Efficiency measurement techniques for calibration of a prototype 34-meter-diameter beam-waveguide antenna at 8.45 and 32 GHz

Author

Slobin, Stephen D. ; Otoshi, Tom Y. ; Britcliffe, Michael J. ; Alvarez, Leon S. ; Stewart, Scott R. ; Franco, Manuel M.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

Volume

40

Issue

6

fYear

1992

fDate

6/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1301

Lastpage

1309

Abstract

Efficiency measurements at 8.45 and 32 GHz (X- and Ka -bands) have been carried out on a new 34-m-diameter beam-waveguide antenna now in use at the NASA/JPL Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. The use of portable test packages enabled measurements at both the Cassegrain and the beam-waveguide focal points. Radio sources (quasars and Venus) were used as calibrators, and updated determinations of flux and source size correction were made during the period of the measurements. Gain and efficiency determinations as a function of elevation angle are presented, and the effects of the beam-waveguide system and antenna structure are clearly seen. At the beam-waveguide focus, an 8.45-GHz peak efficiency of 72.38% was measured; at 32 GHz, 44.89% was measured

Keywords

calibration; radiotelescopes; reflector antennas; waveguide antennas; 32 GHz; 34 m; 44.89 percent; 72.38 percent; 8.45 GHz; Cassegrain focal points; NASA/JPL Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex; Venus; antenna structure; beam-waveguide antenna; beam-waveguide focal points; calibration; calibrators; efficiency determinations; elevation angle; flux correction; portable test packages; quasars; source size correction; Antenna measurements; Calibration; Extraterrestrial measurements; Measurement techniques; NASA; Packaging; Prototypes; Size measurement; Testing; Venus;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.141364

Filename

141364