[amsat-bb] ShenZhou radio antenna picture

[A Thomas <70374.440@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My copy of the european edition of Sing Tao for 17 October has a picture of
the Shen Zhou 5 re-entry capsule on the ground lying on its back next to
the rescue vehicles. Some interesting radio info:

a) The main rescue vehicle has a "4 leaf clover" D/F loop on its roof ,
looks like a low band VHF doppler system

b)Two large "probes" or antennas stick out from the capsule:

i)  Imagine the base of the capsule is a convex circle clock dial. One of
the probes is sticking out of the capsule behind the "dial" at about 4 o
clock. It is a spiral metal structure that looks to be about the length of
the leg of the chap standing next to it.

If you go to http://www.singtao.com and go to the rocket pages from the
popup page of the Taikonaut's picture - sorry I don't speak Chinese - then
you get to page cb03.htm which has a jpg showing an earlier Shenzhou
sitting on its base in the desert, the probe sticks out at about 135
degrees (!)..looks a bit longer too.

ii) From my printed copy, the "dial" has at 11 o'clock another probe
sticking out of the convex base. This is a tapering metal spiral with what
looks like a round sucker (but probably isn't a sucker,  a capacity hat?)
on its base.

I am wondering if the spiral is in fact a (quadrifilar?) helix? and if so
the diamater of the helix might indicate its operating frequency? Maybe C
band?

The convex dial face also has a number of metal patches fastened to it,
which could be plate antennas.

If anyone would like a scan of this photo please email. If anyone
recognises t these antenna, please email!!

andy, G0SFJ

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