[aprssig] Ham uses for a 1.2m Ku-band dish?

[Dave Baxter]

That looks much like (the receive LNB and dish at least) typical domestic satellite TV stuff common in Europe, and much hacked.  Check out various modification websites that deal with European TV stuff.  The LO is probably a DRO (Dielectric Resonant Oscillator)  I know they can be "tuned", but also I hear that it is not that difficult to get alternative ceramic pucks, if you know where/who to ask.

Many of the "receivers" or in your case the "control gear" can be made to work on 23cms, as that posibly close to it's designed "IF" cable feed anyway.

Check out the German microwave ham scene, they do "lots" of work with this sort of stuff.   There is a high speed (mega bytes/second) amateur data network in parts of Europe, providing a packet "backbone" to much of eastern Europe.  From the little I know of it, much is based on converted kit much like you have, running on 10GHz.

The other known name for all this kit is "VSAT"  Or, Very Small Aperture Terminal in satcom circles.

73.

Dave G0WBX

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg D. [mailto:ko6th_greg at hotmail.com] 
> Sent: 18 June 2008 06:07
> To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Ham uses for a 1.2m Ku-band dish?
> 
> 
> Hi Scott, Stephen,
> 
.
.
.
> Some pictures, below.  Any additional hints would be appreciated!
> 
> The whole dish.  Looking on the website, the new ones seem to 
> be round; hopefully, they haven't changed the electronics 
> part...  http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th/IMG_0115.JPG
> 
> Side view of some of the plumbing.  
> http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th/IMG_0123.JPG
> 
> Outside of the LNB.   http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th/IMG_0131b.JPG
> 
> Inside the LNB. 
> http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th/IMG_0130b.JPG
> 
> Transmit module.
>   http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th/IMG_0132b.JPG
> 
> So, I turn it back to you guys... What should I do with this?
> 
> Greg  KO6TH
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------
> > Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:18:00 -0700
> > From: wa8lmf2 at aol.com
> > To: aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> > Subject: Re: [aprssig] Ham uses for a 1.2m Ku-band dish?
> > 
> > Scott Miller wrote:
> >> We're shutting down an office and there's a surplus 1.2 
> meter Ku-band 
> >> HughesNet dish on the roof.  Is there anything interesting 
> that can 
> >> be done with it in the ham world that'd justify breaking out the 
> >> rappelling gear to take it down?  Not that I've ever 
> really needed a 
> >> good reason to acquire radio gear and/or rappel down buildings...
> >>
> >> Scott
> >> N1VG
> >>   
> > 
> > It would make a seriously long-range WiFi antenna.    Put a 
> waveguide 
> > "Cantenna" or a *Hawking **HWUG1 USB WiFi* "dongle" at it's focus.  
> > The
> > HWUG1  (details at
> >  >
> > is a very useful gadget for these kinds of applications.
> > 
> > 1)     It comes with a half-wave "rubber duck" whip that is 
> removable, 
> > revealing a reverse-polarity SMA jack that lets you easily connect 
> > external gain antennas.   
> > 
> > 2)     Since the device is a USB-connected external radio, you can 
> > locate the transceiver at the antenna and connect it with just a 
> > few-inches-long cable pigtail, and run a USB cable back to the PC. 
> > Saves serious coax loss at 2.4 GHz.
> > 
> > 3)     The device is so small and lightweight that you can 
> Velcro it to 
> > the back of antennas for quick lashups.
> > 
> > 4)     The supporting control software produces an actual real-time 
> > analog RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator - i.e. "S-meter") 
> > display calibrated in actual dBM received, instead of the 
> usual crude 
> > cellphone-style 5-bar signal indicator that lags far behind actual 
> > signal changes.  Makes it a LOT easier to aim, tweak and peak 
> > directional antennas.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --
> > 
> > Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
> > EchoLink Node:      14400    [Think bottom of the 2M band]
> > Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.com  --OR--   http://wa8lmf.net
> > 
> > NEW!   World Digipeater Map
> >   http://wa8lmf.net/APRSmaps
> > 
> > JavAPRS Filter Port 14580 Guide
> >   http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/JAVaprsFilters.htm
> > 
> > "APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
> >   http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths
> > 
> > Updated "Rev H" APRS            http://wa8lmf.net/aprs
> > Symbols Set for UI-View,
> > UIpoint and APRSplus:
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > aprssig mailing list
> > aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> > https://lists.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> The i'm Talkathon starts 6/24/08.  For now, give amongst yourselves.
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> 
> 
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