Tuesday 25 June 2013

Installation of an Ionospheric Tomography Receiver in Tromsø

Today we mounted an ionospheric tomography receiver in the EISCAT Ramdfjordmoen site, Norway, and more specifically in the PRE building of the Tromsø Geophysical Observatory. This is the 5th receiver of the TomoScand receiver chain/network. The other receivers are in Finland (Kevo, Sodankylä, Mekrijärvi) and in Tartu, Estonia.

Previously the Aberystwyth group had one of their ionospheric tomography receivers in the PRE building. We got a permission to remove their obsolete tomography antenna and mount our own antenna to the pole they used previously.


First step: Removing an old antenna!

As planned, and weather permitting, we got the antenna mounted. Fortunately we could use the old coaxial cable installed for earlier tomography measurements!

Where should we put the post box?

And as sometimes happens, we had a really bad thunderstorm, but our 'stubborn' scientist mounted also the postbox (that's where the pre-amp is lying physically!) while lightnings were striking not that far away.

Helix antenna mounted succesfully
After this manual/hard labour of antenna installation and installation of computers etc, we had all the things running 'in principle'. Thus on we went and started receiving the beacon satellite signals.

Configuring all the Three computers!

After some significant hassling with DNS servers etc, we got the phase curves!

Finally - Measured phase curves

And thereafter by the mighty wording of the 'expedition leader', we headed towards the Tromsø nightlife...
Expedition leader Lassi, a.k.a. Car Driver



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