Ka-Band Monopulse Antenna Pointing Calibration Using Wideband Radio Sources

A new method of performing a system end-to-end monopulse antenna calibration us-ing widely available wideband astronomical radio sources is presented as an alternative to the current method of using a spacecraft signal. Current monopulse calibration requires a spacecraft carrier signal to measure amplitude and phase differences in the monopulse feed and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs). The alternative method presented here will allow the ground station to perform monopulse calibrations during maintenance periods instead of spacecraft track time, and provide an end-to-end system check-out capability without requiring a spacecraft signal. In this article, we give an overview of the current calibration approach, describe a new method for calibrating with radio sources, and present results from field testing of this new method. I