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astronomy.me.uk The Website of Lichfield Radio Astronomy Observatory (LRO)

Astronomy observatory in Staffordshire, England.

astronomy.me.uk The Website of Lichfield Radio Astronomy Observatory (LRO)

Astronomy observatory in Staffordshire, England.

  • Live feeds at Lichfield Radio Observatory (LRO)
  • Calculators
  • Telescopes & Associated Equipment at Lichfield Radio Observatory
  • History and description of Lichfield Radio Observatory (LRO)
  • Publications & Presentations
  • Links to other observers’ SID monitoring sites
  • SHOOS – SARA Hydrogen-Observing Overall Survey
  • Contact me
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How does a mutual ground level form between receiver and transmitter at distance from each other? And how does this apply to radio astronomy?

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

This is one of those things that feels mystical until you unpack it — then it’s just physics quietly doing its thing. Short answer:There isn’t really a “mutual ground level”…

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What is a Pin Diode?

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

Absolute workhorse of RF switching. WHAT IS A PIN DIODE? A PIN diode is a semiconductor diode with three layers: The middle layer is a thick, undoped (intrinsic) region. That…

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What is a Dicke switch in radio astronomy?

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

WHAT IS A DICKE SWITCH? A Dicke switch is a rapid RF switch used in radio astronomy to reduce receiver gain drift. It switches quickly between: This technique was invented…

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What are professional radio astronomy dishes made of?

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

Professional radio astronomy dishes are engineered for electrical reflectivity, structural rigidity, thermal stability, and low weight. The exact construction depends on frequency range (long-wavelength vs millimetre work), but most large…

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Hook-Up Wire: Technical Reference Guide

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

Hook-Up Wire: Technical Reference Guide Hook-up wire is a single-conductor insulated wire used for internal electrical connections within electronic and electrical equipment. It is most commonly applied in low-voltage systems…

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ezPlotly software to create 3D rotatable webpage plot from ezRA data

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

Download ezPlotly files here: https://www.astronomy.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ezPlotly260214b.zip Hi Andy, Maybe try this. I attach 2 new programs, ezCon260214a.py ezPlotly260214b.py Very rough hacks but fun. Run something like, py ..\ezRA\ezCon260214a.py data -ezCon087Csv 4…

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How to test Nooelec SAWBird H1 LNA using a NanoVNA – from Alex Pettit

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments
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Apparently working settings in Spectrum Lab for VLF 14/2/2025 @ 20:20

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments
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Spectrum Lab spectrum analyser software when I update the horizontal speed settings on the plotter it does not change the speed on the plot

Admin February 15, 2026 No Comments

If the horizontal speed in Spectrum Lab isn’t changing on the scrolling plot, it’s usually because the display timing is controlled somewhere else. In Spectrum Lab, the time axis speed…

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First light LRO VLF Detection system based on direct input from aerial into sound card and Spectrum Lab software 14/2/2026 and demonstration that 23.4 kHz reception best with aerial pointed in different direction to frequencies of other VLF transmitters detected in UK

Admin February 14, 2026 No Comments

Settings on plotter in Spectrum Lab software – the title is the frequency of the VLF transmitter observed in kHz: Plot from first light at LRO on Spectrum Lab –…

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Categories

  • ADVISORY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER
  • Aerials & Antennae
  • Astronomy Art
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  • Astrophotography
  • Attending & talking at conferences, workshops & societies
  • Aurorae Boreolis
  • Building radio telescopes
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  • Computer equipment for astronomy
  • Easy Radio Astronomy Software (ezRA)
  • Frequencies
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  • Lichfield Radio Observatory (LRO) & its Equipment
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  • LRO-H1 Radio Telescope (86cm x 86cm Ptarmigan Triffid 4×4 Dipole Array)
  • LRO-H2 Radio Telescope (150cm Solar Cooker Dish)
  • LRO-H3 Radio Telescope (Alex Pettit H-Line Yagi)
  • Magnetometer
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  • Radio observation in hydrogen line (1420MHz)
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  • The 20 Metre Skynet Radio Dish at Green Bank Observatory
  • Uncategorized
  • USRP B210 Software-Defined Radio
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  • VLF Radio Detection of SIDs (Very low Frequency detection of Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances)
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Recent Posts

  • Setting up LRO 134cm VLF Aerial with direct input into USB Sound Card (except for 10 uF capacitor on one arm of input) on LRO-PC-10 mini-PC with Spectrum Lab software for continuous monitoring starting 21/2/26@18:00 UTC
  • First Light LRO 134cm VLF Aerial with Direct Sound Card Audio Input (10 uF capacitor on one arm) 20-21/2/2026
  • I am making VLF aerial out of 22 SWG enamelled copper wire about 150m long, wound around a wooden cross multiple times. How important is exactly length of the wire?
  • Success using direct USB audio soundcard input from VLF aerial (with serial 10 uF capacitor) at LRO 20/2/2026 @ 21:20 UTC
  • Can Hammerite Paint be used in paint sprayer on Radio astronomy dishes?

Recent Comments

  1. Admin on Signal attenuation (loss) for common coaxial cables at around 1.42 GHz (1420 MHz), relevant for builders of amateur Hydrogen Line radio telescopes.
  2. Alex Pettit on How can a 50 ohm resistor be used to produce reference signal on a radio telescope with 50 ohm impedance?
  3. Alex Pettit on How can a 50 ohm resistor be used to produce reference signal on a radio telescope with 50 ohm impedance?
  4. Bill S.N. on How can a 50 ohm resistor be used to produce reference signal on a radio telescope with 50 ohm impedance?
  5. Stephen Arbogast on How can a 50 ohm resistor be used to produce reference signal on a radio telescope with 50 ohm impedance?

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You missed

Uncategorized

Setting up LRO 134cm VLF Aerial with direct input into USB Sound Card (except for 10 uF capacitor on one arm of input) on LRO-PC-10 mini-PC with Spectrum Lab software for continuous monitoring starting 21/2/26@18:00 UTC

Uncategorized

First Light LRO 134cm VLF Aerial with Direct Sound Card Audio Input (10 uF capacitor on one arm) 20-21/2/2026

Uncategorized

I am making VLF aerial out of 22 SWG enamelled copper wire about 150m long, wound around a wooden cross multiple times. How important is exactly length of the wire?

Uncategorized

Success using direct USB audio soundcard input from VLF aerial (with serial 10 uF capacitor) at LRO 20/2/2026 @ 21:20 UTC

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astronomy.me.uk The Website of Lichfield Radio Astronomy Observatory (LRO)

Astronomy observatory in Staffordshire, England.

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