VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

Hi all,

This just came through via the vk1-reflect email reflector:

CSIRO has been using two antennas at Marsfield that they obtained from the University of Sydney Fleurs Observatory. They were used for initial work on ASKAP technologies. CSIRO now using higher performance antennas at Parkes. CSIRO now wish to have one of the dishes removed from the Marsfield site. Rather than just scrap the antenna CSIRO is offering it to any one who may be able to reuse it on the basis that its removal will be at no cost to CSIRO.

The antenna was completely refurbished in 2005 and is a 13.7m equatorial mounted parabolic reflector set for the latitude of Sydney. The surface is mesh and is good to beyond 1.8GHz. The HA limits are ±60 deg and Dec limits -75S to +10N. The antenna will come complete with modern variable speed drives, encoders and control system. This should allow the dish to be operated at latitudes different to Sydney's.

The mesh surface is attached with cable ties and much of the structure unbolts to component ribs and trusses. After this
the largest components are the pedestal ~1.8m by 5m and the central hub sections which are ~6m by 3m by 1m.
The major labour component in reassembling the dish is the reattachment of the mesh

Any one interest is this antenna should contact John Bunton, email john.bunton@csiro.au <mailto:john.bunton@csiro.au>
If it were closer, I might be interested! Surely someone up in VK2 might be able to put it to use??

Cheers,

Peter VK3PF

Hmm that is tempting and would be a good reason for me to stay put for a while longer rather than selling up.

Leigh, if you want a hand disassembling it, let me know. I'm free anytime

Out of interest, I have access to an 8m ex-CSIRO dish I can use. Mesh covered, again, on an equatorial mount, but hand cranked. It's out in a quiet spot too, past Ilford in NSW. If anyone wants to try any higher bands moonbounce - bring your rig, amp, feeds and PC, and I can arrange time on it.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH

I hadn't put much thought into it. I have moved similar size dishes before in move difficult circumstances.
If you had access to a truck with a hiab etc, then it should be possible for a small group of people to disassemble and move it to a new location.
If nobody else, move it to the WIA at Dural.

The heaviest piece is the king post. It looks rather solid so it will probably weigh ~300-400kg. Once the quadrapod and reflector are removed, the hub should
come off with the crane and then the king post slung, unbolted and laid down on the ground before the haib can lift it onto the back of the truck.
A couple more trips for the support frame and reflector panels and it's all gone !

Don't forget to ask them for the LNA's

tempting isnt it , i have acres of room out here for it too, one small problem is the thing wont go down low and the business end of a EME pass is towards the horizon. The support would have to be raised and the mount modified to allow this. Its not hard to do, if you are out in the country, it could be moved out here and people could come out and stay over at the dish and utilise it on weekends etc.
as for it going to ARNSW, they had such a fight just trying to get a shed built, imagine the problems with a dish that big!, permit, DA, all the trees that would have to be dozed, the council would go nuts !! hihi
I am in the process now of putting up another 5 metre for moonbounce right now, thanks to Ashley vk2xso
cheers de Dave vk2jds

it was never available at all. By the time we heard about it, both dishes had already been disposed of to a university or suchlike.

Nice to dream though.