The Long Wavelength Demonstrator Array (LWDA)
Abstract
We document here the development of the site for the LWDA. It is located just inside the southwest corner of the central section of the Very Large Array (VLA). This site has been chosen because of the availability of land, easy access to power, only a short optical fiber connection to the VLA correlator and 74 MHz signals from the VLA antennas, and because VLA resources could be available to assist in the site preparation. The site is sandy and firm but well drained with a low, thin vegetative cover. Consequently, the site did not require significant earthmoving, stripping of vegetation, nor application of gravel to stabilize the soil. These factors greatly reduce the cost of development. A fence surrounds the site to discourage the local fauna and a road is in place between the site and the Antenna Assembly Building of the VLA. An optical fiber connection runs to the VLA network at station CW7. A 1000-foot buried cable brings power from a nearby high-voltage power line of the local electric cooperative. A 6 x 2.4 x 2.5 meter windowless metal container is being used as the shielded room for the electronic equipment. Sixteen blade-style crossed-dipole antennas have been installed in the northwestern section of the site area. They represent one "pod" of a future LWA station of probably 256 dipoles. Baluns and receivers will be installed for each antenna and the signals will be brought to a 16-antenna hub for further processing and transmission to the correlator.
- Publication:
-
IAU Joint Discussion
- Pub Date:
- August 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006IAUJD..12E..57D