Large TV Dishes

[Michael O’Connell]

In the pre Sky & Virgin Media days, there was a time when some people used to have a large dish for satellite TV. I’m guessing they must have been in the 2.5 to 3m range.

Are they completely obsolete now?

Anyone tried using them for radio astronomy? 

Michael.

[Alan Thomas]

Michael

See here (a BAA member I think):

http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/radio_astronomy/radio_astronomy_1.htm

Alan

[David Swan]

It is BAA member Robin Leadbeater at the Three Hills Observatory.

[Robin Leadbeater]

That is my simple  small dish setup using currently used sat TV frequencies. I think the big ones used lower frequencies (C band ?) and I believe are good for making Hydrogen line receivers if you can find one (more popular in the US I think)

[Michael O’Connell]

Thanks guys. I’ll take a look.

Regards,

Michael.

[Dominic Ford]

It’s not just amateurs using off-the-shelf communications hardware to do radio astronomy, incidentally.

On a larger scale, I believe the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) is built out of standard 12-metre dishes that are used by telecoms companies. Of course, the detectors and mounts needed to be bespoke, though.

[Neil Morrison]

Many  years ago now we had a Society  visit  to the home of John “Radio” Smith, which was near to Rudgwick in West Sussex/  He  had a very large  Ex Radar  Ariel  which was in the  range of 20 to 25ft  size.  This was  guarded by his Bees !!!!!

[Author]

Posts