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The ATNF Front End and Back End Groups

Australia Telescope Users Committee Technologies Report - October 2009. The ATNF Front End and Back End Groups. Presented by Graeme Carrad Assistant Director – Engineering - October 2009. Staff (1). Warwick Wilson has received the CSIRO Lifetime Achievement award. CSIRO. Staff (2).

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The ATNF Front End and Back End Groups

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  1. Australia Telescope Users Committee Technologies Report - October 2009 The ATNF Front End and Back End Groups Presented by Graeme Carrad Assistant Director – Engineering - October 2009

  2. Staff (1) Warwick Wilson has received the CSIRO Lifetime Achievement award. CSIRO

  3. Staff (2) Dave McConnell has taken leave. Graeme Carrad has taken on the role of acting Theme Leader for Operations until the arrival of Douglas Bock in January 2010. Mark Bowen has stepped in to Graeme’s Research Program Leader role in Engineering in an acting capacity for the same period. CSIRO

  4. Tasks completed : 10/50 cm band adjustment Changing the band covered by the 50 cm LNAs to avoid interference and modifying the commercial 10 cm LNAs to address problems caused by component failure has been completed. Dick Manchester has reported that the results are satisfactory. CSIRO

  5. Tasks completed:18-26 GHz (K Band) OMTs for JPL The contract to fabricate four OMTs for JPL was completed in June with praise from JPL for the quality of the work and performance of the units. CSIRO

  6. Zoom mode implementation (1 MHz) has been delayed. The correlator section is advanced however the development of channel selection, finite impulse response (FIR) filter and FFT has been more problematic. Data transport issues have also contributed to the delay. Warwick Wilson is on leave all of November. A fully commissioned mode is unlikely to be available before Christmas 2009. The next zoom to be provided will need discussion after the lessons of the 1 MHz mode have been considered. Technically, a 64 MHz mode may represent a challenge compared with 4 MHz and 16 MHz modes. CABB CSIRO

  7. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (1) As a reminder, the project can be split into three steps: Step 1. Routing existing cm receiver signals into the CABB system. Complete OMT fin retro-fit. Continues through to mid 2010. Step 2. Broadbanding the 20/13cm receiver system Step 3. Broadbanding the 6/3cm receiver system. CSIRO

  8. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (2) Step 2. Broadbanding the 20/13cm receiver system • Status • A 3 stage 1-3 GHz amplifier has been developed and tested as a standalone unit. Two such amplifiers have been incorporated into a Compact Array receiver in the Marsfield laboratories. This required the removal of diplexers and re-cabling in the cryostat. CSIRO

  9. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (3) S band amp diplexer 1-3 GHz amp L band amp Old layout upgraded CSIRO

  10. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (4) Step 2. Broadbanding the 20/13cm receiver system • Status • Results are encouraging (factor of ~2 better than the previous receiver). The receiver will undergo further testing and return to Narrabri for installation on Nov 2. CSIRO

  11. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (5) Step 2. Broadbanding the 20/13cm receiver system CSIRO

  12. 20/13 and 6/3 cm Upgrade (6) Step 2. Broadbanding the 20/13cm receiver system • Scope of work • A broadband RF module is required for each receiver as well as electronics control and monitor circuit boards. Temporary modules will be used to test this first receiver. • The success of the prototype will enable production units to proceed and the timescale for a complete array of new receivers is the end of 2010. CSIRO

  13. Water Vapour Radiometers Units are being assembled by “Astrowave’ but delays in component delivery means their delivery will be delayed but should be in hand in December. ATNF component delivery is also behind schedule. Planning for their installation suggests the resources are available and their interfacing will be relatively straightforward. CSIRO

  14. Methanol Multibeam There have been no further discussions regarding its future. CSIRO

  15. 4-7 GHz (C Band) amplifiers There are no spare C-band LNAs within the ATNF. The unsatisfactory (unstable) performance of promising design has been improved to a point where the amplifier is usable but it is not considered a long term solution. CSIRO

  16. 4-7 GHz (C Band) amplifiers (2) A possible path. Fabricate four of these amplifiers to enable two polarisations on the Parkes multiband receiver and have spares for Parkes and the Compact Array. These spare amplifiers will be available around mid 2010. The one we have may be used in the Parkes multiband to satisfy the one observing program that has been highly ranked and a VLBI run. It could then be used as a spare for the Compact Array. This interim solution will be in place till a 4-12 GHz amplifier is developed as part of the C/X upgrade should it go ahead. CSIRO

  17. 4-7 GHz (C Band) amplifiers (3) Considerations There is confidence the 4-12 GHz amplifier is well within our capabilities and resourcing for its development is budgeted for this year. Any attempt to improve this ‘tamed’ C band amplifier will require significant effort and detract from the centimetre upgrade. CSIRO

  18. Operations theme development projects Much of the capability to undertake the projects identified to enable remote observing at Parkes and to rationalise the receiver fleet sit within the Technologies theme (Front End and Back End groups). The Technologies theme budget for both labour and operating funds has been planned to contribute resources to the projects. CSIRO

  19. Timelines 2007 2008 2009 2010 ATCA 7mm upgrade 7mm upgrade for Mopra Parkes 13 mm receiver PDFB3 PDFB external contracts C/X L/S CABB 20/13 & 6/3 cm upgrade ASKAP CABB phase II Water Vapour Radiometers CA Upgrade to 115 GHz or Study Mopra Multibeam Fabrication Operations projects FPA for Parkes CSIRO.

  20. Thank you Australia Telescope National Facility Graeme Carrad Assistant Director - Engineering Phone: 61 2 9372 4305 Email: graeme.carrad@csiro.au Web: http://www.atnf.csiro.au/ Contact Us Phone: 1300 363 400 or +61 3 9545 2176 Email: enquiries@csiro.au Web: www.csiro.au CSIRO.

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