Mars Express / Mars Odyssey  Reception by G3WDG and G4KGC

Technical Notes

 

System information:

Antenna: 3m Andrews 0.3f/D dish with CP feed antenna

Receiver: 0.8dB noise figure -> modified prototype WDG002

Waterfall display: AO40rcv

MEX Signal Level: ~30dB S/N in 1Hz bandwidth (Dec 2003)

Odyssey Signal Level: ~20dB S/N in 1Hz bandwidth (Jan 2004)

Sun noise:    16.2dB

Moon Noise:    1.95dB

System noise temperature: ~84K

 

 

Results (click all photos to enlarge)

 

8_4Gfeed.JPG (55567 bytes)  

Photo of new dish feed 

 

8_4helix.JPG (47834 bytes)  

Photo of original dish feed 

 

8_4hemt.JPG (98505 bytes)  

Photo of preamp using MGF4919 (~0.55dB NF) 

 

mex6.jpg (19863 bytes)  

Reception of Mars Express on 17 Dec  2003 

recording of above signal (~1MB wave file)

 

odyssey1.jpg (21674 bytes)  

First Reception of Mars Odyssey (on 11 Jan 2004)  

 

 

ody1434z.jpg (22776 bytes) 

Reception of Mars Odyssey on 12 Jan at approx 1434z, showing slow upwards frequency drift caused by Doppler just before "transit" 

 

ody1441z.jpg (25555 bytes)

Reception of Mars Odyssey on 12 Jan at approx 1441z, showing faster downwards frequency drift caused by Doppler shift a little time after "transit"

 

mexnearset.jpg (24713 bytes)

Reception of Mars Express at 1429z on 13 Jan 2004 very close to spacecraft passing behind Mars (occultation). Doppler is changing more rapidly than seen for Odyssey. (MEX has elliptical orbit, Odyssey believed to be  near circular). 

 

mexset.jpg (17937 bytes)

Mars Express received at 1430 on 13 Jan 2004.  Signal disappeared as spacecraft passed behind Mars.

 

rosetta.jpg (19637 bytes)

Rosetta received on 20 March 2004
recording of this signal