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Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2017
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| _version_ | 1867614103617404928 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Beer, Mourits |
| author2 | Wiid, Gideon |
| author_browse | De Beer, Mourits Wiid, Gideon |
| author_facet | Wiid, Gideon De Beer, Mourits |
| author_sort | De Beer, Mourits |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/101179 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:43.557Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateRange | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/101179 Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT De Beer, Mourits Wiid, Gideon Davidson, David Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. UCTD Radio telescopes Broadband communication systems Radio frequency interference Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Karoo desert in the Northern Cape of South Africa is currently host to the MeerKAT radio telescope { a precursor facility for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. The area was selected due to its natural quietness from man-made sources of radio-frequency interference (RFI), as the telescope site needs to uphold demanding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards in order to perform sensitive radio astronomy observations. It is therefore necessary that the facility monitors the spectrum across MeerKAT's operational bandwidth to identify the presence of noise sources that may compromise the integrity of future measurements. This thesis presents the design and simulation of a direction finding (DF) solution that will prove to be an essential means of locating and mitigating on-site or outside sources of interference. The asymptotic conical dipole (ACD) antenna is implemented with a 3D-printed plastic design, coated in metal to achieve an impedance bandwidth greater than 100:1. Four units of these designs are manufactured for use in a multi-receiver system, which applies a phase correlation DF algorithm to estimate the bearing of an impulse source. The accuracy of arbitrary antenna configurations is investigated by simulation to evaluate the performance under noisy conditions. Field measurements are conducted that verify the simulated angular resolution of the system, which obtains source angle estimates within ±2:5° accuracy. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Karoo woestein-gebied in die Noord Kaap provinsie van Suid Afrika is tans die tuiste van die MeerKAT radio teleskoop wat as voorloper tot die SKA-projek dien. Die area is gekies weens die natuurlike afwesigheid van mensgemaakte radiogolfsteurings. Die terrein moet voldoen aan baie ho e vereistes ten op sigte van elektromagnetiese- aanpasbaarheidstandaarde, ten einde die doelstelling van hoogs sensitiewe sterrekundige waarnemings te kan bemagtig. Dit is dus noodsaaklik vir die fasiliteit om die operasionele frekwensie-spektrum te monitor, om die teenwoordigheid van seinsteurings, wat die waarnemings kan beinvloed, te identifiseer. Hierdie tesis bied die ontwerp van `n rigtingsvinding stelsel, wat van kardinale belang sal wees in die aanduiding en versagting van steuringsbronne. `n Asimtotieskoniese dipool-antenna, wat met 3-D drukkers uit plastiek geskep is en dan met metaal oorgetrek is, word gebruik om `n bandwydte-impedansie van meer as 100:1 te behaal. Vier eenhede, volgens die ontwerp, is vervaardig vir die gebruik in `n multi-ontvangerstelsel, waar die toepassing van 'n fase-korrelasie rigtingsvindingalgoritme, die oorsprong van steurings bereken. Die akkuraatheid van arbitr^ere antenna konfigurasies is ondersoek en evalueer deur die gebruik van gesimuleerde waarnemings onder steuringsomstandighede. Waarnemings tydens praktiese toetse bevestig die hoek resolusie van die stelselkonfigurasie met `n akuraatheid binne ±2:5° ten opsigte van die ware invalshoek. 2017-02-20T12:40:45Z 2017-03-29T12:17:26Z 2017-02-20T12:40:45Z 2017-03-29T12:17:26Z 2017-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/101179 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 105 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Radio telescopes Broadband communication systems Radio frequency interference De Beer, Mourits Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title | Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title_full | Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title_fullStr | Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title_short | Wideband Direction Finding of RFI for MeerKAT |
| title_sort | wideband direction finding of rfi for meerkat |
| topic | UCTD Radio telescopes Broadband communication systems Radio frequency interference |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/101179 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT debeermourits widebanddirectionfindingofrfiformeerkat |