# Hacking a Marine Radio Dish

DevFeed: [Hacking a Marine Radio Dish](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/hacking-a-marine-radio-dish-103439.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://hackaday.com/2026/10/27/hacking-a-marine-radio-dish/>)

Author: Zoe Skyforest

Published: 2026-10-28T05:00:31Z

Content type: news

Language: en

Sources: [Hackaday](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/hackaday.md>)

Topics: [Hacking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hacking.md>)

Tags: [hacking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hacking.md>), [nmea](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/nmea.md>), [radio](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/radio.md>), [radio-hacks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/radio-hacks.md>), [satellite](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/satellite.md>), [satellite-dish](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/satellite-dish.md>)

## AI overview

Melan repurposed an Intellian i4 marine satellite dish for land use by using an RP2040 and RS-422 module to send NMEA sentences that supplied the boat heading the antenna expected. After getting the manufacturer's software running with help from the company, she explored software-free control by sniffing communications to the Antenna Control Unit and decompiling the code. This let her describe the protocol and point the antenna with azimuth and elevation commands.

## Source excerpt

Having watched some fun videos on repurposed satellite dishes on YouTube, [Melan] wanted to get in on the action. She managed to source herself an Intellian i4, a dish built ...read more