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SSOL: Radio Telescope IRP Presentation

SSOL: Radio Telescope IRP Presentation. Team Ongo-02c December 6, 2006 Client: Iowa Space Grant Consortium Advisor: Dr. Basart. Second Semester Students : Katie Hulet (EE) Phil Reusswig (EE) Mike Blasi (CprE) First Semester Students : Joel Leyh (EE) Ehsan Rehman (EE)

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SSOL: Radio Telescope IRP Presentation

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  1. SSOL: Radio Telescope IRP Presentation Team Ongo-02c December 6, 2006 Client: Iowa Space Grant Consortium Advisor: Dr. Basart

  2. Second Semester Students: Katie Hulet (EE) Phil Reusswig (EE) Mike Blasi (CprE) First Semester Students: Joel Leyh (EE) Ehsan Rehman (EE) Srisarath Patneedi “Sunny” (CprE) Team Members Fick Observatory

  3. Presentation Outline • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary Radio Telescope

  4. List of Definitions • DAQ: Data acquisition • Shaft angle encoder: Electro-mechanical device used to convert the angular position of a shaft or axle to a digital code • Impedance: Measure of opposition to electric current propagation in a transmission line. • Azimuth: The measurement of the horizontal movement of the dish • Elevation: The measurement of the vertical movement of the dish

  5. Acknowledgments • Financial support: • Iowa Space Grant Consortium • Dr. John Lamont and Prof. Ralph Patterson III • Advising: • Dr. John P. Basart

  6. Problem Statement • Conversion of satellite tracking equipment into a radio telescope at the Fick Observatory in Boone, IA • Telescope needs to be operable from a remote location, via the Internet

  7. Operating Environment • Amplification system is to be placed outdoor where temperatures ranges from -20°F to 110°F with possibility of snow, ice and strong wind • Vulnerability to lightning which could lead to signal interference and equipment damage • Remaining part of the system will be held indoors at regular room temperature

  8. Intended Users: Faculty and researchers in astronomy Astronomy students Intended Uses: Radio mapping of the sky at frequency around 1420 MHz Tracking celestial objects Data collection Intended Users and Uses

  9. End Product Description 408 MHz 10 GHz 1420 MHz A radio telescope to be used by the ISU community that can accurately track & record data from celestial objects with remote operation capabilities.

  10. Assumptions: 1420 MHz is an appropriate frequency for radio astronomy Dish will pick up relevant signals Motors and gearboxes are capable of precise movement The software and hardware developed by previous semesters work as intended Assumptions & Limitations

  11. Assumptions & Limitations Limitations: • Dish unable to be positioned to true north • Positioning accuracy dependant on motors and gears • Radio sources less than 2.5 degrees apart appear as one source due to beam width of the dish • Weather conditions limit the work that can be done on the exterior components of the dish • The dish, mount and other fixtures are irreplaceable • Fick Observatory is nearly 20 miles away from ISU

  12. Phil Reusswig • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Motor control automation • Impedance matching • Shaft angle encoder • Web server • Scanning and positioning software improvements • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

  13. Previous Accomplishments • Installation of dish, motors and other mechanical fixtures • Major electrical work for motors and positioning system • Purchase of radio receiver system • Preliminary software for operating the telescope

  14. Last Semester’s Accomplishments • Static IP address for observatory • Diagnosis and repair of faulty electronic components • Research module to remotely control telescope’s power systems • Integration of existing software components • Design and implementation of automatic scheduling software • Obtained telescope’s first raster scans

  15. Current Accomplishments • Motor control automation • Impedance matching • Shaft angle encoder • Web server for remote access via a webpage • Scanning and positioning software improvements

  16. Project ActivitiesMotor control automation Problem: • Currently power is locally manually controlled • Fick Observatory is in Boone, IA

  17. Project ActivitiesMotor control automation Approaches considered: • Leave power on continuously • Automate power supply via relays, FET, or BJT by means of computer

  18. Project ActivitiesMotor control relay

  19. Joel Leyh • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Motor control automation • Impedance matching • Shaft angle encoder • Web server • Scanning and positioning software improvements • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

  20. Project ActivitiesImpedance matching Problem: • This is the first semester the team had the opportunity to quantitatively look at the system signal and losses. • The feed horn is not matched to the coax line running to the amplifier. This is a source of signal loss. • The process of impedance matching will result in the best possible signal strength, and the best possible data for the user.

  21. Project ActivitiesImpedance matching Approaches considered: • Stub tuner • Simple length of coax placed on the line • Required to know parameters of the feed horn • Adjustable shorting plate • Already permanently installed in the dish • Brute force method of tuning – we need to track the Sun!

  22. Project ActivitiesImpedance matching

  23. Project ActivitiesImpedance matching

  24. Results The best position from the analysis was at the limit of the adjustment, which allowed for greatest distance between the monopole and shorting plate. Minimum - 35 120 210 140 210 320 410 Maximum - 550

  25. Attenuator • The previous semester noticed a problem when the sun was scanned, in which the intensity dropped to zero. The signal was overpowering the receiver. Before After 3dB attenuation

  26. Ehsan Rehman • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Motor control automation • Impedance matching • Shaft angle encoder • Web server • Scanning and positioning software improvements • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

  27. Project ActivitiesShaft angle encoder Problem: • Current positioning system based on potentiometer • Output is an analog signal which is susceptible to various forms of electrical noise • Positioning system must have higher resolution than 0.1°

  28. Project ActivitiesShaft angle encoder Approaches considered: • Shaft Angle Encoder • Absolute • Incremental • Intuitive Binary Encoding • Gray Binary Encoding

  29. Project ActivitiesShaft angle encoder Images courtesy of Wikipedia.com

  30. Line Driver • Line noise reduction

  31. Mike Blasi • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Motor control automation • Impedance matching • Shaft angle encoder • Web server • Scanning and positioning software improvements • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

  32. Project ActivitiesWeb server Problem: • Currently remote access is limited to Windows remote desktop • Need a user friendly remote interface for telescope control • Limit access to authorized users

  33. Project ActivitiesWeb server Design: • LabVIEW built-in web server with internet toolkit • Remote power relay must be installed

  34. Project ActivitiesWeb server Implementation: • Configure network settings in LabVIEW and router • LabVIEW must be running to host website • Convert LabVIEW modules to web compatible version

  35. Project ActivitiesWeb server

  36. Project ActivitiesScanning and positioning software improvements Problem: • Raster scan needs to output intensity values to file • Raster scan needs real time gauges during scanning • Positioning software is inaccurate

  37. Project ActivitiesScanning and positioning software improvements Implementation: • Add gauges and file output to raster scan using LabVIEW

  38. Project ActivitiesScanning and positioning software improvements Implementation: • Verify astronomical equations in positioning software

  39. Sunny Patneedi • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resources and Schedule • Schedule • Personal Effort • Financial Requirements • Closing Materials • Project Evaluation • Future Activities • Lessons Learned • Risks & Risk Management • Closing Summary • Questions ?

  40. Schedule

  41. Personal Effort

  42. Financial Budget

  43. Project Evaluation

  44. Future Required Activities • Integrate an automated power management solution • Combine all software into a user-friendly web-based interface • Calibrate system for accurate positioning • Continue improving software interactivity with hardware

  45. Lessons Learned • Technical: • Positing system of the dish • Shaft Angle encoders, Potentiometers • Impedance matching • LabVIEW concepts and standards • Non-Technical: • The importance of team planning and communication • Making decisions as a group • Importance of clear and concise documentation • Importance of time and task management

  46. Risks & Risk Management • Risk of shock or electrocution while working on the motor control box • Power should be disconnected before beginning work • Loss of software or any vital data for the project • Regularly create backups • Loss of team member • Obtain information about his/her activities from their log book

  47. Closing Summary The purpose of this project is to restore the dish so that it will be fully operational for use in radio astronomy. This semester we have been working on : • Researching the usage of shaft angle encoders • Building and integrating the relay system for remote activation of the control box • Incorporating a web server and providing access via a web interface • Resolving errors related to the positioning of the dish Upon completion of this project, the dish at Fick Observatory will track and record data from celestial objects for use by the ISU community.

  48. Questions? SSOL: Radio Telescope Team Ongo-02c

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