Digital Signal Processing in Radio Astronomy
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Computer and Software Needs for the Horn Telescope Spectrometer

Aug 14, 2020 | 2 minute read

  • Installation of any of the following software options will allow the user to run the spectrometer program to operate a horn telescope that is equipped with an LNA, software defined radio (Airspy or equivalent), and the proper cables. See the document What is Needed to Build a Horn Telescope and links therein for more details about the telescope system.

  • Different options for operating the horn telescope spectrometer program, spectrometer_w_cal.grc, are presented here. The options provided vary depending on the user’s computer system and his or her comfort level working with computers.

The options presented below include a brief description of the system requirements and what is involved in the installation process.

  1. Download a fully operating image onto a flash drive that can be operated from most computer systems.

    • Easiest for those who are the less experienced in working with computer system software.

    • Requires a computer and a 32 GB, 3.0 USB flash drive.

    • Once the flash drive image is created, the spectrometer program can be run on the following systems:

      • pc with Windows: minimum system specs?, brand names?

      • MAC with OS ?? or higher

      • Linux system, such as one running Ubuntu 20.04.

      • The software needed is to complete the installation is free and easy to install.

    • Click here for installation instructions.

  2. Install the free & open-source software, GnuRadio, on a Linux system operating Ubuntu 20.04.

    • This option is for those who are more experienced with computers and feel comfortable installing software on a hard drive.

    • Requires a computer that either already runs on the Ubuntu operating system, or has a hard drive running Windows that can be partitioned.

    • It may require partitioning a hard drive in Windows and installing Ubuntu 20.04 on it, if the system is not already running Ubuntu.

    • Once Ubuntu is installed, further installations include installing the free & open-source software GnuRadio, and then installing the spectrometer program from Github.

    • After installation, the computer will be able to run the telescope system directly.

    • Click here for installation instructions.

  3. Install the spectrometer program on a Raspberry Pi.

    • This can be done, but the details have not been fully worked out by us (the DSPIRA group).

    • Details to follow.

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