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 wave- length) with a noise figure that is at least 6 dB better than the Galactic background emission-noise temperature over that band. Thus, we met 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.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	astronomical Instrumentation
Research Division:	Physical Sciences
Research Group:	Astronomical sciences
Research Field:	Astronomical instrumentation
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences
UTAS Author:	Erickson, WC (Professor William Erickson)
ID Code:	83495
Year Published:	2012
Web of Science® Times Cited:	25
Deposited By:	Mathematics and Physics
Deposited On:	2013-03-15
Last Modified:	2013-07-24
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