored as BEAM device properties
+        """
+        pointing_direction = numpy.array(pointing_direction).reshape(96,3)
+
+        delays = self._HBAT_delays(pointing_direction, timestamp)
+
+        return delays.flatten()
+    
+    @command(dtype_in=DevVarStringArray)
+    @DebugIt()
+    @only_in_states([DevState.ON])
+    def HBAT_set_pointing(self, pointing_direction: list, timestamp: datetime.datetime = datetime.datetime.now()):
+        """
+        Uploads beam weights based on a given pointing direction 2D array (96 tiles x 3 parameters)
+        """
+        pointing_direction = numpy.array(pointing_direction).reshape(96,3)
+
+        self._HBAT_set_pointing(pointing_direction, timestamp)
 
 # ----------
 # Run server
diff --git a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/integration_test/devices/test_device_beam.py b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/integration_test/devices/test_device_beam.py
index b6be958cfde3b9f236947e9b1b76195c844bad40..8e1f2091f41504358619d793aa98ba52761f5e03 100644
--- a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/integration_test/devices/test_device_beam.py
+++ b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/integration_test/devices/test_device_beam.py
@@ -7,9 +7,36 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the APACHE license.
 # See LICENSE.txt for more info.
 
+import numpy
+from tangostationcontrol.integration_test.device_proxy import TestDeviceProxy
+
 from .base import AbstractTestBases
 
 class TestDeviceBeam(AbstractTestBases.TestDeviceBase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp("STAT/Beam/1")
+    
+    def test_write_HBAT_delays(self):
+        """ Test whether the delay values are correctly saved into the relative RECV attribute"""
+
+        self.proxy.initialise()
+        self.proxy.on()
+
+        # setup RECV as well
+        recv_proxy = TestDeviceProxy("STAT/RECV/1")
+        recv_proxy.off()
+        recv_proxy.initialise()
+        recv_proxy.on()
+
+        # Verify attribute is present (all zeros if never used before)
+        HBAT_delays_r1 = numpy.array(recv_proxy.read_attribute('HBAT_BF_delays_RW').value)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(HBAT_delays_r1)
+        
+        # Verify writing operation does not lead to errors
+        self.proxy.HBAT_set_pointing(numpy.array([["J2000","0deg","0deg"]] * 96).flatten())  # write values to RECV
+        HBAT_delays_r2 = numpy.array(recv_proxy.read_attribute('HBAT_BF_delays_RW').value)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(HBAT_delays_r2)
+        
+        # Verify delays changed (to be discussed)
+        #self.assertFalse((HBAT_delays_r1==HBAT_delays_r2).all())
diff --git a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/test/devices/test_beam_device.py b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/test/devices/test_beam_device.py
index 107f95293f587e632f018be68a5cf07764bc49b7..06a6d858114b30a1dc1f1f6ba7314aadf1a2c5c3 100644
--- a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/test/devices/test_beam_device.py
+++ b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/test/devices/test_beam_device.py
@@ -7,13 +7,12 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the APACHE license.
 # See LICENSE.txt for more info.
 
-import numpy
-
 from tango import DevState
 from tango.test_context import DeviceTestContext
 
-from tangostationcontrol.devices import beam
+from tangostationcontrol.devices import beam, lofar_device
 
+import numpy
 import mock
 
 from tangostationcontrol.test import base
@@ -24,96 +23,52 @@ class TestBeamDevice(base.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestBeamDevice, self).setUp()
 
-        # lofar_device init_device will launch a DeviceProxy not captured by
-        # the TestDeviceContext making it fail.
-
-        # Patch init_device and force match spec
-        init_patcher = mock.patch.object(
-            beam.Beam, 'init_device', spec=beam.Beam.init_device)
-        self.m_init = init_patcher.start()
-        self.addCleanup(init_patcher.stop)
-
+        # Patch DeviceProxy to allow making the proxies during initialisation
+        # that we otherwise avoid using
+        for device in [beam, lofar_device]:
+            proxy_patcher = mock.patch.object(
+                device, 'DeviceProxy')
+            proxy_patcher.start()
+            self.addCleanup(proxy_patcher.stop)
+    
     def test_get_pointing_directions(self):
         """Verify can read pointings attribute and length matches without err"""
         with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
             self.assertEqual(96, len(proxy.read_attribute(
                 "HBAT_pointing_direction_R").value))
 
-    def test_get_pointing_epochs(self):
-        """Verify can read epochs attribute and length matches without err"""
+    def test_get_pointing_timestamps(self):
+        """Verify can read timestamps attribute and length matches without err"""
 
         with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
             self.assertEqual(96, len(proxy.read_attribute(
-                "HBAT_pointing_epoch_R").value))
-
-    def test_set_pointing_direction(self):
-        """Verify can set pointings attribute without error"""
-
-        with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
-            proxy.init()
-            proxy.Initialise()
-            self.assertEqual(DevState.STANDBY, proxy.state())
-            self.assertEqual(0, proxy.set_direction_pointings(numpy.zeros(96)))
-
-    def test_set_pointing_epochs(self):
-        """Verify can set epochs attribute without error"""
+                "HBAT_pointing_timestamp_R").value))
 
+    def test_HBAT_delays_dims(self):
+        """Verify HBAT delays are retrieved with correct dimensions"""
         with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
             proxy.init()
             proxy.Initialise()
             self.assertEqual(DevState.STANDBY, proxy.state())
-            self.assertEqual(0, proxy.set_direction_epochs(numpy.zeros(96)))
-
-    def pointing(self, attribute: str, lambd):
-        data = numpy.arange(0, 96)
-
+            proxy.set_defaults()
+            proxy.on()
+            self.assertEqual(DevState.ON, proxy.state())
+
+            # verify HBAT_delays method returns the correct dimensions
+            HBAT_delays = proxy.HBAT_delays(numpy.array([["J2000","0deg","0deg"]] * 96).flatten())
+            self.assertEqual((96*16,), HBAT_delays.shape)
+    
+    def test_HBAT_delays_calculations(self):
+        """Verify the calculations from delays to weights"""
         with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
             proxy.init()
             proxy.Initialise()
             self.assertEqual(DevState.STANDBY, proxy.state())
-
-            # Evaluate default all zeros are present using numpy array compare
-            compare_obj = numpy.zeros(96) == proxy.read_attribute(
-                attribute).value
-            self.assertTrue(compare_obj.all())
-
-            # Set direction pointings to range of incrementing values
-            self.assertEqual(0, lambd(proxy, data))
-
-            # Verify attribute has been updated with correct data
-            compare_obj = data == proxy.read_attribute(attribute).value
-            self.assertTrue(compare_obj.all())
-
-    def test_direction_pointing(self):
-        """Set and Get test with actual values for pointing attribute"""
-
-        self.pointing("HBAT_pointing_direction_R", lambda x, y:
-                      x.set_direction_pointings(y))
-
-    def test_direction_epochs(self):
-        """Set and Get test with actual values for pointing attribute"""
-
-        self.pointing("HBAT_pointing_epoch_R", lambda x, y:
-                      x.set_direction_epochs(y))
-
-    def test_pointing_invalid(self):
-        """Test that set pointings command refuses invalid lengths"""
-
-        with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
-            proxy.init()
-            proxy.Initialise()
-            self.assertEqual(DevState.STANDBY, proxy.state())
-
-            # should return error due to invalid length
-            self.assertEqual(-1, proxy.set_direction_pointings(numpy.zeros(55)))
-
-    def test_epoch_invalid(self):
-        """Test that set epochs command refuses invalid lengths"""
-
-        with DeviceTestContext(beam.Beam, process=True) as proxy:
-            proxy.init()
-            proxy.Initialise()
-            self.assertEqual(DevState.STANDBY, proxy.state())
-
-            # should return error due to invalid length
-            self.assertEqual(-1, proxy.set_direction_epochs(numpy.zeros(55)))
+            proxy.set_defaults()
+            proxy.on()
+            self.assertEqual(DevState.ON, proxy.state())
+        
+            # verify if values are actually transformed
+            HBAT_delays = proxy.HBAT_delays(numpy.array([["J2000","0deg","0deg"]] * 96).flatten())
+            HBAT_bf_delays = beam.Beam._calculate_HBAT_bf_delays(HBAT_delays)
+            self.assertNotEqual(HBAT_delays, HBAT_bf_delays)
diff --git a/tangostationcontrol/tox.ini b/tangostationcontrol/tox.ini
index fc0876dd08ba604c5d112e541ef14f5ea04c96c4..fc688b430a9cdaa3805f5340e22826003e553080 100644
--- a/tangostationcontrol/tox.ini
+++ b/tangostationcontrol/tox.ini
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ skipsdist = True
 usedevelop = True
 sitepackages = True
 install_command = pip3 install {opts} {packages}
+passenv = HOME
 setenv =
    VIRTUAL_ENV={envdir}
    PYTHONWARNINGS=default::DeprecationWarning