[Discuss-gnuradio] SBRAC update

[Marcus D. Leech]

I don't usually post updates about our work at SBRAC on this list, 
mostly because progress at the observatory has been so very slow, owing 
to having
  zero budget to work with.

However, today, we achieved a significant milestone in our progress.  
The feed platform is in-place, with all the RF cabling connected, and 
brought down
  to ground level.  We didn't have time to do any tests today, and I'm 
exhausted, having worked for 2.5 hours in the bucket of a "SkyLift" provided
  by the Ottawa Fire Department.

Here's a picture of the feed platform in-place, just before we got it 
wired up:

http://www.sbrac.org/files/feed_in_place.jpg

Next week, we'll be doing some preliminary testing, and maybe get some 
of our "science" computers in place.  The receivers are a mixture of
  both RTLSDR devices, and USRPs.  There'll be a USRP doing the pulsar 
work, and another one doing the precision hydrogen spectral work, and
  an assortment of RTLSDR devices doing radiometry, and the "rough" 
hydrogen spectral work.

We've been slowly "nibbling away" at this thing for several years, and 
it's gratifying to get to a point where you have obvious, visible, 
progress...