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Response of the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope to Terrestrial Interference

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2013

D. Campbell-Wilson
Affiliation:
Astrophysics Department, School of Physics A29, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; [email protected]
G. Davidson
Affiliation:
Astrophysics Department, School of Physics A29, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; [email protected]
M. I. Large
Affiliation:
Astrophysics Department, School of Physics A29, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; [email protected]
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Abstract

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In conjunction with the Australian Government's Spectrum Management Agency, experimental tests have been carried out to determine the susceptibility of the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) to interference from terrestrial transmitters. The motivation for the tests was to reconcile the conflicting requirements of the MOST, which is committed to an extensive survey of the southern sky at 843 MHz, with the commercial use of the 825–845 MHz band, which is being prepared for sale. The tests show that the far sidelobe gain of the MOST, relative to an isotropic antenna is generally less than 1, and that an appropriate interference criterion would be that in-band interference irradiance should not exceed −173 dBWm−2. This value is similar to that considered by the International Telecommunications Union to be detrimental to radio astronomy continuum observations at nearby frequencies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1997

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