SHF EME - Old system

SHF EME antannas



I have been active on 1.3 GHz EME from two different systems. First from a 5 meter homemade dish and later from a 8 M homemade dish.


In 2000, I designed and build a 8 meter dish for EME use. The dish was operational until 2003, were I kind of lost interest in the Ham Radio hobby (still have my call sign though, you never know)

During that time I was only active on 1.3 GHz, but the 8M dish was also used as a ground station to help the students from Aalborg University make contact with their first satellite (www.cubesat.aau.dk)!


The tower that supported the dish rotated around a solid steel post, 100 mm in diameter, 150 cm high. The tower turned 300 degrees on wheels that drove on a 2 meter (in diameter) solid bar, made of 30 x 50 mm steel. Azimuth drive was electrical, Elevation was hydraulic. Everything was computer controlled and could automatically follow the moon, sun and satellites.


The dish is now being put into operation in Sweden at SM7GVF: SM7GVF Dish


The following pictures shows some of the steps during the building process of the dish