I've been waiting for this until I was sure the plan would work out but it is official, the EduCase is getting a brand new and MUCH smaller satellite downlink system! No longer will we need to haul the large folding dish and instead we will have a tiny 12cm square L-Band version which will work ANYWHERE in the world to get the same news, tutorials, weather, information and content!

I made a quick video to explain the basics of the new receiver system:

The Outernet team makes a custom Raspberry Pi image as well as the tools to use it from within Raspbian. I have already flashed the image to my raspberry pi and will have it fully functional as soon as the remaining components arrive in 2 days.

The L-Band patch antenna will easily fasten to the outside of the new and much smaller case and I will store a dedicated Pi and battery system within the case. I can also use the Pi inside the main EduCase:

The advantage of having a dedicated Raspberry Pi inside the remote (weather sealed) case allows it to be outside the building/classroom receiving data while simultaneously providing a Wifi hotspot and serving all the content to the People using the EduCase systems (Pi, cell phones, Tablet and more)

I will also convert the portable folding satellite dish over to L-Band as well. This will be as simple as making a DIY homebrew helical antenna and replace the KU LNB with the new one. This will be even easier than the first process I went through getting the proper LNB/polarization for the Galaxy 19 satellite data to receive properly.

The 12cm antennas have already been tested as far north as Alaska so a dish will rarely be needed but. having the flexibility of a high gain dish would make the system truly a rockstar and would virtually guarantee function as long as the satellite is LOS even slightly above the horizon. I already have the parts anyhow so why not :)

Cheers