HartRAO Home > news > SKA - RFI testing in the Kalahari 2003/11/10-12
The tests were carried out by the Director of HartRAO with a team from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASSA). HartRAO and ICASSA staff integrated the equipment into an ICASSA field van equipped with a 6-m telescopic mast. Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA's) were used to achieve a sensitivity better than specification for the tests. Measurements were made in the band 80 to 9000 MHz. Software developed in National Instruments Labview was used to control an HP8693E spectrum analyser, which obtained the data. Log periodic antennas were used to cover 80 - 1300 and 200 - 5000 MHz, and a double-ridged horn covered 1 - 9 GHz.
The trip began at the regional centre of Upington, situated on the Orange River in the Northern Cape Province.
Local citizens were taken into consideration when siting camps.
Set up at the first test site. The location was 21o 49' 10.9" East, 27o 35' 55.2" South, altitude 1011 m.
View from the test site. There is lots of space in the Kalahari...
Testing under way at the site.
Changing the antenna at night.
Luxury accomodation for the intrepid explorers.
On the road.
Further down the road...
At the camp site.
Justin Jonas watches the spectrum analyser, while the notebook computer on the left captures the data.