Technological Research Lines

RFI Monitoring

The mobile RFI station

SRT has its own mobile laboratory for RFI measurements which has a retractable telescopic mast that can reach a maximum height of 11 m, where antennas, polarizer and front-end boxes can be accommodated.

The RF signal is then sent inside the laboratory for data processing by coaxial cables. The upper operational frequency limit is 18 GHz under normal conditions, but with minor modifications it can be extended up to 40 GHz. The mobile stations are self-powered by the van alternators or auxiliary batteries, in connection with inverters to provide sinusoidal 220 V @ 50 Hertz.

Of course the sensitivity of the RFI monitoring systems cannot reach instantaneously the levels of the ITU-RA769, but the transportability of the mobile laboratory can recover many tens of dB of sensitivity by moving into the line of sight or very close to the transmitting source.