[ARC5] YG/ZB Demo

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 6 Jul 2011 at 12:06, Jack Antonio wrote:

> On 7/4/2011 3:05 PM, Mike Morrow wrote:
> > Mike wrote of the YE/ZB:
> >
> >> The sector edge characteristics are not formed by narrow beam
> >> width, but by precisely switching the audio coding at each angle
> >> desired.
> >
> > Still, Mike, if the YE beam is too wide, or the ZB is too close to
> > the YE, multiple sector IDs would be received at the ZB.  In that
> > case discrimination for the correct sector can take place only by
> > selecting the sector ID that's in the center of the sequence of the
> > several IDs that are being received.
> 
> 
> My manual for the YG system, says the antenna beam width is about 45
> degrees.
> 
> What the manual doesn't show, however, is the antenna pattern. How
> many db down defines the beamwidth. 3db? 20 db?
> 
> Mike H mentioned antenna systems  that had parabolic reflectors, my YG
> manual shows a flat screen reflector.  I wonder if the higher power of
> the YE dictated increased front to back ratio?

I hope I am not going to upset anyone by what I am going to say here, 
but IMNHO, it can't be helped:

We have indulged in a lot of talk about this system, and some of the 
talk contains much good information. However, it seems to me that 
many of our quesitons could be completely answered by setting up an 
accurate replica of the system and obtaining "empirical" data.

Other than the mechanical/electrical synchronization of the rotating 
beam with an accurate compass direction (which would not be necessary 
to answer questions such as the above), the requirements seem to be 
both minimal and fairly easily accomplished by many of us.

I have one complete, operating, BC band "ARC-5" receiver, but no ARR-
1 adapter, nor YE or YG transmitter. I wouldn't need a YG or YE, 
since a CW transmitter for the 220 MHz band is not all that difficult 
to build and get operating. The antenna shouldn't be that difficult 
to duplicate. The only part that would have to be made, perhaps, by a 
machine shop would be the encoding wheel.

One could synchronize the coding wheel and the antenna fairly easily 
by driving them both with the same drive shaft.

More later,

Ken W7EKB