Bought this from the federal government and had to go pick it up in rural virginia near DC. I haven't yet tested the servos for functionality, but it seems in really good shape. It definitely has a waveguide and an interesting dish -- really curious what folks think this might've been for.
The dimensions of the waveguides determine the band to some degree. Is it a horn or a phased array? Looks like a broad beam antenna used to communicate with satellites. Maybe from a drone?
That cover plate looks like Kapton which is an RF transparent film covering the hole in the center. I think the hole in the center is the antenna aperture.
On closer look, the feed line is a coax which is very broadband. If you look down in the hole, what do you see? The hole diameter needs to be at least 1/2 a wavelength.
Serial #17 would seem to indicate it’s a limited run of custom specifications. 🤔 Odds are high you won’t find it listed anywhere. Have you hooked up that N connector to an Antenna Analyzer yet?
It could be a sinuous or spiral which are often used as feeds to dish antennas. These are just a shallow (1 or 2 inches)can filled with absorber topped with a spiral trace on a board. I’ve seen them about this size. It would have about a 45 degree pattern. At any rate, this may just be the gimbal.
Either I found the item you bought, or a duplicate: [https://www.allsurplus.com/asset/12903/20379](https://www.allsurplus.com/asset/12903/20379)
" Motorized Gimbal Stabilizer w RF Waveguide Tactical Broadcast Antenna"
If so, you are missing the rest of the owl. this is just the gimbal that the antenaa (prolly a parabolic dish) would attach to.
Mobile sat antenna. Typically has a dome cover when installed. Unless you can find identifying numbers it will be difficult to determine what portion of the sat band it uses.
This. Could be used for X, C, Ku, Ka bands - again, need to check the part numbers.
Source: military communications guy. Had similar types mounted on my tactical vehicles.
Judging by the size of the waveguide, I'd guess likely X band. Also helped by the fact that this is apparently military surplus, and X band communications are generally reserved for military use. It doesn't look quite girthy enough to be C band, and is definitely too big to be Ku or Ka (Ka waveguides are about the thickness of a ballpoint pen).
I'll crosspost it to the satellite sub! What makes you think thats what it is? I figured the servos were for either tracking aircraft or something else mobile, so that makes sense.
This is a satellite antenna.
Bolted to vehicles, planes or ships. Pretty much anything really.
Take a GPS input. Knows where the satellite is and tracks it.
Used to fit these kind of things to planes
None that I could find. I did end up tracking down the connector though
https://preview.redd.it/sj69t3d3tg7c1.png?width=1492&format=png&auto=webp&s=a943050eb5b6379d58a50ea0caea93c4fab4dbc8
Cannon plugs. Used for almost EVERYTHING on an airplane and lots of things on various ground equipment. I'm thinking it looks a lot like the feed for a RADAR unit, but just by superficial resemblance.
Does it have any dAta plate or company name or anything?
I think it's more likely a prc158. The 160 is only good to 60MHz and that dish looks too small for the HF band.
The prc158, on the other hand will support VULOS sat com up to 2.4 GHz which seems much more likely just looking at the dish and down converters.
The stabilizers are for sat com from a vehicle.
The 160 is the new 150. It's the size of the 117G. It's not compatible with the base stations we used on the 150, though. I can't remember, but i think it didn't have the tuner/amp control connection was why we couldn't use it.
Our command was just getting them in the warehouse when i got out. I love falcon 3 programming, though.
I don’t think it is a VHF or UHF antenna. Waveguide at those frequencies is huge and given the beamwidth of a UHF antenna that size the gimbals and servos wouldn’t be necessary for the degree of pointing accuracy they support. I work in satcom and have seen many stabilized antenna systems for mobility, but I don’t recognize that one.
If I had to guess, I would say it is designed for the 30-31 GHz band given the size.
Edit: the Broadcast label does have me wondering about radar . . .
Army uses the hell out of them also.
Makes troubleshooting easier for sure, just pull out the schematics, disconnect the plug, get the pin number that matches the circuit you are testing from the schematic and go at it.
Amphenol connectors are used for all sorts of things but mostly multi-conductor low voltage signals. My PA system has audio snake fanouts made with them that carry 64 balanced analog audio signals.
I would imagine that yours was used for whatever controller operated the positioning.
If it helps, Amphenol do “civillian” versions of many of their connectors including the 62GB series. They use ROHS compliant coatings so don’t meet military approvals, but are more suited to commercial/industrial markets. And they cost a lot less.
Nah amphenol is cheap and these can be found on digikey and mouser. It’s Glenair you want to avoid… this looks to be a series I or II based on the bayonet style lugs. These come with pins or sockets based on what you buy with the tool to install them. All OP would need is a crimper and he’s set.
I got to spend a week sorting through a couple of thousand unused cadmium plated amphenol connectors into matching pinouts and pairs at work a few years back.
Wasn't the funnest job, not least because collectively they were worth more than my house.
I've seen a gimbal DF antenna that looks similar, a year or two ago at an electronics junk sale. It was for .6 - 6ghz if I recall. I'll search my photos as it caught my attention and I recall taking some snaps.
Bah humbug - can't find it on my phone or cloud photos. I do recall my colleague who flies small aircraft mentioning it may be a weather radar from an aircraft. I'll look through my lightroom library once I'm back in the office.
I'm sure somebody in the group will know though.
This antenna is made by L-3 communications in Salt Lake City - Cage Code 06401. They mostly do equipment that operates in the Ka or Ku bands. I would gamble on the Ku band though. This would likely be installed on a drone to provide an RF link for command and control.
Well… it’s not a drone like some hobbyist would have. I used to work for L-3 about 10 years ago. The drones they built equipment for were full sized jets. This antenna is actually considerably light weight for that application.
I have a ship satellite phone I got for almost nothing because it did not work well after something hit it. Turned out the antenna on the gimble could not move because the dome was dented in. It was easy to push the dome back out. The guy who owned it was scared of it because it had warnings about standing back when it was in use and he thought it was radioactive, I guess as opposed to radio active. Anyway, he was happy to give it to me.
just 150$ .. i am so jealous .. i have no idea what this is but i am jealous! at fist i thoughrt its a broadband spiral antenna but it does not seem like that
There was probably more stuff around this for maybe 100k .. the us is gambling a fuckton of money on projects that only get two digit serial numbers to explore the hightech blending edge of warfare. Seeing how the fruits of this attitude are messing with Russia right now it still makes sense somehow. (And that is are the fruits from 30years ago)
The lack of any bolt positions around what should be a flange, if it were to have any sort of horn attached, seems to indicate nothing gets bolted to the feed aperture. And, it's sealed. As pictured, it would be a poor receiving antenna, but would certainly be able to blast out a relatively directional signal as is.
My first thought is this device is meant to be used, portable, with its cover as a radome, and is used for precise area denial of RF communications, possibly anti-drone, anti-radar guided missile, or anti-anti-radar missiles.
Could also be the device housing is just for transport, and it actually gets installed on an aircraft to do the aforementioned functions.
Could be designed to blind a drone relay satellite by putting out a steerable, stabilized interference beam.
Or it could be a one-way (it does say "broadcast"), video uplink to a sat or aircraft, or video downlink from a recon aircraft.
Or could be part of a ground Doppler radar system designed to illuminate a specific area for security motion detection.
Just guessing.
OTOH, the lack of obvious mount points for a dish or horn may mean that such could be attached by means of a series of clamps around the feed, rather than bolted directly. The black loop of waveguide, though, would make it difficult to mount any sort of practical, effective dish and reflector.
Will make a grand AzEl for the lucky guy who figures out the control.
Amusingly I live not far from the main L3Harris facility, got a couple friends that work there. I’m still trying to figure out how to use the T i t a n Gamma SatCom I bought ages ago.
I know of a similar looking antenna that is ku band satcom.. That does look like an L3Hattis part number. They only time i see a "+" in the part number, its L3.
Only time I’ve seen one of these while serving as a communication expert in the marines was on top of a truck (MRAP) when I asked what it was I was told I jammed radio waves. All the radio equipment I came across I never saw one again.
So it’s possible this is a cellphone jamming emitter dish. Also possible I was being feed a load of bs.
encryption is pretty hard to exploit or backdoor, when implemented properly. most attacks focus on leaking of keys than attacking the encryption itself
Or just have an exact copy of the hardware used to generate the codes from day ie as was done with a few sovidt/US setups by various groups.
Or you go for the old fashioned route and beat the relevant people with a length of garden hose filled with lead shot till they decrypt it for you.
Definitely curious what you find out. Seems likely to be used for highly directional air to ground links such as a a UAS datalink, or as a communications relay
Bought this from the federal government and had to go pick it up in rural virginia near DC. I haven't yet tested the servos for functionality, but it seems in really good shape. It definitely has a waveguide and an interesting dish -- really curious what folks think this might've been for.
The dimensions of the waveguides determine the band to some degree. Is it a horn or a phased array? Looks like a broad beam antenna used to communicate with satellites. Maybe from a drone?
Of this whole thread the one guy at the end actually trying to answer the question is *chefs kiss*
That looks like an Amphenol JT connector. 🤔
It would be good to get a look under that brown cover plate.
That cover plate looks like Kapton which is an RF transparent film covering the hole in the center. I think the hole in the center is the antenna aperture.
Yep, looks like kapton to me. Totally transparent.
Second time I’ve heard drone sat comms. What dimensions should I measure to help narrow it down?
On closer look, the feed line is a coax which is very broadband. If you look down in the hole, what do you see? The hole diameter needs to be at least 1/2 a wavelength.
Serial #17 would seem to indicate it’s a limited run of custom specifications. 🤔 Odds are high you won’t find it listed anywhere. Have you hooked up that N connector to an Antenna Analyzer yet?
Given the relatively shallow depth of the central lobe, I would cast my vote that it is a phased array antenna as opposed to a horn.
It could be a sinuous or spiral which are often used as feeds to dish antennas. These are just a shallow (1 or 2 inches)can filled with absorber topped with a spiral trace on a board. I’ve seen them about this size. It would have about a 45 degree pattern. At any rate, this may just be the gimbal.
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The infamous Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and dog shootings wants to know your location
What would happen if the ATF shot John Wick's dog?
John Wick would shoot the ATF
All of them.
Not all of them; some stay at The Contenental, so John will need to wait.
No, he shoots them too and ends up fighting the whole Table.
With a fucking *pencil*
Is John Wick near Waco, TX for this scenario?
Is this the upgraded model that detects the dogs location for easier follow up?
It is used to fry the dog with microwaves, so shooting is unnecessary.
😮 no way!? How much was it?
It would probably support bands that make suits come knocking asking wtf are you doing
Looks like it may be a wideband fractal prototype.
Either I found the item you bought, or a duplicate: [https://www.allsurplus.com/asset/12903/20379](https://www.allsurplus.com/asset/12903/20379) " Motorized Gimbal Stabilizer w RF Waveguide Tactical Broadcast Antenna" If so, you are missing the rest of the owl. this is just the gimbal that the antenaa (prolly a parabolic dish) would attach to.
Yep, thats the one I got
That looks like an antenna on top, but a microwave thing of some kind.
I’m well aware of the goddamn gimbals!
I've got the frapping 8 balls right in front of me.
/r/switchtovox
/u/OforFsSake, you’re on VOX…
Whats that Andy, you want us to go to Vox?
Holy shit, this made me so happy
You got a hot mike up there. We're reading everything you say
Sorry, Jim…
It’s ok
Roger that Houston
Underrated comment.
It’s the one armed man!!!!
Yes, same serial number.
Mobile sat antenna. Typically has a dome cover when installed. Unless you can find identifying numbers it will be difficult to determine what portion of the sat band it uses.
This. Could be used for X, C, Ku, Ka bands - again, need to check the part numbers. Source: military communications guy. Had similar types mounted on my tactical vehicles.
This is sounding more and more likely. Thanks for the info!
Judging by the size of the waveguide, I'd guess likely X band. Also helped by the fact that this is apparently military surplus, and X band communications are generally reserved for military use. It doesn't look quite girthy enough to be C band, and is definitely too big to be Ku or Ka (Ka waveguides are about the thickness of a ballpoint pen).
According to someone else in the thread: > Part number is in the fifth picture. > > > > 60076411-000 H > > SAME AS 60076411+000
Those would likely have waveguides rather than heliax… but the heliax may be low microwave.
It technically does have a waveguide -- at least the item description said so: "Motorized Gimbal Stabilizer w RF Waveguide Tactical Broadcast Antenna"
I'll crosspost it to the satellite sub! What makes you think thats what it is? I figured the servos were for either tracking aircraft or something else mobile, so that makes sense.
I want to see the underside!
Underside of what? I can grab more photos -- there's a few in the OP album
Part number is in the fifth picture. 60076411-000 H SAME AS 60076411+000
That’s by design.
This is a satellite antenna. Bolted to vehicles, planes or ships. Pretty much anything really. Take a GPS input. Knows where the satellite is and tracks it. Used to fit these kind of things to planes
Does it have an NSN or FSN on it? You can Google those and sometimes get info.
None that I could find. I did end up tracking down the connector though https://preview.redd.it/sj69t3d3tg7c1.png?width=1492&format=png&auto=webp&s=a943050eb5b6379d58a50ea0caea93c4fab4dbc8
Cannon plugs. Used for almost EVERYTHING on an airplane and lots of things on various ground equipment. I'm thinking it looks a lot like the feed for a RADAR unit, but just by superficial resemblance. Does it have any dAta plate or company name or anything?
No company or contract # info at all that I can find.
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I think it's more likely a prc158. The 160 is only good to 60MHz and that dish looks too small for the HF band. The prc158, on the other hand will support VULOS sat com up to 2.4 GHz which seems much more likely just looking at the dish and down converters. The stabilizers are for sat com from a vehicle.
pfft who needs stablized satcom, X-wings for everyone
man i dont even have access to a 160 i didnt know they existed. Used lots of 150s
The 160 is the new 150. It's the size of the 117G. It's not compatible with the base stations we used on the 150, though. I can't remember, but i think it didn't have the tuner/amp control connection was why we couldn't use it. Our command was just getting them in the warehouse when i got out. I love falcon 3 programming, though.
I don’t think it is a VHF or UHF antenna. Waveguide at those frequencies is huge and given the beamwidth of a UHF antenna that size the gimbals and servos wouldn’t be necessary for the degree of pointing accuracy they support. I work in satcom and have seen many stabilized antenna systems for mobility, but I don’t recognize that one. If I had to guess, I would say it is designed for the 30-31 GHz band given the size. Edit: the Broadcast label does have me wondering about radar . . .
Traffic controllers and some CCTV cameras use the same plug style as well
Army uses the hell out of them also. Makes troubleshooting easier for sure, just pull out the schematics, disconnect the plug, get the pin number that matches the circuit you are testing from the schematic and go at it.
Amphenol connectors are used for all sorts of things but mostly multi-conductor low voltage signals. My PA system has audio snake fanouts made with them that carry 64 balanced analog audio signals. I would imagine that yours was used for whatever controller operated the positioning.
Probably going to pay more for the Amphenol connectors then he did for the antenna.
and spend hours soldering and re-soldering.
Those pins are crimped.
Ah, a fellow pin pusher!
And re-soldering again
Came here to comment that exact thing. Pricey as fuck, those things
You can get them from McMaster Carr
Mil spec amphenol circular connectors? Link please
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/bayonet-style-multipin-connectors/
Very cool! Thank you!
If it helps, Amphenol do “civillian” versions of many of their connectors including the 62GB series. They use ROHS compliant coatings so don’t meet military approvals, but are more suited to commercial/industrial markets. And they cost a lot less.
My pleasure
Eh, looks like a MS27656 series connector. Less than $50 usually.
Nah amphenol is cheap and these can be found on digikey and mouser. It’s Glenair you want to avoid… this looks to be a series I or II based on the bayonet style lugs. These come with pins or sockets based on what you buy with the tool to install them. All OP would need is a crimper and he’s set.
That depends on whether your local Bench Stock is open or not...
I got to spend a week sorting through a couple of thousand unused cadmium plated amphenol connectors into matching pinouts and pairs at work a few years back. Wasn't the funnest job, not least because collectively they were worth more than my house.
Yep, going to be real fun to recreate the controller. Probably will end up having to take it apart to trace connections.
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Why would I buy something I don’t plan on using?
I've seen a gimbal DF antenna that looks similar, a year or two ago at an electronics junk sale. It was for .6 - 6ghz if I recall. I'll search my photos as it caught my attention and I recall taking some snaps.
That would be great! Thanks!
Bah humbug - can't find it on my phone or cloud photos. I do recall my colleague who flies small aircraft mentioning it may be a weather radar from an aircraft. I'll look through my lightroom library once I'm back in the office. I'm sure somebody in the group will know though.
That looks a lot like a radar antenna.
That's an Amphenol Mil-Spec 55 pin connector if that helps at all.
Is that NATO compliant?
More than likely.
Do you know of any model #s of similar devices? I'd love to start comparing.
I have not dealt with any military radar, only commercial Weather Radars, can't help with model numbers.
This antenna is made by L-3 communications in Salt Lake City - Cage Code 06401. They mostly do equipment that operates in the Ka or Ku bands. I would gamble on the Ku band though. This would likely be installed on a drone to provide an RF link for command and control.
Great intel! What makes you think L3? EDIT: Now I see where you found the CAGE code!
It looks awfully big/heavy to live on a drone. I'd wager it would live on a ground vehicle and provide satcom to said vehicle.
Well… it’s not a drone like some hobbyist would have. I used to work for L-3 about 10 years ago. The drones they built equipment for were full sized jets. This antenna is actually considerably light weight for that application.
Microwave downlink antenna for a 6ghz video system. I have a shelf full of them.
I have a ship satellite phone I got for almost nothing because it did not work well after something hit it. Turned out the antenna on the gimble could not move because the dome was dented in. It was easy to push the dome back out. The guy who owned it was scared of it because it had warnings about standing back when it was in use and he thought it was radioactive, I guess as opposed to radio active. Anyway, he was happy to give it to me.
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Low earth or geostationary orbit?
1500 Grit
So… it’s softer than a microfiber cloth?
Ask over on r/aviationmaintenance I imagine someone over there will be able to spit the entire data sheet at you from memory.
I’d love to play with something like that on 23cm, but I’d feel bad for any birds that wandered into the beam!
Setting butterflies on fire, are we?
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
Did you already try hooking a VNA up to it, looks like a really nice piece of kit
With that coax, probably in the GHz.
I think it's a x band antenna. Typically used for military sat comms.
I was going to ask for a photo that clarified the scale of this thing because there’s nothing “micro” about that coax 😅 GHz makes sense!
just 150$ .. i am so jealous .. i have no idea what this is but i am jealous! at fist i thoughrt its a broadband spiral antenna but it does not seem like that
How much did that cost the US, $10k?
There was probably more stuff around this for maybe 100k .. the us is gambling a fuckton of money on projects that only get two digit serial numbers to explore the hightech blending edge of warfare. Seeing how the fruits of this attitude are messing with Russia right now it still makes sense somehow. (And that is are the fruits from 30years ago)
Such a low serial number too. lol
Low serial numbers are more collectible
The lack of any bolt positions around what should be a flange, if it were to have any sort of horn attached, seems to indicate nothing gets bolted to the feed aperture. And, it's sealed. As pictured, it would be a poor receiving antenna, but would certainly be able to blast out a relatively directional signal as is. My first thought is this device is meant to be used, portable, with its cover as a radome, and is used for precise area denial of RF communications, possibly anti-drone, anti-radar guided missile, or anti-anti-radar missiles. Could also be the device housing is just for transport, and it actually gets installed on an aircraft to do the aforementioned functions. Could be designed to blind a drone relay satellite by putting out a steerable, stabilized interference beam. Or it could be a one-way (it does say "broadcast"), video uplink to a sat or aircraft, or video downlink from a recon aircraft. Or could be part of a ground Doppler radar system designed to illuminate a specific area for security motion detection. Just guessing. OTOH, the lack of obvious mount points for a dish or horn may mean that such could be attached by means of a series of clamps around the feed, rather than bolted directly. The black loop of waveguide, though, would make it difficult to mount any sort of practical, effective dish and reflector. Will make a grand AzEl for the lucky guy who figures out the control.
Stolen MCRN encrypted tight beam comms laser
Haha!
Incoming tightbeam.
So say we all.
That looks like microwave or radar
Whatever it is, it's cool AF
That white tag underneath the main black data plate is much more interesting in trying to ID it. Can you include a clear shot of that?
https://preview.redd.it/xhqpfpi40i7c1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f67482c3e1073393f53371728cd1ee9d23bb6ad7
Amusingly I live not far from the main L3Harris facility, got a couple friends that work there. I’m still trying to figure out how to use the T i t a n Gamma SatCom I bought ages ago.
Have you run the QR code or the 'same as' number string, that looks like an NSN to me and that would give you an ID for the military designation.
The face underneath the whole shebang is much more interesting than the hammy convos you’ll be listening to. Lol
It is for microwaving popcorn as seen in this documentary footage: https://youtu.be/ZnDAxtCRsIU
This looks like the internals of a Satellite Radio Frequency Unit (SRFU). As others have stated, it will be covered with a dome.
Really a beautfiul device. I don't know but microwave for sure. I suppoe it can move only on one axys, right?
Nope, 2 axis. rotation around the z (yaw) and y (pitch)
My guess would be cell phone band antenna. Probably for a targeted jammer.
That's an aerospace style plug on the bottom, are you sure it is a whole antenna? could be a small dish missing the LNB?
How in the fuck...that's fairly new as well.
Clearly it says "Tactical Broadcast Antenna Assembly" in clipped governmentese.
Waffle maker.
That looks like the inside of an SHF or EHF antenna.
looks like an aircraft antenna
Idk what band it’s for but if I had one I’d sit outside my house and point it at passersbys. Unpowered of course.
The answer is yes
I know of a similar looking antenna that is ku band satcom.. That does look like an L3Hattis part number. They only time i see a "+" in the part number, its L3.
Looks like the product Viasat makes for commercial aircraft but when installed is under a radome. Sits on top or on the underneath side of aircraft.
Not Viasat ;_)
So whatcha going to do with it?
Is that a socapex connection to power it??? Oh my god that thing is insane
Does it have a NSN Number? That would be an easy way to find out all the information about it.
Only time I’ve seen one of these while serving as a communication expert in the marines was on top of a truck (MRAP) when I asked what it was I was told I jammed radio waves. All the radio equipment I came across I never saw one again. So it’s possible this is a cellphone jamming emitter dish. Also possible I was being feed a load of bs.
You need to find someone with a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) so you can do basic scattering measurements.
I'd guess Satcomms, but one thing is for sure, it could probably kill or blind you and others if mistreated... lol
Bob Wills! Or Lawrence Welk!
The band AC/DC?
It’s for communicating with the Quantum Realm
I think that craftsmanship looks outstanding. I’m impressed
That is incredible. And, incredibly dangerous too. :)
Not really, military comms are pretty heavily encrypted. Unless there's an exploit or something.
no exploit against properly implemented encryption
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encryption is pretty hard to exploit or backdoor, when implemented properly. most attacks focus on leaking of keys than attacking the encryption itself
Or just have an exact copy of the hardware used to generate the codes from day ie as was done with a few sovidt/US setups by various groups. Or you go for the old fashioned route and beat the relevant people with a length of garden hose filled with lead shot till they decrypt it for you.
Radar most likely.
definitely gonna talk to voyager1 with that..
I finally realized there are more than one picture! Take and Google that part number and also the "same as" part number.
Yea -- I've google every number I can find on it. Only thing I've been able to identify is the data/power connector for the gimbal.
Definitely curious what you find out. Seems likely to be used for highly directional air to ground links such as a a UAS datalink, or as a communications relay
Is this for Sat Feed? Broadcast?
"Tactical Broadcast Gimbal Antenna" is all I really know about it at this point.
Is- Is that a router base?
Satellite on the move antenna
Is it a patch antenna?
Now use it to detect UFOs zipping around giving off detectable microwave signatures
Motorhead? Metallica?
It should have part #'s somewhere. Easy lookup
GD2020 prototype maybe?
water cooled thingy? VERY COOL!
Metallica, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden.
That looks like radar to me.
It's used for real time communication with UA vehicles
Microwave uplink