After first QSO using the 4m dish, we were encouraged to build a new bigger antenna.
Since our EME station is host in an amateur astronomical observatory, a larger dish will be useful also for researches in radio astronomy and S.E.T.I.
So, thanks to the precious help of Romano, the Observatory executive director, but first of all a sort of magician in mechanics, lets start !

The new dish is a 8m diameter, with an F/D ratio of 0.4 , completely in stainless steel.
There are 24 ribs, made by 12x12mm quare pipe, supported by a central hub.
Over th ribs, some rings (6mm circular pipe) were placed every 20cm. They will be the support for the mesh and will give more mechanical resistance to the final assembly.
All parts, after correct positioning, were then TIG welded.
Over the rings, we arrange 24 triangular 1x1cm mesh sheets. The final, really boring, operation were to fix the mesh sheets each other and to the structure by hundreds and hundreds of stitching.