Jose A. Lopez-Perez
Type of contribution: oral
Session: 1

A tri-band cryogenic receiver for the RAEGE project antennas

J.A. López-Pérez, Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) F. Tercero, Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) J. M. Serna, Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) J.A. López-Fernández, Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN)

The Spanish Centro de Desarrollos Tecnológicos (CDT) is developing a tri-band cryogenic receiver for the first light observations of the first RAEGE project antenna in Yebes observatory, in the framework of the VLBI2010 project. The RAEGE project plans to install three new ring focus 13m antennas in compliance with the VLBI2010 specifications. These antennas are unde construction. The receiver envisaged for these antennas will operate in the S (2.2 - 2.7 GHz), X (7.5 - 9 GHz) and Ka (28 - 33 GHz) bands simultaneously in order to be backwards compatible with non-VLBI2010 stations and forward compatible with new VLBI2010 stations. The estimated equivalent noise temperature for this receiver is lower than 15K for all the frequency bands. The output signals from the cryostat will be sent to their corresponding room temperature downconverters for later amplification, filtering and mixing. The final IF signal will range from 500 to 1000 MHz, as in a classical geodetic VLBI receiver. An advantage of having the Ka band receiver is that it will allow the radiometric characterization of these antennas during commissioning. In addition, simultaneous X/Ka operation would be possible too. The first receiver of this type is planned to be finished by September, 2012. Currently the procurement of components is in progress and the feed is under construction.