The main focus of the project is to continue the restoration of the 8.5 meter parabolic dish antenna located at Fick Observatory near Boone, Iowa. The restoration will focus on implementing and installing the control and receiving systems. Then the computer control of the telescope will be developed and test for the system later in the semester.

Following the outfitting of a microwave receiver, and implementation of the control system, the next step will be to improve the quality of the receiver and control equipment. Calibration and stability of the receiver will be the focus of the receiver improvement. Control will be improved by new technology and improved software. Clean-up and outfitting of a control room at the Fick Observatory will give us a place to operate.

• Finishing the construction of the Control System.
• Outfitting Fick Observatory with proper hardware for the control system.
• Testing the receiver and the control system.
• Outfit the antenna with the receiving equipment.
• Install the control system to the dish.
• Calibration of the RF receiver.
• Documentation of the control system.

The parabolic dish antenna has been restored to mechanical working condition. The control system has been researched and partially built, the next step is to install the control system. Once the system has been installed it will need to be tested and made operational. Computer software will be written and used for tracking. Initially the control will be from the Observatory Control Room that will be cleaned-up and outfitted with the necessary equipment for operations.

This project involves the knowledge and understanding of receiver systems. A superheterodyne receiver will be installed on the radio telescope. When this receiver has been installed and is operational it will need to be tested.

Receiver calibration is the first jump to a nominal system. Calibration is used so that when an RF emitting source is observed, one can convert the data to calculate an intensity of the celestial source accurately.

Calibration starts by using the output from the receiver, which is a voltage. Then that voltage can be turned into a number that can be related to the intensity of the celestial source doing the emitting. A common way to do this calibration is to calibrate the output in terms of an input temperature. This can be done by installing a noise source at the antenna in the receiver box. This noise source has its intensity calibrated in terms of temperature. From the control room one can switch between the connecting antenna to the receiver input or connecting the noise source to the input of the receiver. By switching back and forth we can compare the noise source to the antenna signal and hence develop a calibration scheme.

Once we have developed a calibration scheme the next point of attack will deal with temperature stability of the receiver. The temperature must be stabilized to keep the gain of the system from drifting. If the gain drifts one can not tell the difference between the gain drift and a change in intensity from the celestial radio source.

Temperature stability can be accomplished in a number of ways. Some of those may include insulating the receiver, liquid cooling, or just putting it in a controlled environment.

The budget allocated to the radio telescope project is $15,000 with $5,000 that can be petitioned for. The budget is kept at the Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Office. Rough estimates for purchase this semester are approximately $6,000 and will be use upon purchasing the remaining items for the control system. A detailed itemized list will be drawn up as the project progresses.

Iowa Space Grant Consortium

Dr. John P. Basart

Project Members

Eric K. Davis : 422 Stonehaven Dr. Apt. 18

Ames,IA 50010

515-233-3064

ekd@iastate.edu

EE 462

Rod Schmidt : 422 Stonehaven Dr. Apt. 18

Ames,IA 50010

515-233-3064

rschmidt@iastate.edu

EE 462

Brice Jensen : 3430 Woodland St.

Ames,IA 50014

505-296-4929

bjansen@iastate.edu

EE 462

Charnrit Jirachaikernkhan : 1209 North Dakota Ave.#6

Ames, IA 50014

515-296-0276

charliej@iastate.edu

CprE 481

Su-fay Chan : 103 Franklin Ave. #14

Ames, IA 50014

515-268-9879

sufay@iastate.edu

CprE 481

Ay-Feng Lim : 246 North Hyland Ave. # 204

Ames, IA 50014

515-292-2506

muichai@iastate.edu

EE 461

Luu Phong The : 1304 Florida Ave.#4

Ames, IA 50014

515-292-9018

phong@iastate.edu

EE 461