Jim T,B, S, Chuck,Shing, Whit, Tom, Nathan, Dave,Andy, Wes, Dick

SUG Minutes – 5 Jan 2016

In attendance

Jim T,B, S, Chuck,Shing, Whit, Tom, Nathan, Dave,Andy, Wes, Dick

Station Reports – New Info in RED

Whit – Nothing new – still lots of RFI

Tom – Very interesting observation that WWV can be seen on the spectro at 20 and 25 MHz via reflection from meteor ionization trails.

Jim B –New array of 4 LWA style antennas is on the air – some local interference raising the noise floor. Working on voluminous documentation.

Wes – On the air with polarization switching spectro and TFD array.

Dave –All pretty much the same at AJ4CO.

Chuck –FSX-6S running on square Jove array in switching mode – no Jupiter, only solar.

Francisco – Finishing up on narrow band (20 MHz) polarimeter and two Jove receivers at home. Rosemary hill installation of FSX spectrograph and TFD dual pol antenna coming soon.

Andy – operating FSX-3 instrument from home using Jove dual dipoles and 4 lambda cable, cutting prior cable loss in half.

Nathan – described several digital spectrographs he has built in the past year that were/are in use at his observatory east of Dayton, Ohio.These systems use custom-programmed logic (FPGA’s) to sample, perform FFT processing, and integrate signals from the antenna array. The integrated data is piped to a computer, where custom-written code saves the data in the RSS-compatible SPS file format. Given the quality of his spectrograms using a simple dual-dipole Jove array, we can clearly learn a lot from his expertise.

All observers are urged to keep an engineering log and update their system drawings for the SUG site.

Discussion – New Info in RED

JUNO Ground-Based Observing Campaign – Dave is preparing – with everyone’s help – the SUG InstrumentationCapabilities Document which will be shared with Baptiste and also Philippe Zarka who is coordinating ground based observations during the Juno mission. Spreadsheet sent to SUG members to complete station information. Please complete and return to Dave.

SUG Science – no new discussion

RSS Versions in Use – Tom 2.2.25; Wes 2.1.20; Jim B 2.6.0 & 2.6.1; Dave 2.1.19 (DPS) & 2.1.20 (FS-200) & 2.2.25 (data review). Jim Sky noted that the new switcher-modified FSX spectros should use RSS verion 2.5.3 or higher. Jim Sky has released RSS 2.7.0 which includes the long lusted after correction array. Problems with 2.7.x on several machines in that it has a very long start-up time. Also file saving issues.

Spectrograph Network–funding may be cut but don’t know by how much. Discussion regarding use of e-Callisto equipment to augment grant station coverage. Still trying to define a possible station configuration. Probably polarization switching FSX for Jupiter and Sun below 30 MHz – with TFD or LWA antenna. E-Callisto above 45 MHz with LWA or LP antenna. Possibly AirSpy or similar – perhaps multiple units for 10 MHz wide segments. Nathan Towne will try to provide some input next meeting as to what is possible with SDR and DSP processing vs cost.

Tom raised the important point that we are heading for solar minimum and that the number of solar bursts per year will be decreasing. For ionospheric studies in the near term (next several years) Jupiter will provide many more opportunities than solar observations.

Nathan mentioned that technology will continue to change rapidly in terms of what is possible using digital techniques. We should be careful not to set the network up in such a way as to freeze out the possibility of new technology solutions for wide band spectrographs.

Spectrograph and SkyPipe Data Archiving –Problems with 2.7xx on several machines in that it takes a very long start-up time. Also file saving issues.

Polarization Switching– the campaign to modify the FSX series of spectrographs to switch alternate sweeps between RCP and LCP inputs is in progress.Chuck and Wes are on the air with polarization switching, although Chuck has RFI problems..

Time Synchronized Spectrographs –nothing new

New SDR Developments – Whit has begun discussions with Pieter Ibelings of RF Space concerning development of a new dual channel SDR to cover up to 100 MHz. Whit is presently experimenting with a Cloud-IQ receiver from RF Space.

Next SUG Telecon 19 Jan 2016 at 5:00pm EST (844)467-6272, 352297#