NRAO webpage for Paul Harden
EVLA IF/LO Lab – RF Designer, EVLA Up-Converters/Down-Converters, other stuff
National Radio Astronomy Observatory • Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope • Socorro, New Mexico
IF/LO Lab 505/835-7142 or pharden@nrao.edu
Last updated: 04 Aug 2008 
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• HOME PAGE •
SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION . . . (Actually, waiting for the paper work, Environment Impact Statement, title search and permits to continue)

To EVLA Page NRAO/EVLA Work related documents and informationT301, T302, T303 EVLA Converters and documentation

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World's largest radio telescope† The Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope on the Plains of San Augustin, 50 mi. west of Socorro, New Mexico. Dedicated Oct. 1980, it remains the premier astronomical instrument in the world for radio astronomy.
 
† Legally, the world's largest multi-element image synthesis phased array interferometer
   Arecibo is the world's largest single-dishradio telescope
   The NRAO 300-foot Green Bank Telescope (GBT) is the world's largest steerable single-dish radio telescope
   My backyard 18MHz Jupiter L-burst antenna is one of the world's smallest radio telescopes



LINKS: VLA/VLBA Sketches The Great Socorro Hailstorm
       Historical VLA and VLBA Sketches These are a few of the sketches I have drawn of the NRAO over the years.  
           Following the VLA dedication in Oct. 1980, the engineers and technicians were placedon shift work to man the VLA 24 hours-a-day to quickly respond to system failures. There were some mid-shifts with very little to do! So I spent some idle time drawing sketches of the VLA.** After 6-8 months, there were so few electronic failures, shift work wasn't justified and everyone reverted back to the 8–5 day. Even today, with the electronics 25+ years old, it is rare for failures to effect observing. ** In case my boss finds this website – that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

       THE GREAT SOCORRO HAIL STORM – OCT. 5, 2004
           The most damaging hail storm in Socorro's history, beginning about 3:15 pm and going on continuously until nearly 4 pm. Hail soft-ball sized and larger, plus the unusually long duration, made it one of New Mexico's most devastating hailstorms on record. About 1,700 automobiles were"totalled" by the storm and an equal number of homes requiring roof and window replacements. "Ground zero" of the hailstorm started near theFire Academy/Evergreen Drive, traveling to the northeast, directly over the New Mexico Tech Campus and the NRAO AOC building, over the car dealerships at Socorro's I-25 north exit, and crossed the Rio Grande to the east at Escondida.
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To Electronic Hobby Page Tutorials & Construction projects for hams, homebrewers,QRPers and electronic enthusiasts 
VLA ModComp computers 
VLA emergency generators 
Master local oscillator racks 
VLA antenna "vertex room" 
VLBA prototype system
MK-III VLBI
JPL "Voyager" gear
Tracking "Voyager" at NRAO
Old "6250 bpi" machines
"Spectre" computer
Kitt Peak radio telescope
When the golf-ball sized hail began (view of NRAO AOC parking lot) 
Busted out windshields in the NRAO parking lot. There was 100% damage to cars - about 80% being "totalled"
One of the first stones was measured at 4.5 inches - then they got bigger.
Bullock Ave. looking towards the NRAO AOC.
Frankling Street wasn't much better.
Many homes were damaged with windows and skylights broken. Over 2000 roofs in Socorro were replaced.
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