Undergraduate Radio Lab

This course consists of four laboratory experiments that concentrate on radio instrumentation and laboratory techniques. We will build receiving, observing, and data analysis systems for two telescopes: a single-dish 21-cm line system, and a 10.7-GHz interferometer. We will use these telescopes for astronomical observing projects including structure of the Milky Way galaxy, precise position measurement of several radio sources, and measurement of the radio brightness distributions of the sun and moon with high angular resolution. There is a heavy emphasis on digital data acquisition, software development in the Python language, and high-quality written reports.

Class Programmatics

• Class Code Repository: http://github.com/AaronParsons/ugradio
• Syllabus
• Office Hours:
  • Aaron:
  • Deepthi:
  • Kara:
• Lab Groups:

Experiments

• Lab 1: Exploring Digital Sampling, Fourier Transforms, and both DSB and SSB Mixers
• Lab 2: Astronomy with the 21cm Line; Some Microwave Electronics
• Lab 3: Radio Interferometry at X Band
• Lab 4: Mapping the HI Line: the Galaxy and Supershells

General Skills Used Through-Out Course

• Python Installation and Basic Programming
• Introduction to Python and Plotting
• Unix Primer
• Unix Text Editors
• LaTeX
• Revision Control
• Unit Testing

Topics by Date

Lab 1 (Exploring Digital Sampling, Fourier Transforms, and Mixers) Due Feb 6 6:00p

Lab Handout: Exploring Digital Sampling, Fourier Transforms, and both DSB and SSB Mixers

• Lab 1, Part 1 (Jan 16)
  • Theory and Background
    • Nyquist Sampling
    • Convolution Theorem
    • Fast Fourier Transform
  • Demos and Tutorials
    • In the Mind: Introduction to the Fourier Transform
    • Introduction to Python and Plotting
  • In class:
    • Astrobaki, Syllabus, Office Hours
    • Radio Astronomy: State of the Union
    • Tour of lab
      • Lab components
    • Getting accounts / setting up environments
      • Unix Primer
      • Python Installation and Basic Programming, first pass
      • Revision Control, first pass
      • Unix Text Editors
    • Lecture: Introduction to the Fourier Transform

• Lab 1, Part 2 (Jan 23)
  • Theory and Background:
    • Heterodyne Mixers
  • In class:
    • Show and Tell
    • Scientific Python Review (numpy, pylab, scipy)
    • Python Installation and Basic Programming, second pass
    • Lecture: Introduction to DSB and SSB Mixers

• Lab 1, Part 3 (Jan 30)
  • Demos and Tutorials:
    • LaTeX
    • Introduction to Python and Plotting, second pass
  • In Class:
    • Writing Lab Reports
  • Lab 1 (Exploring Digital Sampling, Fourier Transforms, and Mixers) Due Feb 6 6:00p

Unused but Useful?

• Radiometer Equation
• Quantization and Rounding
• Reciprocity Theorem
• Dipole Antennas
• Impedance of Free Space
• Radiometer Equation Applied to Telescopes
• Radiometer Equation Applied to Interferometers
• Fringe Stopping
• Direction Dependent Beams
• Self Calibration
• Flux Calibration
• Gridding
• Earth Rotation Synthesis
• Delay Imaging