South Pole TDRS Relay
Joint NASA/ATSC Engineering Status
As of 8/12/97

1.  Highlight's

A.  S-Band Filter
    A revised calculation shows that a filter is necessary to prevent the 
    GOES signal from causing intermodulation distortion at the S-Band LNA. 
    A quote from K&L filters is expected by Wednesday, 8/13.

B.  Ku-Band TWTA's
    The units have been inspected by Logimetrics.  One unit had a bad 
    regulator and is fixed.  The other keeps going out of regulation and 
    troubleshooting is continuing.  The TWT unit itself seems okay so 
    Logimetrics is concentrating on the power supply.  They believe it is a 
    chip and should be providing an update later this week.

C.  Ku-Band TWT Remote Control
    The TWT remote control is a non-standard non-computer controlled remote 
    interface.  Unique hardware will have to be built to allow computer 
    control.  Logimetrics will provide a quote for providing this interface.  
    Making a custom interface and other alternatives are being investigated.

D.  Antenna Mounts
    ASA has confirmed that the antenna mounts mentioned as being of possible 
    use for the SPTR antenna's have been retro'd from McMurdo.  Work on the 
    new mounts continues as a joint ASA/ATSC effort.

E.  Received an e-mail request from ASA to determine grounding and bonding 
    plan for the SPTR system in the elevated dorm.  This is in progress and 
    will be submitted before the next meeting.  In that South Pole has no 
    real earth ground due to the thickness of the ice and the separation 
    from ground, the focus will be to bond all equipment, waveguide, and 
    antennas to a common equipotential plane radiating in a star pattern 
    from the SPTR racks.  Rack 1 then needs to be bonded back to the power 
    source.  Implementation is to be discussed with ASA.

2.  Hardware Procurement

A.  Items received during the last week included the Hoffman Box and the 
    Avtec board.  The Pentium 133 motherboard for the MCS computer arrived 
    Monday.

3.  Software

A.  The remote control of the Satellite Modem is essentially complete 
    including auto operations (configuration, transmit on/off, etc.)

B.  The remote interface with the South Pole File Server has been formalized 
    and the programming is nearly complete.

C.  The routine to automatically send e-mails from the MCS is complete.  An 
    e-mail account for the MCS computer must be requested.

Hardware Configuration Items

1.0  Ku-Band Equipment

     a.  The antenna is on order and is due to be complete on 8/13.  The 
         antenna feed work would be completed and tested and the completed 
         unit would be here at BLT by 9/13.

     b.  Detailed work on the antenna mount has begun.

     c.  See Highlights for TWTA status.

     d.  The Switches and power divider require testing and 
         characterization.

     e.  The attenuator is in and requires testing.

     f.  The line coupler requires testing.

     g.  The lowpass filter research is complete and a unit is being 
         procured.

2.0  S-Band Equipment

     a.  The antenna is on order and is due to be complete on 8/13.  The
         feed work is to be completed and tested and the completed unit
         delivered to BLT by 9/13.

     b.  Detailed work on the antenna mount has begun.

     c.  The Transceiver/SSPA/LNA is on order through Miteq.

     d.  The diplexor has been tested.

     e.  The line coupler requires testing.

3.0  Baseband Equipment

     a.  Satellite modem effort is complete.

     b.  Work efforts for the Encoder have begun.  The chassis has been
         ordered.  Board detailed design work has begun.

     c.  Modulator parts are being procured.  The chassis is on order.
         R. Conrad has taken over this effort from C. James.

     d.  NISN has placed the router procurement order.  Details on the
         router have been obtained from the Cisco website for the EC.

     e.  Awaiting the motherboard, chassis, SCSI-3 hard drive, CD-ROM,
         and SCSI-3 controller for the Data Server PC.

4.0  MCS Hardware

     a.  The motherboard is in for the MCS PC.  Awaiting the chassis
         and CD ROM drive.

     b.  The Spectrum Analyzer is due 8/25.

     c.  The Switch Driver unit has been received and will be checked out
         within the next two weeks.

     d.  The test port switches and control cables require testing.

5.0  Cables and Connectors

     a.  With the arrival of the Hoffman box, the work on the CEB can begin.
         Information on the building penetration is required to finalize the 
         detailed design for the Hoffman box.  This is being worked with 
         ASA.

     b.  Waveguide is being shipped to BLT from WSC excess.

6.0  Racks and Accessories

     a.  Rack and stack at BLT should begin when the PC chassis arrive.

     b.  The UPS chassis were ordered last week.

     c.  Ventilation discussions indicate a desire for the fans.  One tray
         has been obtained from excess.  Six top hat style rack fans have 
         been found in excess.  These units would require and additional 6 
         inches of clearance for top mounting on the racks and approximately 
         an additional foot for air flow.  The units will be discussed with 
         ASA as all six could be sent down for the SPTR racks and the GOES 
         racks.

     d.  The replacement Hoffman Box for the CEB has arrived.

7.0  White Sands Complex

     a.  A. Fortin is checking out the PTP at Bldg 12.

     b.  Awaiting to hear the results of a router buy.

     c.  TDI work has begun at the Heathrow bldg.  The chassis order was
         placed and the detailed design of the PCB and circuit is in
         progress.  Three units are being built.

Software Configuration Items

1.0  Software

     Software orders are all complete.

Schedule

     No change.

Medical Clearance

     A. Fortin has submitted dental and physical forms and has been approved 
     to go.

D. Israel, NASA Code 531.2
K. Culin, ATSC S&T Dept.

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