Experimenting with one of these babies

[WP4MZR]

While cleaning up my attic I found this dusty old direcway 2-way dish from back when I use to live in the middle of nowhere, Cali. Then I thought I could use it to receive some birds....but:

Would this thing work in UHF(70cm) ? I know the stock feedhorn wont, but if I put a driven element cut for 70cm, would it do any good or would it be a waste of my time?

I know for sure it makes a heck of wi-fi reflector......

 

[jonny290]

IIRC you're supposed to have at least a couple of wavelengths in diameter on your dish, but it certainly couldn't hurt to try!

I'd try a turnstile dipole setup, with the opposite polarization from what you would normally use to pick a given signal up, since the signal will switch polarizations on the dish bounce.

 

[WP4MZR]

It measures 23" x 39" so I guess it is too small, right?

 

[k9rzz]

It's about 1 wavelength wide so it would make a pretty good reflector for a yagi I would guess, but won't give you much gain as a dish at that freq.

 

[WP4MZR]

I'd try a turnstile dipole setup....

like this one? http://www.cebik.com/wire/turns.html

 

[WP4MZR]

It's about 1 wavelength wide so it would make a pretty good reflector for a yagi I would guess, but won't give you much gain as a dish at that freq.

Like having a Yagi coming out the center of the dish? With the boom pushed back all the way to the reflector element.

 

[k9rzz]

Like having a Yagi coming out the center of the dish? With the boom pushed back all the way to the reflector element.

Yeah. I really know if you'll get any additional performance over a regular yagi, but your front to back ratio might be improved, and it would look cool. Certainly you'll have the first one on the block!

 

[ASF1]

Hmmm, this thread just gave me an idea!

I have an old metal "primestar" dish sitting around, and I just bought a mag mount antenna for my scanner....

Attach the mag mount in the center of the dish, and aim that sucker - either towards a big city or across lake michigan, to see what happens. (lol)

 

[mancow]

You could use it for Inmarsat at around 1540 Mhz but there isn't must analog left there.

You would need to make a 3 trurn left hand circular polarized coil and a reflector and point it at the dish. That will give you some hella gain and righ hand circular polarization.

I made one using that same type of dish and it really pulled in the signals.

 

[WP4MZR]

DEE_DEE_DEE I tried to reply your PM but you have it disable.

I would have been glad to give it to you if you needed it, but I just cleaned up my garage last weekend and it is gone now, sorry...

 

[Dee_Dee_Dee]

ok,

i fixed the private message issue Had no real ned for it, just looked like something interesting to add to the junk box for a future project i haven't thought up yet.

Thanks,

Dee_Dee_Dee

 

[K2GOG]

problem solved.

try one of these at the focal point

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=LPY2

 

[prcguy]

I believe Ramsey sells these KB5UBE antennas at 3 times the price, check Ebay item 300157285093.
prcguy

problem solved.

try one of these at the focal point

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=LPY2