Precision 2.2 metre Antenna Install

[moonbase]

I'm not keen on the Precision wave guide adapter, when attached to the feedhorn it lets in water, which gathers if you have cap fitted to keep out the spiders. I have used an O ring before now between the two.

scopus,

Thats a good point about the water ingress especially if a solid feed cap is used.

However, I use the official feed caps that were supplied by Precision, they have small holes in them that allows water to drain out or evaporate but prevent spiders getting in, pics attached below.

You can buy the equivalent caps from Elite Antennas, they fit the Precision Ku feeds as Elite have not changed the design or dimension of the Ku feed. However, like all thing Elite, they are not cheap for what they are (£5 each last time I asked for a price).


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

You have a good idea to protect the antenna,
But I think you're going to have trouble tuning in to the satellite, every time you move it.
But it does not let it be a good idea !
sorry my enghish.

Hi,

Thank you for your reply, your English is good.

The wood mobile pallet is only a temporary option for the time I need to work on the antenna, I do not plan to use the wood mobile pallet with the antenna for satellite signal reception. For a permanant installation to use the antenna for signal reception I hope to build another mobile pallet out of steel that will be bigger and more heavy.

In the UK, I need to have the antenna on a platform that can be moved around on wheels to avoid the local municipal authority regulations. If the platform is fixed with no option to move it on wheels then I would need to apply for permisssion to the planning department of the local municipal authority. I am not sure if you have the same type of regulations in Brasil, are you OK to install any size antenna?


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

I am getting a little closer to mounting the antenna onto the mobile pallet.

The stand and a Precision Az/El mount are on the pallet with the kingpost of the stand centred on the pallet. If I fit the antenna to the Az/El mount as it is then my guess is that the centre of gravity of the complete setup will not descend directly down to the centre of the pallet, it will be somewhere between the antenna and the stand?

I have marked an approximate point on the pallet using a steel shaft collar where I think the centre of gravity will descend to on the pallet with the dish mounted (picture ...15). I am not sure how much instability this will create and if it will be enough to topple the pallet forwards?

My first thoughts are to place the stand further back on the pallet so that the kingpost is not centred on the pallet but is approximately back from the centre of the pallet. If I do this, I lose the bolt anchorage point for one of the tripod legs. To reinstate and anchorage point, I could screw and bolt a lengtht of 4" x 4" (or 3" x 3") wood along the edge of the pallet and use this to drill a new anchorage point (picture ...16)

By moving the kingpost back along the pallet to the new anchorage point it will have the impact of moving the centre of gravity of the whole setup more to the centre of the pallet.

I hope the logic is clear from the pics attached below. Any feedback most appreciated.


Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Have you thought about applying for permission? Less hassle that way...

 

[Channel Hopper]

I'm not keen on the Precision wave guide adapter, when attached to the feedhorn it lets in water, which gathers if you have cap fitted to keep out the spiders. I have used an O ring before now between the two.

Do you point your dish at the ground ?

 

[scopus]

Do you point your dish at the ground ?

Do you point your dish at the ground ?

???

 

[blademedia]

Have you thought about applying for permission? Less hassle that way...

I considered it, but I thought it was asking too much and wouldn't be approved, you might get away with a small 1.8 if no one complained,

Apart from buying the drill, the total cost was about £300, you can pay £170 for them to tell you NO.

 

[Captain Jack]

The question was aimed @moonbase but I understand the dilemma. I asked the council whether my application was likely to be approved before applying and they said yes - so I went ahead.

 

[John]

... @moonbase , expected to get a bit wet and windy wild later on in the day D, are you secure with your new toy. Chained her down here to be on the safe side.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

[blademedia]

Chained her down here to be on the safe side.

Parked mine up in the station while things calm down lol.

 

[moonbase]

... @moonbase , expected to get a bit wet and windy wild later on in the day D, are you secure with your new toy. Chained her down here to be on the safe side.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

John,

Its still on the lawn, not got it onto the stand yet.


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

The question was aimed @moonbase but I understand the dilemma. I asked the council whether my application was likely to be approved before applying and they said yes - so I went ahead.

CJ,

Quite a while ago, before I acquired the Precision 2.2 metre antenna I got a relative from another part of the UK to make an unofficial enquiry to my local council under the pretext that they were moving into the area. The relative asked about the chances of planning being granted for a reasonable size antenna and they were told that the council generally approved what they considered to be antenna in the small to medium range requiring a planning application, unless there were strongly justifiable objections from neighbours. However, for larger antenna the feedback recieved by my relative was that all cases were subject to a higher level of scrutiny.

In view of the above, I thought it simpler to make a mobile platform.


Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Understood. I suppose it depends on what is classified as "reasonable" and "large". And whether you have alpha-hole neighbours!

 

[moonbase]

No progress to report over the past few days due to the day job.

As a side point, on checking the antenna after the recent wet and windy weather I noticed what seems to be a seam running straight across the full diameter of the dish through the centre. On closer inspection, the surface on this seam is very slighty out contour with the parabolic profile of the antenna, indicative of a join.


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

A litle bit of progress to report, the mobile pallet is completed.

I have bolted a 4" x 4" section of wood onto one of the ends of the mobile pallet. This is to allow me to move the stand back along the pallet. The logic is to try to get the centre of gravity of the stand with antenna mounted above the centre of the pallet. The X mark in chalk on the top surface of the pallet indicates the centre of the pallet. The antenna will be mounted on the side of the stand where the X is and hopefully the centre of gravity of the mounted antenna and stand will be approximately above the X.

To increase stability I have fitted a pair of 3" x 3" fence posts to act as outriggers. Bricks or wood chocks will be placed underneath the end section of the outriggers to increase sideways stability.

The only job left to do before mounting the dish is to place some eye rawl anchor bolts into the wall of the sheltered area of the patio. When the antenna is mounted, the mobile pallet will be moved to a sheltered corner of the patio and the stand will be secured in place using nylon ropes through the eye rawl bolts. Hopefully, I will get the antenna mounted on the stand in the next few days.

Pictures of the last few bodge jobs on the mobile pallet are attached below.


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

The Precision 2.2m antenna is on the stand using a Precision Az/El mount.

I might fit the feed support arms and the Ku feed for a little bit of testing? Alternatively, I might move it over to a sheltered corner of the patio for storage as it is?


I have attached two pictures below.


Rgds

 

[RimaNTSS]

Looks nice! Of course, with the feedarms and feed support it will look even better.
Added: Afraid to ask.... feedarms are made of INOX? Just kidding.

 

[blademedia]

Very nice setup, its coming along great.

 

[Lazarus]

Good job, MB.

 

[moonbase]

Looks nice! Of course, with the feedarms and feed support it will look even better.
Added: Afraid to ask.... feedarms are made of INOX? Just kidding.

I have the original Ku feed arms that came with the dish, they are aluminium tube with a threaded plug insert at each end. The aluminium tube was not tapped directly with a thread but a threaded plug was inserted into each end.

For C band I bought some aluminium tube with O/D of 19mm and wall of 6.35mm that I can tap a thread into at each end. Once I have tapped the threads I may take the feed arms to a local company for powder coating, or, I could spray paint them. I thought that for C band I might use aluminium feed support arms with a thicker wall than the Ku feed arms due to the increased weight of some C band feed arrangements.


Rgds