Tapasi Ghosh (NAIC, Arecibo Observatory)
(1) The Present Capabilities
(2) Anticipated Upgrades in 2008
(3) The Longer-Term Future

MK5A
Internet
Max 1-GHz IF
Bandwidth
Correlator
The Big Dish
(
Gain~10 K/Jy, SEFD~2.5-5 Jy
)
FedEx
2-head Tape Recorder (not in use)
VLBA4
DAR/Formatter
Receivers
327, L, S,S-High,
C, C-High, X
Max. IF
Bandwidth
0.05, 0.5 , 1 GHz
(2 GHz possible)
# of BBCs & Max
Bandwidth per BBC
8 (DSB), 16 MHz
Max RF Bandwidth Max Data Rate
256 MHz
(Single Poln)
1024 Mbps
Co-Observing Networks:
1. T he High Sensitivity Array (HSA, includes VLBA, AR, Y, GBT, EF)
2. European VLBI Network + Ar
3. Global Network
4. eVLBI (Real-time VLBI via internet: as yet with the EVN only, via EXPReS)
5. Ad-Hoc Arrays

In Current Program Plan:
• Upgrade to Mk5B+ (cost $13k). This will allow;
Î data recording rates to go up to 2048 Mbps
Î bandwidths of up to 512 MHz (Single Poln)
Î data in UNIX file systems (and not in specialized scans)
• Mk4 formatter will be replaced by VSI4 Sampler Adapters (cost $2k)
• At least five fully assembled disk-packs (cost ~$5k)
• Upgrade the computer running the VLBI software (cost ~$2k)
Î needs faster memory and I/O interfaces and motherboard with integrated gigabit network interface
• Broadband (~0.5 Gbps) internet connectivity -- Arun’s talk

• Move to digital backend and MK5C system.
This could facilitate VLBI data recording from multi-feed/array Rx’s.
• The Auxiliary (18-m)
Antenna: Funding source not yet identified.
• Join VSOP2 observations at 8-GHz.