Originally Posted by geoffreys Great minds think alike, same name (Geoff) too. I am working
on receiving Astra 2D in Cyprus, but without buying for CYP3K
a 3.8m dish. We Radio Amateurs used to stack arrays (aerials) linked by a phasing harness. This way 2 or more SMALL aerials
give the same result as one megasize one. This can be done
with Satellite dishes, say 2 x 1.8m, giving an equivalent size
of a 3.4m (note not quite double size). The problem with Sat
dishes is the LNBs - the Local Oscillators would have to be
in synch. In theory this could be done by disabling the 2 LOs in
the 2 LNBs (or 4, or 6, however many dishes stacked) and feeding
them the output of a third (spare - not active on a dish) LNB's
LO. However it appears on first look at this that the usual LNBs
on the market do not lend themselves to such mods. If this COULD be done, however, we could all pull in fringe signals at a fraction of the costs!!
I also investigating another way - more when I have it. I want
my BBC + ITV channels (now on 2D) back, but without the massive
expense of a huge dish - not to mention the fact a huge dish is
unwieldy and subject to storm damage much more than small
dishes.
Comments/ideas/innovations invited
Regards
Geoff Smith
Vrysoulles
Famagausta District
Rep. of Cyprus |
Have you thought of making a mould for a 4mtr dish and knocking out some fibreglass dishes? I understand that the arc of the dish is critical but I feel sure accuracy could be achieved with a good template. I, like you, am loathe to spend cyŁ3000 without trying something cheaper. After all the dish is only a convex shape pointing in a particular direction.
It could be cemented into a brick plinth to stop it becoming a frisbee.
Regards Derek