| Timeline for Milestones |
| 2010 |
|---|
| Aug - decided to build Radio Telescope |
| Sep - FM radio with non-directional loop didn't work |
| Oct - built Helix 1.4 GHz - Tata Sky STB - PC with RSP-I |
| Nov - tested with many objects >~40 Jy; got SNR > 1.5 |
| 2011 |
|---|
| Jan - built 2.7 GHz; could see objects ~ 20 Jy with SNR ~3 |
| Feb - NSD at GMRT; realized that huge table-tops for bright objects are not good |
| Mar - figured that table-tops are due to Auto Gain Control of STB |
| Apr - physics practical projects of Std XI churn out 1.4 GHz Horn and dipole with parabolic reflector |
| May - Pooja and team tested helix (1.33 GHz) at GMRT; confirmed with design calculations; discovered harmonics |
| Sep - worked on calibration |
| 2012 |
|---|
| Apr - tried to make 4 GHz helix with fine (<5deg) beam - failed (beyond STB band) |
| Oct - assembled Ku band system with just a feed as antenna |
| 2013 |
|---|
| Feb - Found beam profile for Ku-LNA using 60W CFL at 20 ft; the same didn't work for Helix (probably due to low LCP component). Made Can-Antenna (simplest system yet) |
| Feb - NSD was a disaster for the helix (probably rusty connections; also new HD STB's are too smart) |
| Mar - Henna planned to make wire dipole (mini Jove-style) |
| Apr - Found that motorized mounts are too costly; hence plan shelved |
| Sep - Rewired the Helix as rains had stained the copper and moisture had seeped into the co-axial cable. Obtained normalized beam profile of Helix using spiral CFL. |
| Oct - Calibrated Helix + STB with spiral CFL. Presented the system at the Pro-Am III conference in Mumbai on 26th. Learned a lot from B C Joshi and Avinash Deshpande |
| Nov - Attempted to create better noise sources, but failed for want of components |
| 2014 |
|---|
| Apr - Made a dummy load of 75 Ohms with 2W resistors to determine system temperature |
| Jun - Trip to Lamington - Got CRO, Power supplies, connectors and a nice Satellite finder with a spectrum display. Changed the wire on the Helix to get better results. |
| Sep - Figured out that STB's get used up and then give lot of noise and distortion. Switched to new STB |
| Oct - Experimentally observed that CFL's emit not due to the electrons spiraling in the tube, but the circuit inside. All antennae (Helix, LNB, Cantenna) work smoothly with the CFL/radio towers as source and Sat-Finder/STB as Rx |
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