Re: [amsat-bb] "Trash Can" or steel drum dish antennas

[Alfred Green <nu8i@xxxxxxxx>]

Scott Townley wrote:
[snip]
> 
> As an aside, anyone ever heard of a "cornucopia" antenna?  Some of the
> old long-haul analog microwave sites run by the old AT&T still have some
> up.  They are generally a cone pointing up with an "elbow" opening that
> opens to the horizon.  Those have even better sidelobe/backlobe
> performance.  I have some pictures in old textbooks; they appear to be
> one of the original radio astronomy antennas.  And now they're all dark;
> someone needs to pull one down and fire it up!!

I dont recall the term "cornucopia", but from the name and description
it sounds like what we used to refer to as a hog-horn. If I ever knew
the derivation of that term it is long lost in the shower of discarded
brain cells.

As I recall, it was essentially a parabolic section with a horn feed.
The sides of the horn carried on to provide side walls for the parabola,
reducing the sidelobes. It had a reputation for being a 'quiet' antenna,
hence the radio astronomy connection.

PA0AVS has built one for use on 432 & 1296 EME; there's a picture in the
antenna gallery on Rein's site, http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/

An S-band version would be fairly compact, and give a good G/T ratio.

Definately food for thought.

73  Alf  NU8I
Scottsdale AZ DM43an

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