SUSU Antenna Array

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

Current Status

• We have some parts but we need but quite a lot of stuff needs to be bought, built or fixed (see Kit below).
• We need to have proper discussion with other interested parties.
• We need to come up with a final design of what will go on the antenna array and how it will be organised.
• We need to at least seek provisional permission for the antenna array to be erected ,so we are aware of any additional things we need to consider.

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
• Tyler is aware of other interested parties.

Ideas

Confirmed

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

Sensible

• 23cm on spur
• 868 sensor net antenna on spur
• radio telescope (astrosoc)

Plan

From top of the mast to bottom.

• 6m/2m/70cm collinear (AR+satellites+HABs)

• Spur bar
  • FM Broadcast antenna (SURGE)
  • 2.4GHz omni (sensor networks)
  • 868 MHz omni (sensor networks)

• Elevation rotator
  • 2m Crossed Yagi (AR+satellites)
    • eg. 8-ele Tonna
  • 70cm Crossed Yagi (AR+satellites+HABs)
    • eg. 19-ele Tonna (probably too long)
  • 5GHz Wifi Dish (SOWN+SUSUTV)
    • eg. 802.11ac Ubiquiti PowerBeam

• HF Dipole (AR)

• Azimuth Rotator

Kit

Approved

• 2m crossed yagi
  • Link [[1]]
  • Price: £99.95 + £4.99
  • Date to be ordered: ASAP
  • Budget: mast

• 70cm Yagi
  • Link [[2]]
  • Price: £52.96 + £10
  • Date to be ordered: ASAP
  • Budget: mast

• Triband Verticial
  • Link thing
  • Price: £99.95 (more than the eBay thing that was previously the link)
  • To be ordered: ASAP
  • Budget: mast

Planned but not ready for approval

• SSD for APU
  • Link [[3]]
  • Price £34.81
  • Date to be ordered: Later
  • Budget: to be decided

Parts known to be needed

• Ubiquity Powerbeam
• Verticial mast section
• horizontal mast section
• mounting hardware
• rack cupboard
• Dual axis Rotator
  • need to pay M0NSA
  • grease for rotator
  • case for rotator control cable
    • rotator will need regressing
• Internal patch panel parts

• Parts for HF dipole

• Coax parts
  • coax
  • connectors

• connection plate
  • ?* weatherproof N through connectors [[4]]
  • ?* N blanking plates
  • Mounting frame (suggest stainless or aluminium)
  • Connector box [[5]]
    • 2* ethercon panel connectors [[6]]
    • 2* XRL7 male panel [[7]]
    • 2* XLR7 female panel [[8]]
    • 2* ethercon cable [[9]]
    • 2* XLR7 female cable [[10]]
    • 2* XLR7 male cable [[11]]
    • potting compound [[12]] / lots of silica gell
    • D connector mounting plate [[13]]
    • weatherproofing ans sealant [[14]]

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.