It's a BUD, but what is it for?

[14karat]

Mid Mississippi Space Center

You could hear the crickets chirping, eh?
I was afraid to ask... I thought you meant SSMC (Anole suggested Space Shuttle Mission Control...)
It's actually located in Collierville, TN (East of Memphis)

I'll keep nosing into it until I either get answers or get silenced...

 

[guapoharry]

Wow, That dish is mounted on one heckuva big tower. Do you suppose the dish is 50-60 feet off of the ground?

Guess that's one way to avoid tree interference.

 

[TRG]

I believe you have accidently stumbled upon Vice President Cheny's undisclosed location.

ROFL

 

[andyb2]

I'm thinkin weather radar.

 

[14karat]

Finally a descent photo of the thing

Friend sent this to me today. I've compressed it from 6M to 1M. Didn't want to go further because it looses a lot of clarity...
Still haven't gotten a chance to talk to the folks (and probably won't until the days get longer!)
Anyway, it's a given that the guy (or gal??) is a HAM so I'm leaning toward EME. Anyway, here it is in all it's splendor....

 

[Anole]

do you see what I see ?

Now I'm even more confused than before.

While the mount may have once had several degrees of freedom (movement in different directions), it now appears to be braced and unmovable.
Even for EME, you wouldn't do that.

I'm wondering if it's a research site for measuring something in the atmosphere???
That would make sense, if the dish can look only directly "up".

I'm thinkin weather radar.

The other confusing clue is that it's well off the ground.
Why would you do that for any purpose?
And especially so if you can only look up?


PS: I agree with the 18 - 20 foot diameter estimate.
It's about the size of the car in the first picture.

 

[14karat]

It swivels.
The poles you see coming down to the platform are counterweights, they aren't fixed (they may be pinned or latched somehow when not in use)
If you zoom in, on the right side of the platform you can see a ladder going up at an angle. That is obviously for working on the feed, the dish would need to be tilted 90 and rotated that direction to get to the feed...

 

[Anole]

I stand corrected

Counterweights they are. - :up
. . . and that ladder leading up into the tree is really something! -

 

[cracklincrotch]

Geezus! That must be one understanding wife!

 

[14karat]

Hee, hee... here, I wouldn't be surprised if it IS the wife...

 

[Ironsides]

Uh, can we say Radio Astronomy?

hxxp://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/

Amateur Radio Astronomy (W6/PA0ZN )

Check out the dish in the photo....

 

[dashaund]

Yep, definitely agree Ironsides. That's Amateur Radio Astronomy. It's pointed pretty much straight up and doesn't look to have enough play to be aimed and tilted...it's pretty much "locked down." Plus, that's a very large and elaborate setup. Very nice size though! Wouldn't have to worry about much rain fade when watching the birds hehe.

 

[kb2kir]

Anyone notice the feed ? It suggests to me either 408 mhz or 1.4 Ghz.
Prime R/A territory.

 

[Smith P.]

How much that house for sell with all equipment ?

 

[14karat]

It may be for R/A, but it's NOT fixed. It has full twin axis movement.
I'll find out for certain eventually...
Smith - as far as I know the house is not for sell...

 

[Smith P.]

Thought it would be less expensive to buy the house with equipment, then dismantle it, I'm not counting rebuild whole set.

 

[14karat]

Hah! If I had a shot at the dish and the mounts for it, I'd be tempted to give it a shot.
I wouldn't touch trying to dismantle that tower tho.
Have no use for it where my house is. Nothing in my line of sight I need to raise a dish for...

 

[Cham]

Yes that looks like a ham with a substantial EME system. Likely uses a traveling wave amp at the feed for high power (1KW+) on various UHF and microwave bands. Serious stuff, some are using 20' plus diameter parabolic antennas!