# Maker builds eight-foot articulating satellite ground station from scratch

> **Key takeaway:** A hobbyist built a large motorized satellite dish with custom azimuth and elevation controls as a first project in satellite radio.

**Published:** 2026-10-20T20:00:21+00:00 
**Source:** Hackaday Hardware 
**Category:** open-hardware 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/maker-builds-eight-foot-articulating-satellite-ground-statio.html 

## Summary
The project by [Cranktown City] uses an eight-foot dish on a concrete foundation with a custom metal base housing all electronics. A wheelchair motor drives azimuth rotation through a large gear, while a linear actuator handles elevation. The system tracks satellites automatically and includes a wind-detection safety feature that stows the dish vertically in high winds. It currently receives data from GOES weather satellites.

## How the ground station works
- **Mount**: Large post with concrete foundation and custom-fabricated metal base that houses all electronics
- **Azimuth control**: Large metal gear driven by a wheelchair motor
- **Elevation control**: Linear actuator
- **Antenna**: Circularly-polarized feed installed at the dish focal point
- **Safety**: Wind detection system stows dish vertically above a set wind speed
- **Targets**: GOES weather satellites and potential radio astronomy use

## Why it matters
The project demonstrates how surplus motors and online-sourced hardware can be combined with custom fabrication for serious amateur radio and satellite reception, potentially inspiring similar builds in the maker community.