1. Michael Neuberg Christopher Picard

2.  Encoders are used to determine the exact rotational position for elevation or azimuth of the radar dish  The encoders will go in the platform seen here:

3.  The data from the encoder will be interfaced to a Xilinx FPGA  This will convert the SSI data from the encoder to data that the DSP can use  The encoders being used have a angular resolution of 0.01degrees  A circuit board will be made to interface these devices once the logic for the FPGA is complete

4.  The FPGA being implemented is the Xilinx Spartan 3E  Current progress has been slow, but I am beginning to program board  Programming using ISE Webpack in VHDL Specifications of Spartan 3E: 2,160 to 33,192 logic cells 66 to 376 I/O External PROM 18 x 18 multipliers 18 kbit dual port RAM Low cost

5. ISE example  This is the design tool kit that is provided by Xilinx  It features FPGA programming along with being able to simulated data  Problems now with being able to do at school (working on fixing it)

6.  Currently, a new radar dish is being built at CHILL  Here are some pictures of the facility at this time  The top picture shows the dish that will be put up  The bottom shows the concrete where the dish will sit

7. BLIZZARD TORNADO  CHILL has recorded great amounts of data  Here are some examples of this: