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JOVE RJ1.1 Assembly Manual

Antenna kit
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JOVE
RJ1.1 Antenna Kit
Assembly Manual

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Summary of Contents for JOVE RJ1.1

  • Page 1 JOVE RJ1.1 Antenna Kit Assembly Manual...
  • Page 2 Radio JOVE RJ1.1 Antenna Kit Assembly Manual March 1999 Antenna Kit and Manual Developed for NASA Radio JOVE Project Chuck Higgins Francisco Reyes Wes Greenman Jim Gass Thomas D. Carr And the Radio JOVE Project Team...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Contents Theory of Operation --------- -------------------------------- 5 Site Requirements ------------ -------------------------------- 5 Time Requirements ---------- -------------------------------- 5 Dipole Array Schematic ----- -------------------------------- 6 Components ------------------- -------------------------------- 8 Tools --------------------------- ------------------------------- 10 Parts List ---------------------- ------------------------------- 10 Assembly ---------------------- ------------------------------- 11 Field Setup -------------------- ------------------------------- 17...

  • Page 6: Theory Of Operation

    Theory of Operation - Antenna The antenna intercepts weak electromagnetic waves that have traveled some 500 million miles from Jupiter to the Earth or 93 million miles (1 Astronomical Unit = 1 AU) from the Sun. When these electromagnetic waves strike the wire antenna, a tiny radio frequency (RF) voltage is developed at the antenna terminals.

  • Page 9: Components

    1/2 of the wavelength (λ ) of radiation to be detected. Thus each side of the dipole antenna is 1/4 wavelength long (See Schematic on previous pages). Since the Radio JOVE receiver is tuned to the frequency of 20.1 MHz (M=mega=10 ), the wavelength is 48.968 feet (14.925 meters).
  • Page 10 These connectors are used to connect the cables to the power combiner and to the antenna input on the JOVE receiver. Insulators – insulators are needed to keep the antenna from shorting the received signals to ground.

  • Page 11: Tools

    1 Power combiner / splitter (2-to-1) 6 Ferrite toroids Parts necessary but NOT included with the Radio JOVE Antenna Kit 1 100 ft. (30.48 m) x 3/16 in. Nylon Rope 4 10 ft. (3.048 m) x 1 in. PVC pipes (Sch 40) 4 1 in.

  • Page 12: Assembly

    Assembling the Antenna Measuring and Cutting Wire and Rope Measure and cut the proper lengths of the bare copper wire, the coaxial cable, and the rope. A good long hallway is excellent for this job. Use tape on the floor to mark the lengths for each of the different cuts.
  • Page 13 Figure 2a and 2b. Wrap the center and end insulators with the antenna wire. Preparing and Soldering the Coax Using the end of one of the λ/2 pieces of coax, strip back (remove) the outer covering about 4 - 5 inches (10 - 12 cm). [Note: Be careful not to cut the braided copper shielding wires underneath the outer cover].
  • Page 14 Figure 3c. Twist the copper shielding and expose the center conductor. Strip off the insulation around the center conductor approximately 2 inches (5 cm). This is polyethylene and is fairly tough, so use a good knife. The center conductor is pretty strong so there is little worry that you will cut it. Loop the coaxial cable over the center insulator and tie wrap or tape it (Figure 4) just below the section of stripped coax.
  • Page 15 Figure 5. Solder the shielding and center conductor to the copper wires. Figure 6. Install the ferrite toroid cores. Installing the Toroids and Connectors For each dipole, slide 3 ferrite toroids cores up the cable to the very top of the coax near the dipole.
  • Page 16 Figure 7a - 7c. Prepare the coax and install the F-connector. Figure 7d - 7e. Prepare the coax and install the F-connector. Assembling the Mounting Structure Cut all 4 of the 10 ft. (3.05 m) PVC pipes in half (two 5 ft. (1.52 m) sections each).
  • Page 17 Figure 8a and 8b. Drill the PVC piping and end cap. Figure 8c and 8d. Install the eyebolt and the 3/8 in. bolt into the end cap. Figure 8e. Install the end cap foot onto the bottom section of the PVC pole.

  • Page 18: Field Setup

    Attach 4 eyebolts and nuts to the PVC pipes at the hole drilled 1 foot (30.5 cm ) below the top of the pole (Figure 8c). Install 4 3/8 in. bolts, washers, and nuts to the PVC endcaps to make the feet of the poles (Figure 8d).
  • Page 19 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other pole making sure the poles stay vertical. The PVC poles will flex and show some bending, but that is okay. Make sure that the guy ropes are secure enough that the wire antenna is roughly horizontal (not too much sagging).
  • Page 20 Figure 9e and 9f. Lori and Kia help set up the antenna. Figure 9g and 9h. JOVE receiver setup with computer.
  • Page 21 Figure 9i and 9j. JOVE receiver connections and setup with tap recorder. Figure 9k and 9l. Kia checks the equipment at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
  • Page 22 Connect the 1 λ coaxial cable (long coax) to the single-side of the power combiner. Connect the other end of the 1λ coax to the antenna input on the JOVE RJ1.1 Receiver. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE JUST BUILT A RADIO TELESCOPE!

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