YOU CAN TURN A SECOND-HAND CAMPING SATELLITE DISH INTO A CAMERA THAT SEES SATELLITES
A second-hand DISH Tailgater and two Python scripts give you a microwave camera that images geostationary TV satellites from your backyard in daylight.
by Gabe Emerson (saveitforparts)
ScienceOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- Unlicense
- repo
- repo STABLE (NO COMMITS SINCE MAY 2023)105 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · Unlicense · 105 stars · repo STABLE (NO COMMITS SINCE MAY 2023)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a surprisingly clean hack: you plug a laptop into a hidden USB port inside a camping satellite dish, send it serial commands to step across the sky, log the RF signal strength at every point, and render the result as a heatmap. Point it south and you see a row of bright dots — geostationary TV satellites — and the author could even pick out a weak one, Galaxy 13, between Galaxy 12 and DirecTV 8. Point it at your house or office and you see it in Ku-band microwaves, including RF leaking from a poorly shielded PC. It works day or night and it only receives. The catch is that only the 2014 Tailgater with the USB-A console port is fully tested — the author got partial results from a 2011 mini-USB unit, and other years or variants may need the serial commands adapted. The code is experimental and the author warns it will likely void the dish's warranty (on a second-hand unit that is not a serious concern). If you find the right dish, it is an evening of setup and then hours-long scans. If you buy a different model, expect to adapt the serial commands yourself.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Two Python scripts (dish_scan.py and dish_image.py) are provided; the README is a detailed walkthrough with serial commands, wiring notes and example outputs.
- —There is no BOM because the dish is almost the entire hardware — the author says second-hand Tailgaters turn up on Craigslist or Facebook for 0-50 dollars, and he paid about 20 dollars each on average for four of them.
- —Only the 2014 DISH Tailgater with the USB-A console port is fully tested; the README warns that other models or years may not work and the code may void the warranty.
- —The author calls the code 'very experimental, amateur' — it works but there is no error handling or polish.
- —Licence is Unlicense (public domain); no restrictions on any use.
Parts to buy
3 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Seeing Satellites with DIY Microwave Camera
The creator's own video walkthrough, showing the dish, the console port, the scan process and the resulting heatmaps of satellites and his backyard.
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Find a 2014 DISH Tailgater with the USB-A console port(The README only guarantees this model works; other years or variants may have different internals. Check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or eBay. The author's blog reports an average price of 20 dollars.)
- 2.Open the enclosure and locate the USB-A port (It is behind the reflector. The README shows where to look and how to connect.)
- 3.Install Python 3 and pyserial, then test the serial console (The README lists the serial commands to manually move the dish and verify it responds.)
- 4.Run dish_scan.py to step the dish across a patch of sky and log signal strength (Start with a small grid; a full arc scan can take hours.)
- 5.Run dish_image.py to turn the log into a heatmap (The README shows example outputs with satellites labelled.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- The single biggest trap is buying a different Tailgater model — only the 2014 version with the USB-A console port is fully tested (the author got partial results from a 2011 mini-USB unit, with some commands replaced), and there is no clear way to tell from a Craigslist photo which version a used dish is without opening the enclosure.
- The code is experimental with no error handling; if the dish stops responding mid-scan or the serial connection drops, you will need to debug it yourself or start over.
- A default low-resolution scan takes about 3.5 hours and a high-resolution one up to 72 hours; scan a smaller patch of sky first to check everything works.
- The heatmap will only show satellites if you point the dish south (in the Northern Hemisphere) at the correct elevation for your latitude — the README does not include a calculator for this, so you will need to look it up separately.
- The README warns the code may void the dish's warranty, though at 20 dollars second-hand this is not a practical concern.
- There is no GUI: you start a scan from the command line and render the full heatmap afterwards. A small preview image updates live during the scan, so check it early to confirm you are actually seeing satellites.
Does this work with any DISH Tailgater or only the 2014 model?
Only the 2014 model with the USB-A console port is fully tested. The README warns that other models or years may have different internals and are not guaranteed to work.
Can I use this to transmit or track satellites in real time?
No — it only receives, and there is no real-time tracking. You pick an azimuth and elevation range, the dish steps through it point by point, a small preview updates as it goes, and you render the full heatmap afterwards.
How long does a scan take?
A default low-resolution scan of most of the southern sky takes about 3.5 hours; a high-resolution scan of the same area could take up to 72 hours, which the author does not recommend. Smaller areas are faster, and the script shows an estimate before you confirm.
Will I see anything other than TV satellites?
Yes — the author scanned his house and his office, where a poorly shielded PC tower showed up as a microwave leak, and trees, roof overhangs and power poles appear in the satellite scans. The stock hardware works in the Ku band (around 11 GHz), so other targets show up mainly through ambient or reflected microwaves.
Do I need a license to operate this?
No — it only receives, it does not transmit anything.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The only fully tested model is a 2014 Tailgater with a USB-A port hidden behind the reflector, and you cannot tell from the outside. Would you risk buying a used one blind, or open it up in the seller's driveway?
Gabe Emerson (saveitforparts)
Gabe Emerson runs the YouTube channel saveitforparts, where he documents experiments with second-hand scientific and radio equipment. His blog notes he has bought multiple used Tailgaters at an average of 20 dollars each and turned them into makeshift radio telescopes. The project is released under the Unlicense.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM14d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository is minimal but honest — two Python scripts (dish_scan.py and dish_image.py), a detailed README, example scans, and the author's repeated warning that this is very experimental, amateur code that will likely void your antenna's warranty. There is no formal parts list because the dish is almost the entire hardware: beyond it you need a USB A-to-A cable and a 13 to 18 V DC supply fed through the coax F connector, since the USB link carries data only. The single biggest risk is buying the wrong Tailgater: only the 2014 version with a USB-A port on the mainboard is fully tested, the author partly tested a 2011 mini-USB unit, and he says he does not know how to identify the right model without opening the top and looking for the port. The video demo shows the scan process and the resulting heatmaps of satellites. If you find the right dish, this is a clean hack that turns Ku-band satellite TV hardware into a microwave camera. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.