CALLISTO Antenna Installation
The permanent antenna system installation was placed in service on 3 June 2011. It consists of a Create Design CLP5130-1N log periodic antenna, low noise amplifier (or preamplifier) and Yaesu G-800SA rotator. As with the previous installation, the rotator controller was modified for remote operation with an Easy Rotor Control from Engineering Office de Alba E. Schmidt.
The antenna consists of 21 elements with an advertised gain of 10 ~ 12 dBi and advertised bandwidth of 50 ~ 1300 MHz. The rotator controller is controlled by PstRotator software, which is run in the Sun tracking mode. The antenna system is shown below. The KMA144-500 antenna (since replaced with a CLP5130-1N) is seen in the background, and the CLP5130-1N presently used with the CALLISTO Receiver is seen in the foreground. The mast-mounted rotator and low-noise amplifier assembly are seen below. Additional photographs show close-ups of the amplifier and mast mounting structure (Rohn Pole Wall Mount, model PWM). A description of the low-noise preamplifier and rotator controller follows.
Present Antenna System
Low-Noise Amplifier Assembly: Mini-Circuits ZX60-33LN+ LNA (left), 3.3 Vdc voltage regulator (middle), Mini-Circuits ZFBT-4R2G-FT+ Bias-Tee (right), input/output RF connectors (bottom)
Low-Noise Amplifier Assembly Under Test: Low-noise amplifier assembly (lower-left)
Indoor Bias-Tee Assembly: Mini-Circuits ZFBT-4R2G-FT+ Bias-Tee (top), 8.0 Vdc voltage regulator (right) to feed low-noise amplifier assembly, input/output RF connectors (bottom-left and -right). Indoor Bias-Tee Assembly is fed by 12 Vdc station power supply.
Rotator Controller: Modified controllers for Yaesu G-800SA (top) and G-450A (bottom). The G-800SA is used with e-CALLISTO. Modification include installation of Easy Rotor Controller circuit board inside the controller enclosures.
Antenna Connection Diagram: TBD
Interim Antenna System:
The CALLISTO Receiver originally was placed in interim service on 12 February 2011 and removed from service 3 June 2011. It used a KMA Antennas KMA144-500 log periodic antenna located on the north roof of the observatory. This was an interim installation. The antenna, which has an advertised bandwidth of 144 ~ 500 MHz, used a Yaesu G-450A rotator and modified controller for remote operation over the local area network. The motor running capacitor in the rotator body failed after a few months, and a new antenna system was installed at the south end of the roof. A picture of the interim installation is shown below.
