A wide-band, active antenna system for long wavelength radio astronomy

TL;DR

This paper presents a successful deployment of a wide-band active antenna system for long wavelength radio astronomy, demonstrating its effectiveness over 20-80 MHz and its suitability for large-scale array construction.

Contribution

It introduces a compact, inexpensive, and rugged active antenna system for long wavelength radio astronomy, suitable for large array deployment, with improved noise performance.

Findings

Operates effectively from 20 to 80 MHz

Achieves at least 6 dB better noise figure than Galactic background

Successfully deployed as the first station of the Long Wavelength Array

Abstract

We describe an "active" antenna system for HF/VHF (long wavelength) radio astronomy that has been successfully deployed 256-fold as the first station (LWA1) of the planned Long Wavelength Array. The antenna system, consisting of crossed dipoles, an active balun/preamp, a support structure, and a ground screen has been shown to successfully operate over at least the band from 20 MHz (15 m wavelength) to 80 MHz (3.75 m wavelength) with a noise figure that is at least 6 dB better than the Galactic background emission noise temperature over that band. Thus, the goal to design and construct a compact, inexpensive, rugged, and easily assembled antenna system that can be deployed many-fold to form numerous large individual "stations" for the purpose of building a large, long wavelength synthesis array telescope for radio astronomical and ionospheric observations was met.