poor student antenna

[triad3085]

I am curious if anyone has recieved any satellite communication with unusual type antenna's. Rabbit ears vhf/uhf dipoles inside an apartment. I am a starving student and am trying to receive signals in a different manner. I am working on a yagi system but it will not be statinary. Which is ok but a b**ch to setup and take down.

Any one have an unusual set up?

triad

 

[AD8NT]

I made a yagi out of coat hangers and broom, I used a so-259 extension cable to create the connection to the di-pole...

Do you know how to make a di-pole? Google it, its super easy and it'll be your driven element on the yagi.

I've attached images of my antenna and the specs.... it works just fine.

Total cost $28

The bulk of the cost was the cable I bought but honestly your Rx'ing uhf so any crap cable would work too....

 

[rapidcharger]

I have always wondered why yagis are so cheap to build yet so incredibly expensive to buy. They're not even assembled.

 

[kb2vxa]

I wouldn't consider a Yagi without a computer controlled az-el rotor, tracking software and up to date keps to follow the bird so face it, a Yagi is out of the question. There is the ever popular eggbeater omni cheap and easy to build, Google it. Just don't forget "antenna" unless you want to make an omelet. (;->)

 

[prcguy]

The Yagi suggestion was for a geostationary satellite, why would you need tracking software for that?
prcguy

I wouldn't consider a Yagi without a computer controlled az-el rotor, tracking software and up to date keps to follow the bird so face it, a Yagi is out of the question. There is the ever popular eggbeater omni cheap and easy to build, Google it. Just don't forget "antenna" unless you want to make an omelet. (;->)

 

[AD8NT]

Indeed kb2vxa, not to mention its not really hard to work amsat birds with a hand held yagi by hand.

To make it easier you could use a circular polarized yagi.....

Like prcguy said the brid is geostationary so you point the antenna in once spot and your golden, for this sat you could easily grab it with a simple 3 element yagi (I have 6 elements) and hear it just fine even with poor receivers.

 

[prcguy]

The problem with a Yagi is its linear polarity and when receiving UHF milsats it will be about 3dB down in gain due to the linear to circular loss. For circular pol stuff Its fairly easy to make a cross dipole with 75ohm phasing harness sitting about 1/4 wavelength over a ground screen or make a 5 or more turn helix with reflector, there are lots of good plans out there.
prcguy

Indeed kb2vxa, not to mention its not really hard to work amsat birds with a hand held yagi by hand.

To make it easier you could use a circular polarized yagi.....

Like prcguy said the brid is geostationary so you point the antenna in once spot and your golden, for this sat you could easily grab it with a simple 3 element yagi (I have 6 elements) and hear it just fine even with poor receivers.

 

[AD8NT]

I'll have to try that prcguy, I've been looking to build a more portable antenna to listen to the satcom downlinks without having to screw around with my big 3' broom stick lol

 

[mancow]

I bet you will be pleased at how well that yagi does work even though it's not circular polarized.

 

[AD8NT]

I bet you will be pleased at how well that yagi does work even though it's not circular polarized.

Indeed, hell my yagi isn't even that well built (not by a long shot)
But if you build it with the correct measurements for the band you want to listen to it works damn well