X Band RX Equipment

[s-band]

Here's a brief history of the things I tried.

A milsat X band helical feed on the IRTE 1.5m with a Miteq LNA

Soon replaced by a scalar feed, squashed tube polariser, home made 1st stage LNA and 2nd stage Miteq LNA. This was based on 35mm pipe for Milsat.


1st generation of block down converter for Milsat only. Following the signal path from top left:
Input isolator, LNA modified to 7.5GHz centre frequency, splitter, filter, mixer, low pass filter, buffer amplifier. The LO at the bottom is a Gilat Ka LNB with the synth output changed to 9GHz.


Current head end, optimised for 8.45GHz but usable 7-9GHz. Based on 28mm pipe, cone feed matched to 0.8f/d of the 1.2m Prodelin dish, squashed pipe polariser, LNA as above, isolator on output not shown.

 

[dreamsat]

Hello s-band,
what is the spacing of the grooves on the feed and how deep are they. It's very nicely done.

 

[s-band]

Hello s-band,
what is the spacing of the grooves on the feed and how deep are they. It's very nicely done.

I used Luis' spreadsheet from here

 

[s-band]

I put the scalar and electronics on a Precision 1.8m PF dish using a C band scalar and arms as the support. I'm not sure how much the C scalar affects X band but it works best with the X fully inserted into the C scalar.