Conversion of New Zealand's 30m telecommunication antenna into a radio telescope

Woodburn, L; Natusch, T; Weston, S; Thomasson, P; Godwin, M; Gulyaev, S

Woodburn, L; Natusch, T; Weston, S; Thomasson, P; Godwin, M; Gulyaev, S

Abstract

We describe our approach to the conversion of a former 100-foot (30-m) telecommunication antenna in New Zealand into a radio telescope. We provide the specifications of the Earth Station and identify the priorities for the conversion. We describe implementation of this plan with regards to mechanical and electrical components, as well as design of the telescope control system, telescope networking for VLBI, and telescope maintenance. Plans for RF, front-end and back-end developments based on radio astronomical priorities are outlined.

Keywords

Antenna; Conversion; Radio Telescope; VLBI; IVS; LBA; Methanol; Maser

Date

July 12, 2014

Source

arXiv:1407.3346 Accepted for Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA) with small modifications, 11 pages, 13 Figures. doi: 10.1017/pas.2014.xxx.

Item Type

Journal Article

Publisher

Astronomical Society of Australia

Publisher's Version

http://arxiv.org/abs/1407.3346

Rights Statement

Contributors retain the right (subject to appropriate permission having been cleared for any third-party material) to post either their own version of their contribution as submitted to the journal (prior to revision arising from peer review and prior to editorial input by Cambridge University Press) or their own final version of their contribution as accepted for publication (subsequent to revision arising from peer review but still prior to editorial input by Cambridge University Press) on their personal or departmental web page, or in the Institutional Repository of the institution in which they worked at the time the paper was first submitted.