Focal Lengths

B

billyburger

Guest
Does anybody out there know how to calculate the correct focal length for a prime focus dish? Also is the focal length measured from the back of the dish or the front face?

cheers

Bill
 

rolfw

Believe it when I see it Admin.
Staff member
Joined
May 1, 1999
Messages
38,321
Reaction score
1,635
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Technomate 5402 HD M2 Ci, DM7000s, Transparent 80cm Dish, Moteck SG2100 DiseqC motor, lots of legacy gear. Meters: Satlook Digital NIT, Promax HD Ranger+ spectrum analyser.
My Location
Berkshire
Don't know whether this will help http://www.qsl.net/n1bwt/hdl_3b3.exe

If not, do a search for focal length and there are a couple of threads where the calculation method is discussed.
 

iceman

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2003
Messages
744
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Age
64
My Satellite Setup
3.0m Motorised Channel Master + 4 fixed dish Amstrad_DRX890C
DM7020s,DM800se
UNOHM EP314 PROMAX TV Explorer
My Location
Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Focal distance is measured from "inside" the dish.

Formulas for calculating focal distance and f/D ratios
To calculate the focal distance, you have to measure the diameter (D) and the depth (d) of the dish. Measurements should be in like units (you can't use feet for the diameter and inches for depth). For the example, we will say we have a dish that is 120 inches in diameter (D) and 18 inches deep (d).

focal distance (f) equals the diameter squared (D x D) divided by 16 times the depth (16 x d) or :

D x D = 120 x 120 = 14400
16 x d = 16 x 18 = 288
D x D/16 x d = 14400/288 = 50

focal distance f = 50 inches

After you have calculated the focal distance (f), you can use that figure to calculate the f/D ratio of your dish. In this case, using the same diameter (D) = 120; and the calculated focal distance (f) = 50

f / D = 50 / 120 = .416
f /D = .416 which you would round up to give you a setting of .42

The list below shows how far the throat is out from the scalar rings for different f/D settings.
EXAMPLE: A dish with a .42 f/D will have the throat about flush with the rings.

Inches -- f/D
.12 ------ .42
.32 ------ .40
.52 ------ .38
.72 ------ .36
.92 ------ .34
1.12 ---- .32

copy pasted from chaparral.net


iceman
 
Top