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
• Tyler is aware of other interested parties.

Ideas

Sensible

• 23cm at bottom
• SURGE FM broadcast above 23cm antenna (we'd help them get back on the air)
• HF antenna of some sort
• 70cm+2m with dual-band rotator
• triband 2m/70cm/other vertical antenna on top of dual-band rotator
• Ask SUSU TV if they're interested (short-range camera links)
• SOWN Wi-Fi by coordinates

Varying degrees of silliness

• Pi camera

Plan

From top of the mast to bottom.

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

• 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 (Incomplete)

Have

• 2-axis Rotator
• Poles

Required

• More coax
• Triband vertical ebay £90
• 2m Yagi (could build if necessary) eBay £105 5-element crossed - does this come with a phasing harness? We need to ping them an email to find out.
• 70cm Yagi (could build if necessary) hamradio £68 10-element not crossed
• Cupboard (need emailing SUSU facilities - Murray to do)
• Money to put the mast up (cherry picker hire? Contractor? Pay E&F?)

Need building

• Remote control computer (ServiceLine ticket for iSolutions redeployment centre)

Needs Fixing

• HF antenna
  • Jubilee clips B&Q, may want high torque clips if heavy
  • Paint