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Description
Neutral hydrogen (HI) is traced through its characteristic 21-cm emission line at 1420.4058 MHz. This work presents an affordable ground-based radio telescope for Galactic HI observation using a proximity-fed FR4 microstrip patch antenna. The system integrates a low-noise amplifier (LNA) and software-defined radio (SDR) for signal acquisition. Mechanically, a custom 3D-printed spacer of PLA material helps maintain a 2-mm air gap, reducing dielectric loading and RF losses. Copper and solder-mask configurations were evaluated for antenna performance and fabrication cost. The antenna achieved 4.53 dBi gain, 81.5% radiation efficiency, and −23.3 dB minimum S11. An 80-minute Earth-rotation drift scan collected 3.2 GB of data, revealing a candidate spectral enhancement at 1420.4298 MHz, compared with HI4PI survey data. Future work will explore a low-cost hierarchical architecture, in which phased-array stations provide electronically steerable beams and field-of-view control, while geographically separated stations enable VLBI observations with enhanced angular resolution.
Other Fields of Research (Track) for Abstract
RF and Computational Astronomy
| Nature of work | Experimental |
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