Make your own satellite dish - DIY Instructions

hdp160

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Age
69
Found this nice Nigerian forum link - a really interesting forum from the beginning.

This particular thread on satellite dish construction is inspirational especially if you have patience and get to the photos. (it has 8 pages!)

_http://www.nairaland.com/657626/diy-design-fabricate-own-satellite
 

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,023
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
Better not let Vipersan see this post - it might give him ideas!
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
What a brilliant idea!

-http://www.nairaland.com/657626/diy-design-fabricate-own-satellite/5
 

hdp160

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Age
69
It should be possible to make umpteen "petals" this way like slices from a cake.

The former that the fiberglass is laid on would only then be 1/4 , 1/6 or 1/8th of the total dish size.

Then you could put the identical "petals" together to form the whole dish and fiberglass the joints from the rear.


Another diy satellite build thread here

nairaland.com /obnelly/posts/3
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
hdp160 said:
It should be possible to make umpteen "petals" this way like slices from a cake.

The former that the fiberglass is laid on would only then be 1/4 , 1/6 or 1/8th of the total dish size.

Then you could put the identical "petals" together to form the whole dish and fiberglass the joints from the rear.


Another diy satellite build thread here


I've often considered finding the ultimate 'sweet spot' for focus using the same method and good old Sol ..
Problem is that in this country ..(Manchester in particular) Sunshine is at a premium..

Since I do have elevation control ..and a few spare rolls of aluminium foil ..I did actually consider this ..for real.
rgds
VS
 

hdp160

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Age
69
Ultimate sweet spot umm.

LNB manufacturers often give conflicting advice.
The debate goes along the lines of either:-

1. At the surface of the "transparent" front face of the LNB.

or

2. Just behind it at a distance directly related to the dish size.
(This is further complicated by non-circular dishes)

The argument (BTW I am NOT agreeing this ONLY reporting!) is that the aperture behind the "transparent" weather cover has a manufactured diameter which accepts reflected waves from all over the dish (and off all frequencies) and the waves from the outer edge compared to those nearer the centre produce a "fuzzy" focus within the feed horn.

The bouncing waves within the feed horn have microscopically different wave lengths obviously. A well designed feed horn dimensions are calculated at the mid point of the frequencies expected

You are only talking about a few hundred micrometers.

Ideally the convergence of the reflected waves (mid band) should be on or very near the probes.

So I agree ....the sweet spot is where a piece of paper catches fire on a sunny day.........<grin>
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,536
Reaction score
8,554
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
I'm somewhat surprised that AerialForce is advertising their spanner monkey skills over there
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,536
Reaction score
8,554
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
hdp160 said:
So I agree ....the sweet spot is where a piece of paper catches fire on a sunny day.........<grin>

Not really, whilst a parabolic dish will (when polished) transfer much of the energy captured to set fire to things, you are not looking to incinerate the electronics, but transfer discrete data from one fequency to another.

Look up VSWR and you will see that the future of this hobby should have been with horn antennas, but many appreciate their aesthetics even less than big ugly dishes.

An ultra-broadband transverse electromagnetic (TEM) exponential antenna in which the radiating or receiving structure comprises first and second elongated conductors have a feed end comprising first and second narrow conductor strips. At an opposite radiating or receiving end, the widths of the first and second conductors expand exponentially in the H-plane, and the spacing between the first and second conductors expands exponentially in the E-plane, thereby providing a double flared, exponentially tapered, transverse electromagnetic horn antenna. Two TEM horn design embodiments are described herein and differ only in the lauching device by which the radiating structure is fed, which converts an input unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into a balanced transverse electromagnetic wave. A first preferred embodiment employs a stripline infinite balun as a launching device, while a second embodiment employs a cavity backed waveguide as a launching device. An input coaxial connector introduces an unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into the launching device, either the infinite balun or the cavity backed waveguide.
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Channel Hopper said:
Not really, whilst a parabolic dish will (when polished) transfer much of the energy captured to set fire to things, you are not looking to incinerate the electronics, but transfer discrete data from one fequency to another.

Look up VSWR and you will see that the future of this hobby should have been with horn antennas, but many appreciate their aesthetics even less than big ugly dishes.

An ultra-broadband transverse electromagnetic (TEM) exponential antenna in which the radiating or receiving structure comprises first and second elongated conductors have a feed end comprising first and second narrow conductor strips. At an opposite radiating or receiving end, the widths of the first and second conductors expand exponentially in the H-plane, and the spacing between the first and second conductors expands exponentially in the E-plane, thereby providing a double flared, exponentially tapered, transverse electromagnetic horn antenna. Two TEM horn design embodiments are described herein and differ only in the lauching device by which the radiating structure is fed, which converts an input unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into a balanced transverse electromagnetic wave. A first preferred embodiment employs a stripline infinite balun as a launching device, while a second embodiment employs a cavity backed waveguide as a launching device. An input coaxial connector introduces an unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into the launching device, either the infinite balun or the cavity backed waveguide.


I feel another project a brewin ...
Dammit ...I ain't got enough fibre glass and resin to make one of those giant ear trumpets ....
;)
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,536
Reaction score
8,554
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
Vipersan said:
I feel another project a brewin ...
Dammit ...I ain't got enough fibre glass and resin to make one of those giant ear trumpets ....
;)

If it's going to be a ground project, it can be constructed by excavating a hole in the garden and fabricating the important parts from galvanised tin, wood and concrete.
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,536
Reaction score
8,554
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
As a comparison, the performance figures and dimensions of a small horn antenna and a Zone 1 Dish

Horn (Dish)

Frequency 8.2 - 13.0 GHz (10.5 - 12.75 GHz)
Nominal Gain 30.7 - 33.2 dBi (35.0 - 36.7 GHz)
3dB Beamwidth 10.9° - 7.1° (3.7°)
Connector Waveguide Flange (WR90),
Waveguide to co-axial adaptor available (LNB, mechanical connection)
Typical VSWR < 1.5 : 1 (N-type) (2.5 :1 matched LNB, F-type)
Dimensions 43cm x 37 cm external aperture (43 cm x 40 cm)
x 1.2m long (approx 40cm from wall)
Weight - 6.2 kg (8kgs inc mount)
Mounting - Mount plate on two sides, (wall plate included)
 
Top