Microdyne Corporation

Raydx Satellite Systems, Ltd.

Robert L Hooper

Lawrence W Yonge, Iii

Charles E Day

Hank S Lin

Michael S Balbes

An antenna dish structure is disclosed having a central support to which are attached a plurality of elongated ribs extending radially outwardly with a plurality of metallic mesh members extending between adjacent pairs of rib, and a rim structure connected to the outer ends of the ribs, with both the ribs and the rim having portions for receiving therewithin such mesh members.

Antenna dish

A receive only, low cost, small size, frequency agile earth satellite ground station has the low noise amplifier, frequency agile receiver, head end modulator, motor control circuit and optional signal unscrambler disposed on circuit boards about a variable polarization antenna-to-low noise amplifier feed which together with the motor for controlling the feed polarization of the feed are all located in a weather insulating cannister at the focal point of the system antenna whereby the only elements of the system not located in the cannister are the antenna and a cable connected control console employed to select a desired channel and to select local or satellite reception located at the TV set. A motor control is provided which senses odd-or-even least significant bit of binary coded channel selection signals to determine if the feed polarization, control motor must be energized.

Receive only earth satellite ground station

A low cost, frequency agile receiver for earth satellite ground stations provides selection of any one of 24 channels available from an RCA synchronous orbit satellite. The tuner of the receiver utilizes mass produced elements including CB synthesizer, divider and PROM chips to control the frequency of a conventional VCO operating at about 500 MHz. Multiplication of the VCO frequency by conventional techniques and in addition the use of a double diode sub-harmonic mixer, low beat local oscillator mixing and of the difference mixer signals (down conversion) permits reduction of 3.72 GHz to 4.18 GHz signals in two mixer stages to 70 MHz IF with sixth-sevenths of the reduction occurring in the first mixer whereby low cost printed circuit filters may be employed to eliminate problems associated with satellite transponder images and adjacent channel IF frequencies produced in the first mixer.

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Ocala, FL, United States of America

Robert L Hooper