SUSU Antenna Array: Difference between revisions

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VNA test triband
VNA test triband
VNA test hf dipole
VNA test hf dipole
VNA test 70cm antenna
design improved waterproofing for wifidish


ROTATOR/FRAMEWORK
ROTATOR/FRAMEWORK

Revision as of 13:45, 12 July 2015

This page describe the plan to build a new antenna array to mount back on the mast on the West Building (outside the Stag's Head). This would be of benefit to SUWS as well as other societies listed below.

Facebook Group

An unreadable mess of tasks

DESIGN/PLANNING WORK

Finish CAD for antenna instalation. create instalation plan and documentation for E&F plan how to connect FM dipole/find out any extra info about it.

EXTERNAL ENQUIRYS

Get permission for instalation and any aditional requirements check with E&F about lightning and wall mounting planning permission?

CABLEING

measure cable in cage 9 Calculate cableing lengths Source coax connectors Finish HF dipole refurbishment source network cableing plan external mounting framework

MOUNTING / ANTENNAS

Design mounting for wifi dish Acquire missing parts for HF dipole Find mounting bracket for HF dipole Find 70cm antenna for mast Design/Find 868Mhz antenna Locate and test diplexer Build polarity splitter for 2m beam VNA test 2m beam antenna VNA test 868 antenna VNA test triband VNA test hf dipole VNA test 70cm antenna design improved waterproofing for wifidish

ROTATOR/FRAMEWORK

source main pole identify rotator mounting options for existing wall brackets replace screws on lower rotator check other rotator mouning scres aernt rusty plan rotator cable connections


INTERNAL

get permission for rack instalation design internal data patch pannel design internal RF patch pannel

Current Status

  • Currently in purchasing and refurbishment stage as well as final planning on assembly and connections

Interested Parties

  • SUWS (us) - General Amateur Radio operation / tracking high altitude balloons.
  • Space Flight Society
    • Interested in helping us.
    • Interested in tracking satellite / high altitude balloons
  • SUSUtv
    • Interested in directional Wi-Fi for live campus broadcast
  • Surge
    • Interested in properly fixing their FM antenna
  • Astronomy
    • Interested in 1GHz-2GHz (?) radio astronomy.
  • ECS Sensor Network Research
    • 868Mhz omni for sensor network node
  • There is still room for other interest should there be any

Antenna/Feature Ideas

Confirmed

  • HF beam dipole
  • triband 2m/70cm/6m omni
  • 70cm+2m on dual-axis rotator
  • SURGE FM broadcast antenna
  • SOWN Wi-Fi @ coordinates
  • 868 sensor net antenna on spur

Sensible

  • 23cm on spur
  • radio telescope (astrosoc)
  • monitoring node (temp/wind ect)

Current Plan

From top of the mast to bottom.

  • 6m/2m/70cm collinear (AR+satellites+HABs)
  • Spur bar
    • FM Broadcast antenna (SURGE)
    • 868 MHz omni (sensor networks)
  • HF Dipole (AR)
  • Azimuth Rotator

Tasks

Allocated

Unallocated

  • Get permission from susu regarding rack for room and wall mounting
  • Check with E&F
    • lighting protection
    • wall mounting
    • planning
  • Calculate coax lengths
    • source coax connectors
  • Finish HF dipole refurbishment
    • Design new crossbeam
    • find missing parts

Kit

  • Statuses
    • Arrived - We have the item.
    • Ordered - We have ordered the item.
    • Approved - We are good to purchase the item but have not done so yet.
    • Awaiting Approval - We know what we need and are awaiting financial approval.
    • Pending - Something is blocking on us being able to approve this item.

All prices are VAT included, unless otherwise specified. "+ £X.XX" indicates additional costs, such as shipping.

Item Cost Link Budget Status Ordered / Acquired By Notes Actions Required
Triband Vertical £87.95 [2] Mast Arrived 2015-04-21 TylerWard
Lithium Grease 500g £7.95 [3] Mast Arrived 2015-05-11 TylerWard. Datasheet
SSD for APU board £32.39 [4] ECS Networks Arrived 2015-05-11 ECS
868 Antenna £23.44 [5] Mountain Sensing Arrived 2015-05-14 Kirk
2M Crossed Yagi £89.95 + £4.99 [6] Mast Arrived 2015-05-15 TylerWard
Separation kit G5400 Free (Thanks Yaesu) N/A N/A Arrived 2015-05-15 Nsefan Purpose: To mount the elevation on a pole
Horizontal mast section Already owned by SUWS N/A N/A Arrived DavidNewman Needs 32-43mm diameter needs cleaning
Fast Ethernet 16 port managed switch (with gigabit uplink) Free (Thanks ECS) N/A N/A Arrived 2015-05-20 DavidNewman
Dual Axis Rotator £40 [7] Mast Arrived 2014 M0NSA Awaiting invoice for reimbursement
HF Dipole Beam Already owned by SUWS N/A N/A Arrived 19?? Craag Refurbishment required. Replacement parts will be required
Ubiquity Powerbeam PBE-M5-300 and accessories £66.46 [8] TJC's Services Rendered Arrived 2015-05-19 ECS
70cm Yagi £52.96 + £10 [9] Mast Approved Awaiting Purchase (Waiting on ML&S order)
Screws For Rotator (M6*20) £5.03 [10] Mast Approved Needs Ordering (trip to Screwfix?)
Loctite 243 (for securing the bolts) £7.76 Mast Approved Needs Ordering (awaiting a onecall purchase)
0.5in x 1 metre long aluminium tube (1.6mm thick) £7.38 [11] Mast Approved Replacement for broken EG component of HF beam Date to be approved/ordered: Approve ASAP. (May check if anything else needs to be ordered from same supplier before ordering).
HF Balun (Watson Balun (currently out of stock)) £33.95 [12] Mast Approved 14-30MHz >200W PEP Needs Ordering
Vertical mast section £52.95 [13] Mast Pending Needs to be between 38-63mm in diameter To be approved later need to confirm appropriate length
Mast Thrust Bearing (Yaesu GS-065) £47.61 + VAT [14] Pending Need to confirm wall mounting
Rotator and Bearing Wall Mounts £59.23 + VAT [15] Pending Yaesu BE645Y, Pair including both rotator and bearing bracket Need to confirm wall mounting
Rack Cupboard £180 [16] Pending 21U 600mm Deep Data Cabinet/Data Rack Pending SUSU approval for wall mounting

Other parts known to be needed

  • Extra Mounting hardware



  • Internal patch panel parts


  • Parts for HF dipole


  • Coax parts
    • coax
    • connectors
    • Per Antenna Feed (5 required)
      • 2x weatherproof Flex-8 Connectors
    • Per Room Feed (5 required, 8 ideally)
      • 1x Weatherproof RG-213 Connector
      • 1x indoor RG-213 Connector
  • connection plate
    • ?* weatherproof N through connectors [[18]]
    • ?* N blanking plates
    • Mounting frame (suggest stainless or aluminium)
    • Connector box [[19]]
      • 2* ethercon panel connectors [[20]]
      • 2* XRL7 male panel [[21]]
      • 2* XLR7 female panel [[22]]
      • 2* ethercon cable [[23]]
      • 2* XLR7 female cable [[24]]
      • 2* XLR7 male cable [[25]]
      • potting compound [[26]] / lots of silica gell
      • D connector mounting plate [[27]]
      • weatherproofing ans sealant [[28]]

Coax Info

Information sourced from Coax Data and ML&S

Prices sourced from ML&S inc. VAT

Diameter RF Loss Max Power Handling Cost Datasheet
mm dB/100ft @ 400MHz W @ 50MHz (1:1 SWR) /25m Reel
RG-58 5 10.5 450W £20.70
RG-213 10.3 4.5 1500W £32.25 http://www.romkatel.ro/cataloage/pdf/eupen/RG213.pdf
Ultraflex 7 7.3 3.59 1820W £29.70 http://www.messi.it/dati/immagini/RGAC7PLUS-All1_EN.pdf

Note: Connectors for Ultraflex 7 are uncommon, and so may add significantly to the expense.


Lightning Precautions

  • Talk to E&F about:
    • Current mast situation
    • Building requirements
  • Can we rely on lightning path through the rotator body?
  • Kit will be toast whatever happens, priority is mitigating fire risk.


Static Protection

  • Resistive bleeders on all coax