Help Identify this Unique Folding Satellite Dish

[Titanium]

Opened the reflector today, inspected and measured for F/D and Focal Length. The reflector is larger than I thought measuring at 9' (108") diameter with the reflector depth of 18". This provides a FD ratio of .375 and FL of 40.5".

One rib forming tension wire is missing and another is released from a retaining hole in a broken poly collar. Both should be easy to fix. The wave guide tube is 44" in length, so will need to be creative to modify for feedhorn mounting at the shorter focal length if I decide to try and duplicate the sub reflector for a rear mount feedhorn. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Since the kit is not complete, might be easier to modify for a traditional feed at the FL.

My FL calculation may be slightly off as I would assume that the convergence point would be longer than the OEM wave guide tube.... Thoughts?

Here are a few pictures to prove it happened and is happening. Don't need a boom truck to lift this BUD!

 

[Titanium]

Maybe if I water and fertilize, it will grow-up to be this... LOL!!!

 

[spongella]

I wish someone would manufacture a Ku band dish like that now. Interesting photos, comments, etc. Great for hobbyists on the go.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Its been a couple of months now and I'm wondering if you got this foldable dish working. Just curious

 

[Titanium]

Finished up the assembly a few days ago, just in time to display as eye candy for Amateur Radio Field Day this next weekend (June 22nd-24th, 2018). Made a portable receiver (hitch) mount with an eye catching red powder coat, cased a motor power supply, modified the feed for a feedhorn (currently a LNBF) with manual skew setting for auto voltage polarity setting.

The dish works well and locks every transponder that I have tested so far. It is easy to aim with the PTZ controller and can move to any point in the arc in about 15 seconds. Fine tuning in the slow mode will cover the arc in approximately 5 minutes. This video shows the testing, mounting and setting on the F-350 truck in the shop parking lot. Anyone walking by will stop and ask questions about the dish as it is so unusual. Been a fun project so far!



Will post up photos/video after Field Day of the unit in operation and mounted on a small side by side UTV.

 

[mikekohl]

Bob Luly of San Bernardino, California That is a Luly Umbrella Antenna.
Popular from about 1981 to 1983, and often used for TI site surveys, as well as "campground" reception.
Bob is no longer with us, but in addition to his many achievements in audio equipment, he created this device as well as an early polarizer (circa 1982), and eventually worked for Charlie Ergen in Denver in the 1990s.

 

[Cham]

Cool!
1D MB.. Good luck in the contest!

 

[Titanium]

Thank you mikekohl . Yes, I should have known that you would have information on this dish. Great background story!

 

[Cosmo Blatz]

I bought a used folding dish like yours from Shaun Kenny on the old Greensheet C band show. I figured a folding dish could facilitate football watching parties out on the dry lake beds here in Nevada. Set up the dish, power source, TV, beer, and have a blast. Unfortunately, Shaun kept my money and never shipped the dish.

 

[Titanium]

I bought a used folding dish like yours from Shaun Kenny on the old Greensheet C band show. I figured a folding dish could facilitate football watching parties out on the dry lake beds here in Nevada. Set up the dish, power source, TV, beer, and have a blast. Unfortunately, Shaun kept my money and never shipped the dish.

Maybe I have your dish?

 

[Titanium]

Here is the dish mounted and operating on Lin's (my wife) UTV at Field Day 2018. We were in a rest area in Nyack, CA near the Donner Summit between Sacramento, CA and Lake Tahoe.

Caught quite a bit of attention while panning the skies by the travelers stopping to fuel up across the street!

We operated 4 HF stations plus a VHF station, satellite station and I provided the gear for the GOTA (Get On The Air) station and assisted first time operators, new licensees and inactive operators to participate talking with other stations. Very fun and rewarding!

Lin and I hosted a free pancake, sausage, scrambled egg breakfast

Here is a video by Bob - K6UDA of the Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club event during Field Day 2018.