Dubna international experimental station

Earth station equipment and techniques used to establish earth-to-satellite links at frequencies over 10 GHz for the Intercosmos program are detailed. The station was built at Dubna in the U.S.S.R., and featured three sites within 12 km from one another. The first site has 12 and 3 m antennas, a 30 m mast for test lines at 11, 20, and 30 GHz, radiometers for measuring sky noise, and computers. A second site has a 24 m mast for tests at 20 and 30 GHz, and a boresight system. The third site has a 30 m mast, transmission equipment for the 11, 20, and 30 GHz bands, and meteorological equipment. Data exchange between sites is accomplished by a telephone link through the Statsionar-4 satellite. The mast antennas are used for transmission and reception of signals, television signals, and voice data. Antenna pointing is achieved by means of electron scanning or a discrete pointing system, automatically or manually. Test links are set up at 12 and 1 km distance to test attenuation in each of the frequencies. The computers store 72 hr of data in buffer and then transfer it to long-term drum memory.