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DFM Engineering, Inc. was contracted to provide and install
a new computer control system, servo motors, and additional
gearing to drive the NOAA 26-M (85-ft.) diameter antenna at
Wallops, Virginia as detailed in the NOAA
article (dated 02/21/03).
The NOAA
(National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration-Department
of Commerce) operates two 85-ft. diameter dish antennas along
with other smaller antennas to communicate with their weather
satellites. One of the sites is at Wallops,
Virginia and the other is near Fairbanks,
Alaska.
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Virginian Installation
This work at the Wallops, Virginia site
is built upon the expertise developed by DFM Engineering
when they provided new controls and motors for two similar
antennas at the PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute).
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However, the NOAA control system additionally
includes the capability to track fast moving low polar
orbit artificial satellites.
The installation of the hardware proved
to be a real test of the DFM Engineering personnel as
the April weather was the wettest the locals could recall.
When it wasn't raining, the wind was
blowing.
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On the few clear days, very loud military jet aircraft were
practicing touch and go landings on the runway a few hundred
yards away.
The control system was successfully installed, tested, and
the antenna is now resuming a new and useful life.
Related articles:
• DFM's
NOAA Original Project Description
• DFM's
NOAA Fairbanks, Alaska Project
• DFM
Control System Upgrade at PARI
Related products:
• DFM
TCS (Telescope Control System)
Related Links:
• PARI
(Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute)
• NOAA
(National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration)
• Wallops
NOAA Station
• Fairbanks
NOAA Station
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