old T.V. satelite

[taylorlloyd]

we have one of the huge, old satelite T.V. antennas used back in the 80's. before i disassemble and destroy is there anything I could use this for in terms of communication survival. appreciate any thoughts.

[paintball]

Im not sure about communication but i have seen them used with foils or mirrors as a solar cooker

[hminus]

Not much. There are hacks out there that enable these things as a portable ham radio antenna, you need a new feedhorn and receiver, which will cost you more than it's worth.

[Thomas Icom (Ticom)]

That depends on where you want to go with your survival communications preps.

There is a subset of ham radio operators known as "weak signal". They build equipment and experiment with frequencies in the microwave amateur bands (above 1000 MHz. or 1 GHz.). They often repurpose surplus satellite TV equipment for their stations.

There is also a preparedness tie-in since many weak-signal hams do "mountaintopping", which means they are also in hiking, climbing, and operating from remote locations on what amounts to emergency power.

[nakadnu]

I don't know anything about ham radios. I would use it as a rain catcher. Set it up over a barrel and drill a hole in the center so it works as a funnel. It could make a good bathtub, kiddie pool, small fish pond, raised garden, roof for a mini gazebo, drill 2 holes in the rim and tie on a piece of rope to use as a sled to pull behind an ATV, etc.

[Thomas Icom (Ticom)]

One of the biggest problems we're going to have during the reset is a lack of technological skill-sets among the survivors, and a lot of useful infrastructure being re-purposed for the mundane.