Adding signals

[weedsy]

I would like to improve the signal I receive by upgrading to a 2m dish... but they're expensive! By contrast 80cm diameter dishes are very cheap and whilst the area of an 80cm dish is 16% of the 2m dish, the price of the dish plus LNB is less than 16%. You probably can guess where this is going.

If I were to buy say six 80cm dishes and LNBs, could I acheive the same results as one 2m dish by 'adding' the signals together?

In fact I already have a 1.4m dish, so I would only need to 'add' three 80cm dishes, or indeed just one additional 1.4m dish. Clearly I don't want to go buying three dishes (even cheap ones!) without first finding out if it has any chance of success - hence this question.

If anyone knows if this is a non-starter of a hair-brained idea, or if it is a well-known technique with lots of successful examples, please let me know.

 

[Rick]

It can be done, go and have a word with the guys at jodrell bank

Seriously though it would cost you a lot more than the cost of even a 4m dish.

 

[boothuk]

Dont think you can combine signals into one big signal somehow. Although i'm no expert. Read something along these lines though trawling threads today...

 

[Lazarus]

Not a practical proposition for domestic use!

 

[Rick]

Dont think you can combine signals into one big signal somehow. Although i'm no expert. Read something along these lines though trawling threads today...

It's possible using the same principles as radio telescope arrays. It wouldn't be practical or cost effective but possible.

 

[Robbo]

The problem would be to get the signals in phase.


You could always try to make your own big dish, there's a current thread on the forum.

 

[Analoguesat]

Yes its theoretically possible, as this is exactly the same principle used by multi dish radio telescopes.

HOWEVER the cost of the waveguides, phasing electronics etc would far outweigh the cost of buying a big dish in the first place.

 

[weedsy]

Thanks Rick... Rolling on the floor laughing in Blackburn is likely to see you rolling down one of the many holes there, Oh boy! So it looks like I need to buy a 2m dish then... ah well. Thanks.

 

[Rick]

You could always try to make your own big dish, there's a current thread on the forum.

Yes, i've been folowing that. Thinking about giving it a go myself as soon as I get the time.

 

[Llew]

Here's the Mullard phased dish array up the road from me.

Wonder if they might let me have a play with it if I ask nicely

 

[Topper]

That's a belter of an array Llew, I regret they may decline your request.