GB1179193A - Improvements to Antennae for Tracking Artificial Earth Satellites. - Google Patents

Abstract

1,179,193. Aerials. INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ELECTRIC CORP. 21 July, 1967 [26 July, 1966], No. 33576/67. Heading H4A. An aerial assembly for tracking an artificial satellite comprises a helical or other aerial 1, Fig. 1, which has a wide beam width, e.g., 50 degrees, between half-power directions, and mounting equipment including a pedestal 2 and four principal members providing four degrees of freedom, one of said members being rotated by a motor. As described, the pedestal 2 provides a vertical bearing for a member 3, which may be rotated by means of a hand wheel 14 to an azimuth indicated by a pointer 15 on a scale 17, and be clamped by a device 9. The upper end of the member 3 is shaped like a bracket and carries a pivoting device 4 for the rotation of an arm 5 in a vertical plane as indicated by a pointer 18 on a scale 7, a clamping device 10 being provided. The arm 5 has a motor 8 at its rear end and has a coaxial shaft 20 running through it and coupled to the said motor. The shaft 20 extends from the front end 22 of the arm 5 to a pivoting device 13, having its axis perpendicular to the said shaft, and carrying the aerial 1, which may be rotated to a setting indicated by a pointer 19 on a scale 11, and may be clamped by a device 12. A pointer may also be provided on the shaft 20 co-operating with a scale on the end 22 of the arm 5. The Specification describes how the various setting angles may be calculated, so that on the appearance of the satellite over the horizon rotation of the shaft 20 by the motor 8 may begin.