The SEARFE Project
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Transcript of The SEARFE Project
2 Dec 2003 SEARFE Project - G. "Ñima" Warr 1
The SEARFE ProjectG. “Ñima” Warr
2-Dec-03
StudentsExploringAustralia’sRadioFrequencyEnvironment
www.searfe.atnf.csiro.au
AUSTRALIA
Canberra
Melbourne
Sydney
Narrabri
Kimba
Geraldton
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SEARFE Project Aims
Education & Outreach Raise awareness of radio-science Give students practical experience of:
the value and use of the RF spectrum the requirements of a radio-quiet site (by comparing
results from city and country areas) and why a radio-quiet site is required for the next generation radio telescopes SKA & LOFAR
Research Characterising and potential long-term
monitoring of Australia’s radio-frequency environment
Compare measurements with predictions based on the Australian Communication Authority’s database of licensed transmitters
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SEARFE Scientists & Engineers
Project Director: Anne Green (USyd)Project Coordinator:
George “Ñima” Warr (ATNF CSIRO)
Outreach Officers: Betty Jacobs (UTS)Owen Shepherd (USyd)
Software Engineer: Oliver Mather (USyd, UNSW)Web Master: Andrew Wright (ATNF CSIRO)Web Support: Vincent McIntyre (ATNF CSIRO)Project Advisors: Michelle Storey (ATNF CSIRO) – Past Coordinator
Peter Hall (ATNF CSIRO)Duncan Campbell-Wilson (USyd)
Regional Support: Western Australia: Jamie Biggs (Perth Observatory)Canberra: Duncan Campbell-Wilson (MRO, USyd)Narrabri: Bob Sault (ATCA ATNF CSIRO)Melbourne: Maurizio Toscano, Jamie Stevens,
Rachel Webster (UMelb)Sydney: Sydney SEARFE team
Astronomy on the Go:
Michael Burton (UNSW)
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SEARFE Equipment Kit RF scanning receiver
AOR AR3000A or WinRadio 1550e
IBM laptop computer Software for spectrum
acquisition and display 25-1300 MHz discone
antenna + cables Student Research
Guides and Teacher Resource Kit, including operating instructions, experimental notes and background information
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SEARFE Software: Spectrum Scanner v4.2
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Location of schools involved in the SEARFE
Project
AUSTRALIA
CanberraMelbourne
Sydney
Narrabri
Kimba
Geraldton
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0
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30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300
Frequency (MHz)
Rec
eive
d S
ign
al S
tren
gth
(S
-Met
er u
nit
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Abbotsleigh School (Sydney NSW) Kimba Area School (Eyre Peninsula SA)
Sydney cf Kimba (City NSW cf Country SA)
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RF Transmitters within ~200km of Sydney and
Kimba
Sydney (NSW) Kimba (SA)
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SEARFE in the Media
12-Aug-03 SEARFE Story on Channel Ten’s Totally Wild programme
4-Aug-03 Geraldton Guardian story on student’s presentation at International SKA 2003 Conference
27-Jul-03 Sun Herald article on SEARFE and radio quiet zones
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SEARFE on Display 15–24-Jul-03 IAU GA, Sydney
ASKAC stand at the Astro Expo School’s day demo by Abbotsleigh School students Poster in SS4 Education Session UNSW-lead “Astronomy on the Go” lead-up event - toured
more than a dozen schools in regional NSW and several schools in Sydney
26-Jul-03 Astronomy Day for Teachers Workshop 28–31-Jul-03 International SKA 2003 Meeting,
Geraldton 17-Aug-03 UTS stand at Science in the City, Sydney 25–28-Aug-03 UTS stand at Science in the Bush,
Tamworth Mopra
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Geraldton Students demonstrating SEARFE at International SKA2003
Conference
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“SEARFE in a Box” on tour with
Astronomy on the GoCatherine McCauley School
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“SEARFE in a Box” on tour with
Astronomy on the GoWenona School North Sydney
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Results… Narrabri and Geraldton
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Predicted Strongest RF Environment Signal Levels: 100-
2000 MHz
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Predicted Strongest RF Environment Signal Levels:
Integrated 0.1-22.2 GHz
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Earth at Night
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Forte Satellite Global Radio-Frequency Environment
Measurements29-51 & 121-146 MHz
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THE SEARFE RADIO SCIENCE & ASTRONOMY AWARENESS PROJECT
G. B. Warr [1], D. Campbell-Wilson [2], A. J. Green [2], P. J. Hall [1], B. J. Jacobs [3], O. H. Mather [2], O. L. Shepherd [2], M. C. Storey [1].
[1] Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO[2] School of Physics, University of Sydney
[3] Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology Sydney
A pilot project to raise awareness and gain practical experience in radio astronomy, radio-science and the importance of the radio-frequency (RF) spectrum is being run in several Australian high schools. Students from city and country high schools are using
computer controlled RF scanners connected to wideband discone antennas to measure RF signal levels up to 1.5 GHz in their local area
and are comparing their results via the internet. Through this the students gain an increased understanding of the value and use of the
radio frequency spectrum for communication and astronomy, practical experience in radio-science and an appreciation of the
requirements of a "radio-quiet" site for the next generation radio telescopes, the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), that Australia is bidding to host. The
effectiveness of the project is being evaluated through a number of means including standardised tests of participating student's
understanding vs a control group, feedback from teachers and from trained science communicators. Further details on the project can be
found at the SEARFE website: www.searfe.atnf.csiro.au