Complete samples of active extragalactic objects. II. A deep 1.452-GHz VLA survey centered on 08:52:15+17:16.

Observations of a single primary-beam area centered on alpha = 8h 52m 15s and delta = +17deg 16arcmin (1950.0) are presented, as performed with an array at 1.452 GHz. A source list, resulting from an rms map noise of 0.030 + or - 0.001 mJy, is complete to a map peak flux density (0.2 mJy) within 25 arcmin of the field center. Source counts between 0.2 and 5 mJy were determined from this region. Data suggest that the faintest sources have absolute radio luminosities (10 to the 24th W/Hz), and no significant evolution is detected. Most of the radio source background appears to be a result of sources stronger than 0.2 mJy. It is also determined that the rms sky-temperature fluctuation in the central 10 x 10 sq arcmin of the map is less than 0.029 K on an approximate 19 arcsec angular scale. It is concluded that theories which attribute the cosmic microwave background to thermalized radiation are constrained by this limit.