Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!

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andrew....@googlemail.com

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Nov 1, 2023, 9:38:41 AM11/1/23
to sara...@googlegroups.com, Ted Cline

I am very excited – the attached image demonstrates I am successfully mapping the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way with my Ptarmigan Array and SDR – data collected and analyzed with Ted Cline’s marvelous ezRA suite and overlaid with Milky Way map.

Andy

Map of Milky Way overlaid on my data demonstrating that I am successfully mapping Perseus arm 011123.jpg

Captain Anne Flint

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Nov 1, 2023, 12:11:46 PM11/1/23
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Well, it looks wonderful. Congratulations! Wende 

On Nov 1, 2023, at 8:38 AM, andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I am very excited – the attached image demonstrates I am successfully mapping the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way with my Ptarmigan Array and SDR – data collected and analyzed with Ted Cline’s marvelous ezRA suite and overlaid with Milky Way map.
Andy

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<Map of Milky Way overlaid on my data demonstrating that I am successfully mapping Perseus arm 011123.jpg>

Andrew Thornett

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Nov 1, 2023, 3:43:06 PM11/1/23
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Thanks Wende. Given how much of an idiot I am when it comes to radio stuff, it is a miracle!!! Would not be possible without the amazing gift of this array from Andy Thomas, and Ted Cline's spectacular ezRA Python scripts, and wonderful support from this group and SARA!
Must give them all the credit - I feel these plots are as much their's as mine!
......Oooh and the SAWBird H+ which has revolutionised hydrogen line radio astronomy for beginners like me.
Andy


From: sara...@googlegroups.com <sara...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Captain Anne Flint <bera...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 1, 2023 4:11:41 PM
To: sara...@googlegroups.com <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!
 

Dr. Rich Russel

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Nov 1, 2023, 8:40:48 PM11/1/23
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Andrew,

Consider putting this in the SARA journal as an observation report.

I'll need it by Dec 12, so you have lots of time.

Great work!

Rich

Andrew Thornett

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Nov 1, 2023, 9:54:22 PM11/1/23
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Hi Rich
I've only just joined SARA - is there a way of accessing old journals so I can see how these reports are written/ideal length etc?
Andy 


From: 'Dr. Rich Russel' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2023 12:40:42 AM

Alex P

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Nov 2, 2023, 5:26:46 AM11/2/23
to Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
Andrew,

 Do you have any SDR#  IF_Average data files acquired with the new nooelec 1.42 GHz Antenna  posted on  your Website ?

FYI : changing the FFT resolution to 512 will provide a bit smoothing but not adversely degrade the resolution of your data.
( I use 512 )

Thanks,
Alex

Andrew Thornett

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Nov 2, 2023, 5:54:38 AM11/2/23
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Not yet will let you know when I do
From: 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2023 9:26:46 AM
To: Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!
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Andrew Thornett

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Nov 2, 2023, 6:01:06 AM11/2/23
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Not yet will let you know when I do

From: 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2023 9:26:46 AM
To: Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!
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Alex P

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Nov 2, 2023, 6:52:15 AM11/2/23
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I'd like to compare your results w/ the new  nooelec 1.42G dish .

Ideally, point it towards the Meridian  @  + 40 deg Declination... one day's data set if fine.
( 13 degrees South of overhead from your location )

Coordinates of Lichfield in degrees and decimal minutes
Latitude: 52°40.8924′ N
Longitude: 1°49.5294′ W

Alex

On Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 6:01:06 AM UTC-4 Andrew Thornett wrote:
Not yet will let you know when I do

.

b alex pettit jr

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Nov 2, 2023, 10:47:38 AM11/2/23
to 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
                 Try this setup   
Should give you  360  saved files / sidereal day  = 1.00 degree change in RA per file

vs 1.64 deg with your current '902000'  averaging   ( 220 files  / SiDay )


( 0 Delay  :  start taking data as soon as one is saved )
Inline image

Andrew Thornett

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Nov 2, 2023, 11:42:40 AM11/2/23
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Thank you. What does intermediate average do? I notice you've changed that.
Andy
From: 'b alex pettit jr' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2023 2:47:28 PM
To: 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!
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b alex pettit jr

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Nov 2, 2023, 12:08:25 PM11/2/23
to 'Andrew Thornett' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
It is a 'multiplier' for the Dynamic Avg slider scaling.
Alex


Job Geheniau

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Nov 2, 2023, 1:35:12 PM11/2/23
to Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
Hi

What is a  "Ptarmigan Array". Do you have pictures?
And what is "ezRA suite" download sites?

Job Geheniau

Op woensdag 1 november 2023 om 14:38:41 UTC+1 schreef andrew....@googlemail.com:

andrew....@googlemail.com

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Nov 2, 2023, 2:35:51 PM11/2/23
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The array and details of its specs can be seen on my website www.astronomy.me.uk

ezRA suite is a suite of powerful Python scripts for radio astronomy – again its outputs can be seen on my website. ezRA stands for Easy Radio Astronomy.

Access to it is available free from Ted Cline of the Society of Radio Astronomers (SARA) in USA – if you email me on and...@thornett.net then I will forward you his contact details.

Andy

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andrew....@googlemail.com

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Nov 2, 2023, 2:37:40 PM11/2/23
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Forgive me, Alex – I am none the wiser…….what does that mean in idiot’s language (I am an idiot)?

 

From: 'b alex pettit jr' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 02 November 2023 16:08
To: 'Andrew Thornett' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!

 

It is a 'multiplier' for the Dynamic Avg slider scaling.

Alex

 

 

On Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 11:42:43 AM EDT, 'Andrew Thornett' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

 

 

Thank you. What does intermediate average do? I notice you've changed that.

Andy

 


From: 'b alex pettit jr' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2023 2:47:28 PM
To: 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!

 

                 Try this setup   

Should give you  360  saved files / sidereal day  = 1.00 degree change in RA per file

 

vs 1.64 deg with your current '902000'  averaging   ( 220 files  / SiDay )

 

 

( 0 Delay  :  start taking data as soon as one is saved )

Inline image

 

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Y

 

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image001.png

Facility 406

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Nov 2, 2023, 2:58:42 PM11/2/23
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On 11/2/2023 11:35, andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio
Astronomers wrote:
> The array and details of its specs can be seen on my website
> www.astronomy.me.uk <http://www.astronomy.me.uk>

I can't count the number of those old commercial antennas I chucked when
working at comms sites on mountain tops. Essentially just a series of
corner reflector antennas. They look rugged, but that's compared to the
average consumer junk, they don't last more than a few seasons around here.

Common for TV translators in smaller communities, the last I saw was a
bank of them for channel 13, but too narrow for 220 MHz operation, and
too large to reasonably move with my truck, so I let the vandals take it
for scrap.

Nice that you got a good one, and the frequency range is adequate. Have
you swept it to the what the actual frequency range is?

Kurt

b alex pettit jr

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Nov 2, 2023, 3:18:03 PM11/2/23
to andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
 
Intermediate Avg = 1,         Dynamic Avg Slider  range =     1 -   50   thousand avgs
Intermediate Avg = 10,       Dynamic Avg Slider  range =    10  -  500 thousand avgs 
Intermediate Avg = 100,     Dynamic Avg Slider range  =  100 -   5 million avgs    
Intermediate Avg = 1000,   Dynamic Avg Slider range1000 -  50 million avgs                  

andrew....@googlemail.com

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Nov 2, 2023, 4:11:47 PM11/2/23
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Thanks

 

From: 'b alex pettit jr' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 02 November 2023 19:18
To: andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SARA] Very excited - successfully mapping Perseus arm of Milky Way!

 

 

Intermediate Avg = 1,         Dynamic Avg Slider  range =     1 -   50   thousand avgs

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andrew....@googlemail.com

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Nov 2, 2023, 4:13:24 PM11/2/23
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Not yet
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b alex pettit jr

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Nov 2, 2023, 4:27:45 PM11/2/23
to andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
Here are plots from your 22 Oct '23 data set   
220 ( 24 hrs ) of plots overlayed.

The nooelec should perform much better ..

Large baseline drift in the raw data ..  and the Amplitude is low
Raw Data
Inline image

Data Drift Normalized
Inline image


FYI, this is my 1m Umbrella Antenna scaled to the same ranges as above ( not as many plots )
Inline image
 Alex


b alex pettit jr

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Nov 3, 2023, 6:41:11 AM11/3/23
to andrew.thornett via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
Andrew,

Try some tests Without the Gold LNA 

Connect the SAWBird to the LMR400 from the antenna.
Prior to the first gain stage ( LNA ) Every adapter / cable adds Noise.
Inline image
Alex
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