Satellite Base Station

[W1MSG]

Well the Budget Base system has gotten out of control and now I am working on a Full Blown Satellite Base set up.

So far I have installed a Rohn 20 tower that was given to me by a friend, this will be more than sturdy enough for my Antenna and Rotator as it is bracketed to the house. Total cost $48.00, 4 bags of Quikcrete and 2 sets of mast brackets from Radio Shack.



Next I found a Brand new in the Box Yaesu G-5400B Rotator for $400.00 plus $10 for shipping. Its perfect and was still in the sealed plastic bags. I spent another $60 on the control wires as they arent included.



My wife found me a perfect piece of PVC for the cross boom, its exactly 1 5/8 outside diameter and fits perfectly. To stiffen up the boom she also found a wooden closet dowel that fits right inside the PVC.

I ordered a Gulf Alpha Easy Satellite Dual Band Yagi about a month ago and I am still waiting on it to show up $258.00 plus the $8.00 for the PVC and Dowel.

I also ordered a Fox Delt ST-1 interface for the G-5400, this will allow computer tracking of the SAT. One thing that is really nice is the AZ/EL doesnt have to rotate all the way back around for hogh passes, it will just flip the antenna on the elevation and follow along so there is no loss on the pass.

Now I am on the search for a Yaesu FT-847 Satellite rig, I expect to spend about $1000 for a used rig, I have several e-mails out right now and should have a radio this week.
I thought about the TS-2000 Kenwood but I have heard it has problems in the 70cm RX Freqs for the more popular Satellites.

I will continue to add pictures as the items are added to the station.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Well the Budget Base system has gotten out of control and now I am working on a Full Blown Satellite Base set up.

Welcome to reality my friend. I can't think of a single $100 job that didn't turn into costing me several times that amount. There is always something overlooked or considered a better idea after the initial cost runs were made. Sounds like you are really going for the birds.

 

[W1MSG]

Well my friend Dave came over this morning and we mounted the Elk antenna on the rotator until my GulfAlpha comes in.

I'll be testing it out today if I get any good passes ..

 

[KB1PVH]

Didn't take you long to take pictures and post them. Was I even out of the driveway?

 

[W1MSG]

Didn't take you long to take pictures and post them. Was I even out of the driveway?

You were out of the driveway, but I doubt you were out of Oxford yet

I havent heard a thing on the Elk yet, not sure what the issue is but I havent really been watching the passes too close. The FT-847 will be here tomorrow so we shall see how that works.

 

[W1MSG]

The new SAT Rig is here !

Yaesu FT-847

 

[W1MSG]

Ok, all I can say is WOW !!! Just worked the AO-51 this morning with the new rig and it was AWESOME !! Even with the Elk antenna I was able to work it for the entire pass. It was kind of hectic tuning the freq and doing the rotator but it was so clear it was Amazing !!

Last 2 things I am waiting on are the ST-1 Computer Control for the rotator and the GulfAlpha antenna then the system will be complete.

Also just ordered a Heil Headset, really need it with full duplex so you dont get any feed back.

The addiction continues !

 

[W1MSG]

Well the ST-1 computer control interface came in and now my 5400B controller is on its way back to Yaesu for repair. Not sure what happened but man what a piece of crap, lousy documentation no calibration info and it most definately screwed up my controller box.

So now I found another new company in Germany that makes a controller. Its suppose to be alot better and I am impressed with the documentation so I have one on order. Hopefully the control box wont cost too much to get repaired and I'll have it back in a few weeks.

 

[W1MSG]

I guess I have to eat a little crow. I boxed up the 5400 controller and took it to FedEx, when I got home I noticed something with the wires on the tower. Well some how or another the wires got pulled out of the rotator, I had tested everything to full limits and had no issues, but sure enough one wire was cut and the other pulled out.

So I spent today up and down the tower fixing everything and it all works again.

I then decided to try the ST-1 again. Well it didnt work again. I bought this thing fully assembled so I opened the case and there was a jumper marked 5400 that was open, I shorted the jumper and set the correct out put voltages and it works.
Just tracked the AO-27 and it seems to be dead on the money.

I'm still getting the controller from Germany as it has lots of functions compared to the ST-1 ..

Craig

 

[W1MSG]

Ok folks its finally finished, thanks to Dave KB1PVH ! Made a swap for his Gulf Alpha Dual Bander for my new one when it gets here.

Everything is working as it should, the Antenna is awesome but I may have to do some fine tuning on the rotator orientation by a few degree's.

SatPC is tracking both the Rotator and the Doppler on the rig and I made a couple of contacts last night on the AO-7 in SSB mode. I can pretty much work the AO-51 FM bird from Horizon to Horizon with no troubles.

The best thing I found for the cross boom was a piece of 1.25 schedule 40 PVC and a wooden hanger dowel for a closet, the wood fits inside the PVC a little loose but when you tighten up the antenna mount clamps its perfect.

 

[Qwazyone]

Looks very nice Craig, so have you tried the linear transponder sats?

 

[W1MSG]

Looks very nice Craig, so have you tried the linear transponder sats?

Yes actually I have, they are pretty cool. Not as crazy as the FM birds but getting use to the tuning is an art form. Luckily SatPC does a pretty good job once your dialed in.

 

[Moleculo]

Thanks for taking the time to post these pics and write about your setup. What do you think the total cost that you have invested in the antenna setup is (including tower)?

 

[W1MSG]

Thanks for taking the time to post these pics and write about your setup. What do you think the total cost that you have invested in the antenna setup is (including tower)?

Ok here is everything, costs may vary ..

Tower Free I had to take it down, old TV antenna tower Rohn 20
Rotator $400.00 Yaesu G5400B Found on QTH it was new in the box
Radio $1000.00 Its a used Yaesu FT 847 Satellite Rig
Antenna $258.00 Gulf Alpha Dual Band, does a Great Job
ST-1 Controller $69.00 Computer control for the G5400B
SatPC Software $45.00

Total of $1762, of course you would need to add coax connectors and other misc stuff, but I had that stuff kicking around.
4 Bags of Quikcrete mix, Radio Shack mast brackets, so add another $100 or so.

I have been working both the SSB and FM birds with Great results.

Craig

 

[Radio Tech]

Nice going Craig.
You set up is looking nice. I have really enjoyed working the birds over the years. I really miss the days of the old HEO sats. At time you could work ssb for 10 hours straight. Used to run 64 elements on UHF with 200 watts.

What a rush it was.