Douglas B. Hayman

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder: System Architecture and Specifications of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array

This paper describes the system architecture of a newly constructed radio telescope - the Boolardy Engineering Test Array, which is a prototype of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope. Phased array feed technology is used to form multiple simultaneous beams per antenna, providing astronomers with unprecedented survey speed. The test array described here is a 6-antenna interferometer, fitted with prototype signal processing hardware capable of forming at least 9 dual-polarisation beams simultaneously, allowing several square degrees to be imaged in a single pointed observation. The main purpose of the test array is to develop beamforming and wide-field calibration methods for use with the full telescope, but it will also be capable of limited early science demonstrations.

Large-scale multiple antenna fixed wireless systems for rural areas

Multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) has a potential to realize cost effective high data rate internet access to the homes in rural areas. We propose the novel Ngara Access system where the central access point (AP) is equipped with a uniform circular array (UCA) installed on a high tower while each UT is equipped with a directional antenna free of clutter, providing predominantly line-of-sight (LoS) channel environment. Using a three dimensional geometric optics based channel model, we provide bit error probability simulation results which show that the spectral efficiency of the proposed system can be improved linearly as a function of the number of antenna elements at AP, without increasing the total transmitting power, provided a half wavelength antenna spacing is maintained and user groups of four or more are used to avoid ill-conditioned channel. Hardware demonstrators based on the proposed system have achieved the system spectral efficiency of 20 bits/s/Hz in an actual rural environment and of 67 bits/s/Hz in a laboratory environment at a lower UHF band.

Experimental Demonstration of Focal Plane Array Beamforming in a Prototype Radiotelescope

Focal plane arrays are being developed to provide dishes with a wide field of view for both the next generation of radiotelescopes and to retrofit existing large radiotelescopes. We describe a prototype radiotelescope, comprising a two dish interferometer with real-time digital beamformer that was built to study focal plane array systems. Two beamformer weightings were applied to the system: A normalized conjugate match and the maximum sensitivity (G/T). Both incorporate the uncorrelated noise from the receiver chains and the latter includes correlated noise from spillover and coupling in the array. A black box approach is taken where the assembled system is considered and the only accessible data is that typically available from an operational radiotelescope. This approach is particularly suitable for complex active antennas where there is insufficient knowledge of the system for beamformer weights to be set a priori. It also allows adaptation to changes such as electronic gain drift, partial failures and alterations in the environment.

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder: Performance of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array

We describe the performance of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array, the prototype for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope. Boolardy Engineering Test Array is the first aperture synthesis radio telescope to use phased array feed technology, giving it the ability to electronically form up to nine dual-polarisation beams. We report the methods developed for forming and measuring the beams, and the adaptations that have been made to the traditional calibration and imaging procedures in order to allow BETA to function as a multi-beam aperture synthesis telescope. We describe the commissioning of the instrument and present details of Boolardy Engineering Test Array’s performance: sensitivity, beam characteristics, polarimetric properties, and image quality. We summarise the astronomical science that it has produced and draw lessons from operating Boolardy Engineering Test Array that will be relevant to the commissioning and operation of the final Australian Square Kilometre Array Path telescope.

Measuring Noise Temperatures of Phased-Array Antennas for Astronomy at CSIRO

We describe the development of a noise-temperature testing capability for phased-array antennas operating in receive mode from 0.7 GHz to 1.8 GHz. Sampled voltages from each array port were recorded digitally as the zenith-pointing array under test was presented with three scenes: (1) a large microwave absorber at ambient temperature, (2) the unobstructed radio sky, and (3) broadband noise transmitted from a reference antenna centred over and pointed at the array under test. The recorded voltages were processed in software to calculate the beam equivalent noise temperature for a maximum signal-to-noise ratio beam steered at the zenith. We introduced the reference-antenna measurement to make noise measurements with reproducible, well-defined beams directed at the zenith and thereby at the centre of the absorber target. We applied a detailed model of cosmic and atmospheric contributions to the radio sky emission that we used as a noise-temperature reference. We also present a comprehensive analysis of measurement uncertainty including random and systematic effects. The key systematic effect was due to uncertainty in the beamformed antenna pattern and how efficiently it illuminates the absorber load. We achieved a combined uncertainty as low as 4 K for a 40 K measurement of beam equivalent noise temperature. The measurement and analysis techniques described in this paper were pursued to support noise-performance verification of prototype phased-array feeds for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope.

Phased array feed testing for astronomy with ASKAP

Phased array feeds enable radio telescopes to make faster surveys with fewer antennas. This paper presents testing of a phased array feed prototype to verify design methods for array feeds of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). We have tested a 5 × 4 port × 2 polarisation connected-chequerboard array at the prime focus of a 12 m diameter parabolic reflector. This prototype system currently achieves a system-temperature-on-efficiency ratio T<inf>sys</inf>/η of 134 K at 1260 MHz and operates from 700 MHz to 1,800 MHz. The larger 94 port × 2 polarisation phased array feed being developed for ASKAP has a target Τ<inf>sys</inf>/η of 50 K The time taken by a radio telescope to survey a fixed area of sky to a fixed sensitivity is proportional to (T<inf>sys</inf>/η)².

Design Criteria of Uniform Circular Array for Multi-User MIMO in Rural Areas

When multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) is applied to predominantly line-of-sight (LoS) environments, such as in the case of fixed wireless access in rural areas where a central access point (AP) equipped with an antenna array with

Recent developments in measuring signal and noise in phased array feeds at CSIRO

N_{\mbox{\tiny AP}}

Gain calibration of phased array feeds

antenna elements serves

An ultra-wideband dielectrically loaded quad-ridged feed horn for radio astronomy

N_{\mbox{\tiny UT}}