  A radio spectro-polarimeter was developed at the Gauribidanur radio
observatory to study the characteristics of the polarized radio waves that are
emitted by the impetuous solar corona in the 50 - 500 MHz frequency range. The
instrument has three major components : a Cross-polarized Log-Periodic Dipole
Antenna (CLPDA), an analog receiver, and a digital receiver (spectrum
analyzer). This article elaborates the design and developmental aspects of the
CLPDA, its characteristics and briefs about the configurations of the analog
and digital receivers, setting up of the spectro-polarimeter, stage-wise tests
performed to characterize it, etc. To demonstrate the instrumental capability,
the estimation of the solar coronal magnetic field strength (B {\it Vs}
heliocentric height), using the spectral data obtained with it, is exemplified.
  Throughout the above band, the CLPDA has a gain, return loss and polarization
cross-talk of $\approx$ 6.6 dBi, $\lesssim$ -10 dB, and $\lesssim$ -27 dB,
respectively. The design constraints, the procedure to tune its impedance and
to minimize its dimension, etc. are elaborated. The analog receiver has a noise
figure of $\approx 3$ dB and a receiver-noise-temperature ($T_{rcvr}$) of about
290 K. The receiver-flux-density ($S_{rcvr}$) is $\approx 5.3 \times 10^3 $,
and $\approx 5.3 \times 10^5$ Jy at 50 and 500 MHz, respectively. The observed
spectral data shows a Signal-to-Noise Ratio and Dynamic range of about 30 dB
and 40 dB, respectively, at 50 MHz. The average polarization isolation /
cross-talk of the CLPD varies from -30 dB to -24 dB over an azimuthal angle of
$\pm 45^\circ$ with respect to the reference position angle ($0^\circ$). The
average degree of circular polarization (DCP) is $\approx 100\%$ at the
reference position and found to decrease gradually and reaches $\approx 80\%$
at an azimuthal angle of $\pm 45^\circ$.
