| |
Main
Date: 11 Oct 2006 09:57:22
From: Pat
Subject: Radio Astronomy with a CISCO 5.8 GHz Dish?
|
I might be able to get a CISCO 5.8 GHZ 28 dbi Dish. This is the kind of
dish used for data communications, NOT radio astronomy. But, I'm
wondering if there are any amateur astronomy experiments that might be
conducted with such a dish, and what kind of support equipment,
amplifiers (etc) that might be needed? Any thoughts or pointers
appreciated. THANKS!
|
|
| |
Date: 11 Oct 2006 08:08:24
From: Dan Mckenna
Subject: Re: Radio Astronomy with a CISCO 5.8 GHz Dish?
|
Pat wrote:
> I might be able to get a CISCO 5.8 GHZ 28 dbi Dish. This is the kind of
> dish used for data communications, NOT radio astronomy. But, I'm
> wondering if there are any amateur astronomy experiments that might be
> conducted with such a dish, and what kind of support equipment,
> amplifiers (etc) that might be needed? Any thoughts or pointers
> appreciated. THANKS!
Pat,
Lots of information on the net on radioastronomy.
The dish you are talking about is on the small size for radioastronomy
at this wavelength. The only source you might detect would be the sun.
The 5.8 GHZ band is likely to be a challenge as it is a terrestrial
communication band and thus full of interference. Most com links have a
higher "noise temperature" than sat links because the antenna has a 280K
back ground where as a good sat system can have a noise temperature
10 times less because it looks at space instead of the ground.
A simple radiometer can be built using a small KU band dish, LNB, and a
modified sat finder. Details can be found on the web.
Even though this is not a protected frequency, the interference is less
because it comes from geosync orbit and for the most part, weaker
than the local com links like at 5.8.
Dan
|
|
