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

2. Team Members 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) Fick Observatory

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

9. End Product Description 408 MHz 1420 MHz 10 GHz 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 & Limitations 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

11. Assumptions & Limitations Limitations: Dish unable to be positioned to true north Dish unable to be positioned to true north Positioning accuracy dependant on motors and gears 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 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 Weather conditions limit the work that can be done on the exterior components of the dish The dish, mount and other fixtures are irreplaceable The dish, mount and other fixtures are irreplaceable Fick Observatory is nearly 20 miles away from ISU Fick Observatory is nearly 20 miles away from ISU

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

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

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

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

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

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

18. Project Activities Motor control relay

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

20. Project Activities Impedance matching Problem: This is the first semester the team had the opportunity to quantitatively look at the system signal and losses. 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 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. The process of impedance matching will result in the best possible signal strength, and the best possible data for the user.

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

22. Project Activities Impedance matching

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

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

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

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

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

29. Project Activities Shaft angle encoder Intuitive Encoding Intuitive Encoding Sector Contact 1 Contact 2 Contact 3 Angle 1OffOffOff0-45 2OffOffOn45-90 3OffOnOff90-135 4OffOnOn135-180 5OnOffOff180-225 6OnOffOn225-270 7OnOnOff270-315 8OnOnOn315-360 Gray Encoding Gray EncodingSector Contact 1 Contact 2 Contact 3 Angle 1OffOffOff0-45 2OffOffOn45-90 3OffOnOn90-135 4OffOnOff135-180 5OnOnOff180-225 6OnOnOn225-270 7OnOffOn270-315 8OnOffOff315-360 Images courtesy of Wikipedia.com

30. Line Driver Line noise reduction Line noise reduction

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

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

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

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

35. Project Activities Web server

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

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

38. Project Activities Scanning and positioning software improvements Implementation: Verify astronomical equations in positioning software Verify astronomical equations in positioning software

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

40. Schedule

41. Personal Effort MemberEstimatedActual Katie Hulet9594 Phil Reusswig9680 Mike Blasi9487 Joel Leyh8772 Srisarath Patneedi8780 Ehsan Rehman8266 Semester Total541 hours479 hours

42. Financial Budget ItemW/OLabor With Labor Previous School Sessions $4,037.00$4,037.00 Attenuator$150.00$300.00 Relay connectors $10.00$40.00 Rack$70.00$100.00 Mileage$200.00$200.00 Subtotal: Subtotal:$4,537.00$4,897.00 Labor at $15.00/hr Previous School Session $53,892.00 Current semester $7,185.00 $7,185.00 Total:$4,537.00$61,077.00

43. Project Evaluation MilestonesRelativeImportanceEvaluationScoreResultantScore Teaching LabVIEW to new students 5%75%3.75% Webserver10%66%6.66% Remote activation of the motor control box 20%33%6.66% Raster scan software update 15%66%10% Shaft angle encoder 5%100%5% Power supply stabilization 10%80%8% Impedance matching 10%80%8% Positioning software 20%75%15% Website maintenance 5%100%5% Total100%68%

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: Technical: Positing system of the dish Positing system of the dish Shaft Angle encoders, Potentiometers Shaft Angle encoders, Potentiometers Impedance matching Impedance matching LabVIEW concepts and standards LabVIEW concepts and standards Non-Technical: Non-Technical: The importance of team planning and communication The importance of team planning and communication Making decisions as a group Making decisions as a group Importance of clear and concise documentation Importance of clear and concise documentation Importance of time and task management 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. 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 Researching the usage of shaft angle encoders Building and integrating the relay system for remote activation of the control box Building and integrating the relay system for remote activation of the control box Incorporating a web server and providing access via a web interface Incorporating a web server and providing access via a web interface Resolving errors related to the positioning of the dish 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