On Saturday 11 October 2008 09:14:48 Steve Totaro wrote: > On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 4:20 PM, John Ackermann N8UR <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > rhubbell wrote: > >> Hi all, > >> > >> After being on-frequency here for a little while I can see that the > >> range of experience/expertise is wide. Which is great. > >> > >> I'm curious if any long-timers have begun to look at software defined > >> antennas? Or is there any effort at all anywhere in the public domain? > >> I guess military and universities don't really count for public as much > >> as they once did, but I'd guess they're working toward SDA also. > > > > I'm not sure just what you mean by "software defined antenna" but Vic > > Kean, K1LT, has been using an array of short vertical antennas fed to > > multiple ADCs and phased in software to receive on the 160M amateur band. > > I don't have URLs handy, but I know he's made some postings about his > > work. Searching for "K1LT" and "SDR" would be a good start. > > > > John > > I could see a software controlled antennae, using software to control reed > switches and servos, but not a strictly software defined antennae, more > like a robotic antennae that could be populated with standard or predefined > settings for the antennae configuration, as well as manual control. > > I have a software controlled wifi antennae on my chimney, the software just > controls a servo for direction. > > I have this guy, which kicks butt and has come down in price quite a bit > http://cgi.ebay.com/WiFi-USB-24-dBi-YAGI-ANTENNA-2-4GHz-ULTRA-LONG-RANGE_W0 >QQitemZ270284630828QQihZ017QQcategoryZ86720QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZView >Item > > Haven't used it in ice/snow but i assume that will be a problem and require > some kind of covering to keep the elements that stick off, jerking the > servo takes care of water build up from rain that can and does degrade wifi > signals.
Systems such as an over-the-horizon radar, such as the Jindalee project in Australia, are possibly as close as it gets to be a SDA. It involves a little more than just an antenna rotator controller... 73, Berndt VK5ABN _______________________________________________ Discuss-gnuradio mailing list Discuss-gnuradio@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio