Antenna Arrays Could Replace Satellite TV Dishes

[Faw]

Saw this on slashdot, didn't knew where to post it so i thought technical discussions would be good, move it if it's the wrong place.

Basically its a very large array, use a lot of small antennas to replace a single large ones an use software to sort of simulate the large one. By altering how the signals from the small antennas are combined you can "point" the antenna at different sources. Hence you not only have a large detector from combining several smaller one but you can also point the array without having to mechanically move it.

From what I understand it would mean no dish aligning (maybe just point antenna in a general direction) , no extra antennas for extra satellites since software would take care of that.

 

[skyviewmark]

Doesn't look very practical for my house.

 

[whatchel1]

VLA

The link you supplied is for a VLA of dishes. So how is it you think that it's replacing the sat dish. It also takes some serious phase work for combining of these systems. That would have to be part and parcel of the s/w to do it.

 

[navychop]

I could pick up Martians on their cell phones with that, but I don't think I could afford the electric bill.

 

[llzel]

You think I could borrow that picture to submit to my subdivision associations.

"hello everyone, I would like to show you what my antenna system will look like"

 

[boba]

Phased arrays have been around for at least 20 years and still aren't viable.

 

[SaltiDawg]

Phased arrays have been around for at least 20 years and still aren't viable.

Actually longer than that. I assume you mean aren't viable for Satellite signals?

 

[navychop]

Phased array works very, very well, I can tell you, for radar and ECM purposes!

 

[rthomp03]

Phased array works very, very well, I can tell you, for radar and ECM purposes!

For sure!;