The 60 percent mark in the current survey has been passed: the declination of the Radio Observatory is +02 degrees, 0 minutes. The survey started at +62 degrees, 20 minutes, in September, 1993, and is scheduled to finish at -37 degrees declination in early 1997. The survey proceeds 1/3 degree at a time, requiring 300 declination changes in total. Two concurrent surveys are actually being conducted. One is the continuum survey, which is re-analyzing the same frequency and sky area observed at Big Ear in the Ohio Survey. This survey looks for natural signals. The other is the SETI survey, where 3000 channels are being analyzed for artificial, celestial signals. This survey looks for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. The system that analyzes the data is called LOBES, which stands for LOw Budget ETI Search.

I purchased a 540 Mbyte hard drive (with NAAPO funds), and Chief Engineer Steve Brown installed it in the LOBES SETI PC. This replaces a 20 Mbyte drive. With this new storage capacity, it is possible to store all the data currently being analyzed by LOBES. (The data will be transferred to compact disks for permanent storage.) There are great advantages in this new storage capability. We can now reduce noise by adding several days' worth of data together, allowing faint signals to emerge. Different kinds of signals, like the WOW signal, are now open for re-examination. LOBES will still conduct real-time followup of signals, because SETI signals may not stick around for re-observation after post-processing.

We are about to have a third survey conducted at Big Ear. Bill Brown, the Graduate student working with Chuck Klein, is going to start collecting 1000 hours worth of data from the SERENDIP system. Observations with SERENDIP will interrupt LOBES and the continuum survey for that 1000 hours, but Bill and I have agreed to trade observing times. This will allow Bill to make a systematic survey of several degrees of declination, as the other surveys continue. I look forward to seeing Bill's data.

Steve's comment was that some of these items would require knowledge on a pulse by pulse basis.

Russ Childers inquired about how many elements would be required for an Argus pulsar receiving station. Steve Brown recalled that several hundred dipoles were used in England (?Jodrell Bank). Dan Fleisch commented that gain increases directly with the number of antenna elements.

Dan went on to point out that builders of an Argus facility might derive income by supplying data to others. Dr. Dixon responded with a reminder that while sale of data would be an option for an Argus facility, he would prefer to hold to the idea of extracting value from the data as well as gathering it. At minimum, Dr. Dixon would like to see realization of his concept of an all-sky, real-time video display at the observing site.

Dr. Barnhart requested an update as to the Motorola Iridium project, as it impacts the Observatory. Dr. Dixon replied that the Motorola people were here, and they seem willing to address the potential problem of their interference with radio observatory observations by offering the technology to turn off receiving equipment during a time period when all Iridium satellites would be transmitting earthward. The Motorola engineers apparently believe their plan will accomodate variations caused by movement of the satellites themselves with respect to the fixed ground site. Steve Brown commented that the Iridium system will effectively prevent observation in certain frequency ranges, due to long integration times. Jerry Ehman inquired as to the effective radiated power of the proposed satellites, and Steve said each satellite will be capable of radiating 100 watts. However, radiation will be divided into multiple spot beams. Dr. Dixon reminded us that Arthur C. Clarke had predicted that eventually there would be no difference between long distance calls and locals. By coincidence, the September 1995 issue of Moon Miner's Manifesto includes a reference to this prediction. David Dunlop stated: "A new driver for cheap routine access to space will be commercial telecommunications demands. The new global satellite telecommunications networks will change again the shape and feel of the world. Arthur C. Clarke in 'How the World Was One' predicted the end of the distinction between the local and long distance telephone call around the turn of the millennium."

Thus ends Dr. Dixon's (interactive) opening dialogue.

Dan Fleisch briefly reviewed the less than encouraging results of a recent presentation of the Argus concept at his company, and he concluded that the battle for funding of new ideas seems to be a constant of life.

Cindy Brooman has been working hard in development of her family owned World Wide Web site construction business. Her current largest client is the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, which appears to be Yet Another Bureaucracy (YAB) (as in YABBA YABBA DO?). Meanwhile, Cindy's promotional efforts on the Web have resulted in several inquiries, including one from an organization in Canada. It was pointed out that Cindy's own Home Page recently underwent extensive renovation, including implementation of the new corporate logo. For anyone with Web access, Cindy's URL is http://www.point-and-click.com.

Jerry Ehman reported on his participation in filming of a visit to the Observatory by a crew from the Discovery Channel. The crew was here from 2 in the afternoon to 7 PM. Jerry understands the result of this visit will be a series of four one-hour episodes, which should appear in about 13 months. Apparently the film crew used various colored lights for artistic effect. We can all look forward to seeing Jerry illuminated in an interesting shade of green. In response to an inquiry, Jerry reported that he is continuing to work on his goal of writing a SETI Primer. He received copies of Jim Bolinger and Steve Brown's Masters theses, and he intends to actually 'read' them both. This led to Steve Brown's prediction that if Jerry follows through with this intention, then there would be four people in the world who have actually read the document.

Don James is trying to keep the Observatory crane running. He reported that the motor is fine, but that the clutch is in poor condition. Don asked if the crane would be needed in the future, while wondering if his efforts were worthwhile. He received several reassurances that the crane would be likely to be needed in the next three years, as the Observatory prepares for closing. Dr. Dixon commented that the Administration Building might be moved, if a way could be found to do that economically.

Russ Childers announced that the telescope is gathering signals from exactly 3 degrees. In the next few days he will move to the 60% point in the ongoing survey. He said that all 3,000 channels are being saved to disk every 20 seconds, and his is accumulating 20 megabytes of data each day. Russ will pick up a Colorado External Tape backup device, using an authorization form supplied by Dr. Barnhart at today's meeting. Russ commented that the external backup technology will be discontinued by Colorado.

With due caution in light of past disappointments, Dr. Barnhart announced that there may be a display of meteors on November 17th or 18th, due to the Earth's movement through a `sheet' of debris from a comet. The comet has a period of 33 1/4 years. The total window for viewing is only about an hour. In any case, the shower will be visible in the morning sky, appearing to originate in the constellation Leo. In a personal note, Dr. Barnhart described his recent conversation with a nephew who works for the Interstate Commerce Commission. It appears that the commission will disappear, but the people and functions will simply merge into other departments.

"Signals" is now being printed at Kinko's, thanks to Joe Mitchell, who has volunteered to do the printing. NAAPO is charged only the price of materials.

Dr. Barnhart and Esther are handling the mailing duties, now that he is retired. The entire distribution of 150 copies takes about four hours.

Cindy Brooman passed along a tip for users of the Netscape program. It turns out that a right mouse click is a shortcut for downloading an image.

Steve's comment was that some of these items would require knowledge on a pulse by pulse basis.

Yes and no. Pulse shape requires the intergration of hundreds, or thousands, of pulses due to variations in signal reception, both locally and through the interstellar medium. If you could collect from distant sites and synchronize to microsecond resolution (no simple task!) you could reduce some terrestrial variations. I might also note that pulsars signals are an order of magnitude stronger at 600 MHz than 1400 MHz.

Variations in pulse timing is to some extent pulse-to-pulse, but the above considerations require gathering many pulses. The typical pulsar of interest is at millisecond, or submillisecond, rates; for gathering thousands of pulses you need a very solid timebase to microsecond resolution. And of course you need to track over seconds, minutes, maybe more to a consistant degree. In non-synthesized apertures this just means mechanical tracking: you might consider the signal variations that would occur in a synthesized aperture and formed beam, and how these would impact the millisecond and microsecond structure of pulsars.

All in all, an interesting analysis in communications theory! There's probably a master's thesis in this issue? It would help if you had an Argus technical specification, of course.

Dan went on to point out that builders of an Argus facility might derive income by supplying data to others. Dr. Dixon responded with a reminder that while sale of data would be an option for an Argus facility, he would prefer to hold to the idea of extracting value from the data as well as gathering it.

Since this was part of my interest when I rejoined the Observatory a few years ago, I might make some comments. With the advent of CD-ROM's and the Internet, there is already a large amount of *raw data* available essentially for free (i.e. the cost of distribution). What is less available is processed data, or data that is part of some particular application or use or need. For example, Dr. Dixon knows well the value of his stellar and non-stellar cross reference lists of the 1970's: and he can also tell you the effort it took to compile them! That cataloging and computational effort is somewhat reduced in the 1990's, but on the other hand EVERYONE has the computational capacity now to do it.

I have found that individual researchers tend to have their own ideas as to what is useful data — mostly only their own. And, I've found it is very very difficult to get GOOD descriptions of data and methods of data collection from researchers in order to do proper data reduction.

The bottom line is: it is no small task to try to "add value" to raw data, to package it with appropriate software or background materials, and to distribute it. And, to do this for some particular market. I can only note that the Observatory has shown not little, but NO interest in this before, if not outright resistance.

Dr. Barnhart requested an update as to the Motorola Iridium project, as it impacts the Observatory ... meanwhile, here is a commercial company that is CLEARLY showing interest (of a sort) in radio astronomy, who *also* has the capacity of providing technological support for Argus, and yet I've heard ZERO about trying to pump money from them!!! even for our technical assistance!!!!

I hope I have not offended anyone by citing past history or overstating my points. I have raised these issues before or explored these possibilities previously: that they come up again suggests they are options to consider, but none of them are free or simple. Clearly, it is appropriate and necessary to establish both funding mechanisms and an astrophysical research program for an Argus project, and I hope this contributes to that end.

On Mon, 23 Oct 1995 07:55:19 -0400, tahanson@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu (Tom Hanson) wrote: Radobs Saturday Meeting, October 21, 1995. Russ Childers announced that the telescope is gathering signals from exactly 3 degrees. In the next few days he will move to the 60% point in the ongoing survey. He said that all 3,000 channels are being saved to disk every 20 seconds, and his is accumulating 20 megabytes of data each day.

This is very encouraging! congratulations! I want to reiterate that this data will be useful in comparisons to the 50-channel data collected by the 1976-83 SETI program. In addition, it will provide a baseline of pre-Iridium conditions at the upper end of the Survey (1620 MHZ if I recall correctly?) that may be of great research value. I thank Russ, and NAAPO for funding this effort. I will be a "customer" for the 3000 channel data CD-ROM's, so keep me in mind when they are created.

Russ will pick up a Colorado External Tape backup device, using an authorization form supplied by Dr. Barnhart at today's meeting. Russ commented that the external backup technology will be discontinued by Colorado.

..but the tapes are standard, and I believe the format is standard. I would suggest that the backup software used be verified as being "reasonably" compatible. A third-party software product might be considered in this regard. It is also my understanding that the long-term backup medium would be CD-ROM, and tapes are merely an intermediate step. As tapes and recordable CD's are about the same price, and I presume the CD's have a better shelf life, the CD's will be the archival choice.

Here's a review of a recent article on our SETI programs, and on other currents programs. It also describes what the SETI League is up to. I've written a review, which I'll probably send around elsewhere, so it mentions my involvement with the OSU program specifically. I'd certainly be pleased if this review got into Signals. I'd appreciate any corrections. The article itself might be useful as part of the "intro to SETI" that was recently asked for in the maillist: Popular Electronics usually sells reprints for some fee, or the author may cut a better deal!

One of the more "senior" people at the Observatory may want to write or sign a letter to Popular Electronics to describe the current status of the Observatory, and any comments on the article, as publicity opportunity. You might mention the recent grant from the SETI League in that context.

The December 1995 issue of Popular Electronics has a feature article on "The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" by Karl T. Thurber. The nine-page article includes an untitled color picture of Jill Tarter and friends during the Phoenix Project's June 1994 SETI survey at Parkes Observatory in Australia, and a picture of the Ohio State University "Big Ear" parabolic reflector. This caught my attention at the newsstand recently, as I am a volunteer engineer at the Ohio State NAAPO Radio Observatory, where SETI search programs have been running for the last 25 years or more. But the article provides a good introduction to other programs as well, and includes many useful and classic references for further interest and even amateur involvement.

OSU's SETI program gets almost a half-page description, including discussion of the current radiotelescope and prospects for a proposed Argus array of hundreds of small antennas. Berkeley's Space Science lab is discussed as the developers of a series of mulitchannel receivers called SERENDIP, which have been used at many sites for SETI (including OSU most recently). The Phoenix Project is described as "rising from the ashes" of the cancelled NASA SETI program. The Planetary Society's (actually Paul Horowitz of Harvard) META and successor BETA programs is also reviewed.

A section on "Results" included the OSU "Wow!" event and also reports of "narrowband pulses lasting less than ten seconds" — actually a unnamed reference to the sampling rate of the OSU SETI Survey of the early 1980's which produced the "Wow". Some discussion follows on what we would do if a signal was detected, namely decode it and try to send a reply.

The article concludes with discussion of how the reader can get involved, namely by joining the SETI League's All-Sky Survey which will begin April 20th, 1996 (Earth Day). Using antennas with 3-degree wide beams, and Digital Signal Processors commonly found on IBM-PC compatibles for audio processing, an amateur could scan "about 14.4 kHz of spectrum at 10 Hz resolution" during the time a source would be in such a beam.

There are useful lists of contacts and references in the article, including Internet sites, books, articles; and a descriptive list of organizations and publications. OSU gets its share of these: Kraus's books on "Big Ear" and his classic "Radio Astronomy"; the OSU Internet HTTP site operated by Dr. Klein; and OSU's "Signals" newsletter. Other institutions referenced include The SETI League, SETI Institute, SERENDIP, and the Planetary Society among others.

All in all, it's a reasonable introduction to the recent and upcoming state of SETI research, and provides a good set of references and contacts. Some of the particulars in the article are not referenced as I've noted, but that could be due to the magazine's editing. I do not know the author's affiliation, but if he is not a SETI League member he is certainly sympathetic to them! This would be a useful, electronically-oriented introduction to SETI activities and resources, and particularly organizations and literature.

The same issue of PE also has an article on MMIC amplifiers, very small and simple-to-use IC amplifiers good to 2 GHz or so: just the kind of devices a SETI experimenter would be interested in! It seems that SETI is receiving more interest in the last few years, particularly as the bulk of SETI work is now privately funded and individually sponsored. So a list of current work and sites, including Internet addresses, is a timely resource.

With its northern pass completed, Ulysses will begin to journey back out to the orbit of Jupiter. The spacecraft will reach the giant planet's distance of 5.4 astronomical units (about 800 million kilometers or 500 million miles) on April 17, 1998. Once there Ulysses will loop back and return, this time arriving in the vicinity of the Sun during its most active sunspot phase.

"The Sun will be near solar maximum in the fall of 2000 and the solar magnetic field will have reversed polarity," said Dr. Edward J. Smith, Ulysses project scientist at JPL. "We expect the profile we obtain five years from now will be dramatically different and give us many new insights into the dynamics of this star at the center of our solar system."

Based on the importance of its investigations and the excellent condition of the spacecraft, the Ulysses mission will continue through a second set of polar passes beginning in September 2000. At the conclusion of its mission in December 2001, the spacecraft will have collected data on solar phenomena at all latitudes during the quietest and most active phases of the 11-year solar cycle.

Project Manager: Fred Wirth
e-mail: Fred_Wirth@qmgate.arc.nasa.gov