NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY
Green Bank, WV


MEMORANDUM

March 21, 2000

TO: R. Fisher, J. Ford, F. Ghigo, R. Lacasse,  C. Niday, T. Weadon
FROM: R. Lacasse
SUBJ.: Minutes of Interference Protection Group 3/21/00 Meeting

In attendance: Fisher,  Lacasse, Niday, Weadon

Minutes of Previous Meeting

Review of action items:

1. Budget and manpower for the year (Rick, John)

There is no word on the M&S budget, but a good rumor that it will be 10% less than last year.  A total of $30K has been allotted to an ensemble of projects headed by Fisher.  These include the array receiver, IPG concerns and DSP projects.  The plan is to spend part of this allocation on a DSP development system and DSP board, as this benefits both the array receiver and IPG projects.  The initial project using the DSP board will be beam-forming for the array receiver.

As usual, the IPG is somewhat manpower limited.  Rich and Tim will be tied up with pressing GBT concerns until late summer. However progress continues to be made.   A summer student has been allocated to the project.  Norrod has installed the fiber modems and the maintenance crew has has made some electrical improvements to the monitoring station.

2. Status of SOHO proposal, automatic paging system, and moon bounce proposal

All of these proposals are no longer issues for the IPG.
3. Site radio system (Chuck)
The radios have been used a lot in the installation of GBT actuator cables and have performed very well.
Operations has requested three more portables.
The license application is awaiting Holstine's signature.
As time allows Chuck will test all units for spurious emissions.
4. Microwave oven in shielded box (John)
No report.
5. RFI considerations for new Education Center (Frank)
No report.
6. Monitor station developments, summer student (Rick)
Reported in (1) above.
Items 7 to 18 are simply included as reminders.

7. A turntable for the anechoic chamber (Rick)

8. Switching transient noise on GBT

9. Shielded room entrances (John, Rick)

10. Progress on suppressing RFI from equipment that has been measured in the anechoic chamber

11. Emissions from the new diesels on site

12. GBT RFI 'harmful levels' document and measurement procedures (Rick)

13. Measurement of OVLBI transmission field strengths at the GBT.

14. Disabled persons transport on site for tours

15. RFI survey plan for GBT commissioning (Rick)

16. Lab RFI suppression efforts (Rick)

17. Interference at 1612.17 MHz

18. FCC Class B requirements and test procedures (Rick, Chuck)
Requirement for a turret for anechoic chamber  

Next Meeting:  April 18, 2000