## Overview

The SIDC's RadioWG manages different experiments which includes may different devices, particularly sensitive radio receivers. Reliable radio frequency (RF) values are required to maintain the quality of observations, to improve any experiment, to identify unwanted radio signals and to design new instruments.

## Tools

### Visualization

In order to clearly show the results of measurements, proper plots and graphs are usually needed. Many options are available, but here we offer some software packages that had proven been adequate for this purpose:

* [TOPCAT](http://www.starlink.ac.uk/topcat/) (Tool for OPerations on Catalogues And Tables):
    - Stand-alone application developed in JAVA
    - Variety of operations on multiple tables

* Paraview
    - Option for 3D visualization
    - Compatible with VTK (Virtual Tool Kit) files 

Using a 4:3 aspect ratio for plots is highly recommended, although it is not mandatory.

### Instrumentation

* Agilent E4445 Spectrum Analyzer
* MGX Signal Generator 
* NanoVNA V2Plus4
* RAMON: Antenna Pattern & Calibration

## Data Format

Although the preferred format to store measurements is 
[Enhanced Character-Separated Values (ECSV)](https://github.com/astropy/astropy-APEs/blob/main/APE6.rst) 
it is not exclusive.

> The ECSV format is the recommended way to store Table data in a human-readable ASCII file. This includes use cases from informal use in science research to production pipelines and data systems.

In addition to Python, ECSV is supported in [TOPCAT](http://www.starlink.ac.uk/topcat/), a flexible plot visualization tool.

## Reports Catalog

| Report Title |  Date  |
|--------------|:------:|
| [Characterization of RG213 coaxial cable for RMI RF survey at Dourbes](./Reports/20250611-MEA-coax-rg213-cable) | 2025-06-11 |
| [Characterization of Minicircuits filters SLP-1000+ and SHP-500+](./Reports/20240531-MEA-filters-slp1000-shp500-callistoOnLinux-test) | 2024-05-31 |
| [OART's FEE Noise Figure](./Reports/20240402-MEA-OART-fee-noise-figure) | 2024-04-02 |
| [OART's FOPA testing](./Reports/20240322-MEA-OART-fopa) | 2024-03-22 |
| [Attenuation of SPADE signal distribution setup for calibration](./Reports/20240312-MEA-SPADE-signal-distribution-setup) | 2024-03-12 |
| [Kuhne KU 2000 LSF-N](./Reports/20230928-MEA-lna-ku2000lsfn-gain) | 2023-09-28 |
| [Characterization for ~1400 MHz filters](./Reports/20230703-MEA-filters-1400MHz) | 2023-07-03 |
| [Humain RFI Measurements at 1664.2 MHz](./Reports/20230531-RFI-1664MHz-Humain) | 2023-05-31 |
| [SAFIRE's FOPA Verification](./Reports/20230515-MEA-safire-fopa) | 2023-05-15 |
| [Minicircuits LNA ZKL-33ULN-S+](./Reports/20230512-MEA-lna-zkl33uln-gain) | 2023-05-12 |
| [Coaxial Flat Cable](./Reports/20230508-MEA-coax-flat-cable) | 2023-05-08 |
| [SAFIRE test: Resonant cavity comb-line filters for 1664.2 MHz](./Reports/20230110-MEA-safire-test-filter-1664MHz) | 2023-01-10 |


## Useful resources

* [​Agilent (2008) "8 Hints for Better Spectrum Analysis" - Application Note 1286-1](https://cloud-as.oma.be/index.php/s/Bw2vKI1cUKsPjvv)
* [​Keysight Technologies (2017) "8 Hints for Making Better Measurements Using RF Signal Generators" - Application Note](https://cloud-as.oma.be/index.php/s/VAgJs3DWQ2GFUzC)
* [​2013 Liebl "Measuring with modern spectrum analyzers" - Rohde & Schwarz Educational Note](https://cloud-as.oma.be/index.php/s/jr9PwaQy3rSP8pc)

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