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Thread ID: 92558	2008-08-14 21:29:00	Satellite Dish	Roscoe (6288)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
697298	2008-08-14 21:29:00	The Radio Reading Service in Levin has a satellite dish on the roof (not unlike a Sky dish but a bit smaller) for downloading radio programmes from Europe. Just recently, in the blustery weather, the panels of the dish disappeared! I was quite surprised. It seems that the reflector may not be as robust as a Sky dish. Anybody any knowledge as to what they are made of? So much for modern technology, eh? Footnote: When they started broadcasting 15 years ago they were receiving programmes from Europe on LPs. They progressed to open reel tape, to cassette tape, to CDs and now satellite. The latter is much more immediate and cheaper for the originating programmer. Reason is that none of the stations wanted their records/tapes/Cds returned. Result is that the Radio Reading Service has cupboards full of them!	Roscoe (6288)
697299	2008-08-14 23:16:00	i don't think there is many or any satiletes you can use a smal dish on. sure its not a microwave link ? sat dishes can be steel or alloy. whats important is how they are bolted together and what there wind rating is. generally desgn to break off the dish part leaving the rest behind in extreme winds. some lighter designs allow the dish to flex in high wind which unloads the wind pressure so they will handle very high winds. i think sky dishs are designed to handle 80km winds without shifting out of alignment and something like 140+ before the dish breaks off.	tweak'e (69)
697300	2008-08-15 00:06:00	i think sky dishs are designed to handle 80km winds without shifting out of alignment and something like 140+ before the dish breaks off. That sounds like the sort of conditions Levin was getting.	PaulD (232)
697301	2008-08-15 00:11:00	i don't think there is many or any satiletes you can use a smal dish on. sure its not a microwave link ? Definitely a satellite dish, as it picks up radio programmes from Deutsche Welle in Germany and other European stations as well as America and Australia. The inclination is about the same as a Sky dish as the satellite is only about ten degrees above the horizon. Not too certain about the size as it is a long time since I have seen it but I seem to remember it was a bit smaller than a Sky dish. Does the frequency have anything to do with the size? Certainly does with conventional aerials. Perhaps a smaller dish means a higher frequency.	Roscoe (6288)
697302	2008-08-15 01:20:00	Size is to do with signal strength, a larger dish is less prone to rain fade.	PaulD (232)
697303	2008-08-15 01:35:00	Size is to do with signal strength, a larger dish is less prone to rain fade. That would explain the large size of the dish at the now decommissioned Warkworth station. Is there anything on the dish that needs to be the correct size for the frequency? That sounds like the sort of conditions Levin was getting. Does that mean you reside in the Horophenua area? If so, perhaps you have heard the Radio Reading Service on 1602am.	Roscoe (6288)
697304	2008-08-15 03:17:00	That would explain the large size of the dish at the now decommissioned Warkworth station. Is there anything on the dish that needs to be the correct size for the frequency? Does that mean you reside in the Horophenua area? If so, perhaps you have heard the Radio Reading Service on 1602am. At a guess the size of the Warkworth dish would have something to do with the age of the technology, distance from earth of the satellite and 2 way traffic compared with receive only. Frequency is probably dealt with in the LNB at the focal point. Foxton Beach part time. When bits of Levin had tornado like wind other parts of the region were relatively calm. Will have a listen some time.	PaulD (232)
697305	2008-08-15 23:04:00	Foxton Beach part time. When bits of Levin had tornado like wind other parts of the region were relatively calm. Will have a listen some time. Have a listen, in particular, to "It Happened in NZ" which is broadcast Friday night at 8.30 and repeated Saturday morning at 12.30 and 10.30. It is a programme that I have been recording for the past 14 years. Their 1602am transmitter is off the air, because of the storm, today, Saturday, but they are on shortwave 3935. They should be on air tomorrow. They are also online. See my signature below.	Roscoe (6288)
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