Ku question (or any band for that matter)

[bmcniel]

Hi all, newbie to the forum. Lurked long enough. As I'm sure you all have heard before, I was an installer over 2 decades ago. What I will say is, everything has changed except for the pole!! I'm getting back into satellite and am having to relearn it all over again. My question is an odd one. Is there a way, or a device, or has anyone ever heard of using an array of dishes. For example, having two Dish500 dishes pointing to the same bird and their signal combined. I know, why not get a bigger dish. I'm just asking out of curiosity. It looks like if you had a couple 1 meter dishes that are low profile to the roof line, you could combine c-band signals from both antennas. Like most peoples' spouse, my wife had a complexion change that reminded me of an oven element when I mentioned putting up a 10 footer.

This forum is awesome, I hope it is here for many years to come.

 

[Magic Static]

can't be done with normal home equpment, for all kinds of technical reasons. Where there is no technical reason for your wife to object to watching free tv on a 10' Dish

 

[Wescopc]

Welcome to Satellite Guys!

Bob

 

[bmcniel]

Signal phasing, time of arrival, I'm sure there are a variety of reasons I dont understand. Just wondered if someone else had heard of such.

On the second part of your reply, I have talked her into chickens, gardening, solar power, dehydrating, and she *might* let me put up a greenhouse (jury still out on that one) but the BUD might be pushing my luck. Maybe I could use some of those artistic talents like the people who draw those neat sidewalk drawings and make it look like the side of our brick house.

 

[bmcniel]

WELL SNAP!! I guess I should have done a forum search more thoroughly before posting such a question. It has been asked before. Now I do feel like a noob.

 

[FaT Air]

BUD=Paint. That blends it into it's background. Flat Black mesh almost disappears by itself. (Unless the background is light) "Where there is will, there is a way"
Multiple dishes to "simulate" a larger dish just won't work. Deep space arrays (of dishes) purpose is to sharpen the focus, not increase gain. A while ago was talked about: http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...yet-another-strange-question.html#post2525575 and here http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/254970-stack-two-ku-dishes.html This thread may be of interest http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/272974-smallest-c-band-dish.html
Hey, WELCOME!
Hope this wasn't for naught, I see you posted while I was lookin and typing.(I slow, I know)

 

[turbosat]

Welcome to the forum, always good to have another vet of the cband days.
See if your wife would go for one of these:

 

[RT-Cat]

WELL SNAP!! I guess I should have done a forum search more thoroughly before posting such a question. It has been asked before. Now I do feel like a noob.

Welcome to the forum! No noob-consider yourself fortunate or just plain lucky you found what you were searching for along with the other 200 messages that show up in a search.

Welcome to the forum, always good to have another vet of the cband days.
See if your wife would go for one of these:

Turbo, Do you think you could "pin the meter" with that one?

 

[xtgold]

Maybe I could use some of those artistic talents like the people who draw those neat sidewalk drawings and make it look like the side of our brick house.

I've seen pictures of C band dishes that were actually chunks of reflectors mounted on a south facing wall.
Or make a work of art like the flat fresnel lens antennas of the early 80's

 

[bmcniel]

Just thought of something, what about several small dishes connected with waveguides to a common lnb? I know I won't be attempting something of that caliber but was just thinking..... Yea, it gets me in trouble sometime. I tinker way to much.

 

[Dishman Dan]

...and she *might* let me put up a greenhouse (jury still out on that one) but the BUD might be pushing my luck.

Maybe put the 10 footer in the greenhouse??? Then she can only complain about the greenhouse!
I have one of those Harbor Freight 10' x 12' greenhouses still in the box that I bought last year awaiting for "approval".
Hmmm, if I put a BUD in my greenhouse then I would not have to go out and clean the snow off anymore!

 

[Bob2011]

Just thought of something, what about several small dishes connected with waveguides to a common lnb? I know I won't be attempting something of that caliber but was just thinking..... Yea, it gets me in trouble sometime. I tinker way to much.

It is probably doable but the precise machining needed would cost $$$. Your measurements would need to be millimeter accurate to avoid phasing issues.

The only way to combine two dishes that I can see would be to take two identical offset dishes and stack them with the bottom one inverted. You would have to remove the LNB arms and adjust the dishes to a common focal point. Then you would probably need to design a custom feedhorn and LNB arm. Basically it would look like you cut a number 8 out of a large dish.

 

[polgyver]

The only way to combine two dishes that I can see would be to take two identical offset dishes and stack them with the bottom one inverted. You would have to remove the LNB arms and adjust the dishes to a common focal point. Then you would probably need to design a custom feedhorn and LNB arm. Basically it would look like you cut a number 8 out of a large dish.[/QUOTE]

This is interesting, as it would solve desires of many hobbyists who have surplus 18" dishes and look for ways to usefully utilize them. But, it is possible to focus 2 dishes to one common "sweet spot" - focal point? Does only the bottom dish have to be inverted? Does the upper dish stay "vertically" and the bottom dish has to be fastened "horizontally" ? Can you make a sketch drawing and photograph it and post here? Regards, polgyver