Re: [amsat-bb] Calibration of AZ-EL

[Jim.Walls@xxxxxxx]

You asked:
> How are most of you calibrating your Az/El? With a compass and level?

Yep, that works.  There are a couple local mountains that I have accurately
plotted the bearing to.  I normally just point the rotors at the mountain
and rotate the antennas on the mast so that they really point at the same
mountain.  The yagis are easy to see where they are pointing.  The offset
dish is a bit harder as there is nothing on the dish that points in the
direction of max radiation (or reception in this case).  My solution to
that was that a while back I antenna ranged the feed (to optimize the helix
feed), and while I was at it, I mounted a rod on the underside of the boom
that points in the actual direction of max radiation.  You can also verify
the S-band dish by pointing at the sun and listen for the increase in noise
on your receiver.

> I have heard of putting a solar cell at the end of a 2 or 3 foot tube
> mounted to the boom, then aligning for peak voltage when facing the
> sun.

Seems like a lot of work.  For the yagis, just point the rotors think that
they are pointed at the sun, and adjust the antennas so that the shadow of
the boom is minimum.

73
-----------------------
Jim Walls - K6CCC
k6ccc@amsat.org
Mobile Radio Operations
Southern California Edison Co.
Ofc:   626-302-8515   -   PAX   28-515
FAX:   626-302-7501   -   PAX   27-501



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